Erie, PA Short-Term Rentals: Noise Rules (2026)

Section 305.49 regulates every short-term rental in Erie, requiring a license before an owner can rent a dwelling out at all; operating without one is itself a violation under subsection (a)(1). The noise standard in (a)(7) bars 'unreasonable noise or sound that is plainly audible to an unaided human ear' during the overnight hours listed in the ordinance's table: 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. every night from Sunday through Thursday, and a later 11:59 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. window heading into Saturday and Sunday mornings.

The ordinance ties noise directly to licensing conduct: subsection (a)(5) states that neither occupants nor guests may engage in disorderly conduct or disturb the peace and quiet, and once the property owner is notified of a disturbance, the owner becomes responsible for preventing it from happening again. To make that enforceable, (a)(6) requires every STR to have a designated business contact person, reachable on a twenty-four-hour basis, who must be able to respond to any complaint within one hour of notification; the City must get 14 days' written notice before that contact person changes.

The license itself is non-transferable and does not run with the property under (a)(2), so a change in ownership triggers a fresh licensing review that reconsiders the property's compliance history, including noise complaints.