Lehigh County, PA Short-Term Rentals: Night Caps (2026)
Key Facts
- County night cap
- None
- Allentown night cap
- None
- Transient threshold
- Under 30 consecutive days
- 30+ day stay
- Exempt from hotel tax
- Taxable stays
- 4% county + 6% state
Summary
Neither Lehigh County nor Allentown caps the number of nights a short-term rental may operate. The meaningful 30-day line is a tax one: after 30 consecutive days a guest is no longer a taxable transient under the county hotel tax.
After a person has occupied or has the right to occupy for 30 consecutive days, he is no longer a "transient" as defined in the Ordinance.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
There is no annual night limit or per-stay maximum for short-term rentals in Lehigh County or Allentown; the county does not zone, and Allentown's ordinance sets no cap on rentable nights. The important 30-day threshold is about taxation and tenancy, not a night cap: the county hotel room rental tax applies only to transient occupancy, and once a person has occupied or has the right to occupy for 30 consecutive days they are no longer a transient and the stay becomes exempt. Longer stays may also shift a guest toward tenant status under Pennsylvania landlord-tenant law. Hosts targeting stays under 30 days must collect the 4% county tax and the 6% state tax.
Violations & Fines
No night-cap penalty exists; failing to collect the hotel tax on taxable sub-30-day stays exposes operators to back tax, 1.5% monthly interest, costs, and fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a limit on rental nights per year?
When does a stay stop being taxable?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lehigh County
Compare Lehigh County to another location·View the Pennsylvania short-term rentals overview
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