Carmel, IN Short-Term Rentals: Night Caps (2026)

No Carmel ordinance reviewed sets an annual cap on the number of nights a dwelling may be rented short-term (for example, a 90- or 180-night yearly limit found in some other cities). Carmel's short-term-rental controls instead operated through its Unified Development Ordinance bed-and-breakfast framework (Z-629-17) and the Board of Zoning Appeals special-exception process, which turned on primary-residence eligibility rather than a per-year night ceiling. Notably, the city did at times suspend its short-term-rental restrictions around major events, the Carmel Common Council having approved 2025 dates aligning STR exemptions with events such as the Carmel Marathon and Indianapolis 500 weekend, which reflects an event-based easing rather than a standing night cap. At the state level, Indiana House Enrolled Act 1210 (2026) prohibits units of local government from limiting residential rental properties, including short-term rentals, in ways that function as caps or bans, while still allowing neutral safety, registration, inspection, and occupancy rules. A hard annual night cap would risk operating as a prohibited de facto restriction under that law. Because Carmel published no night limit and the 2026 statute narrows local authority, hosts can generally expect no fixed nights-per-year ceiling, but should confirm with Carmel's Department of Community Services and watch for event-specific rules or exemptions the city may adopt.