Lake County, IL Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Guest room cap
- 5 bedrooms/guest rooms per night
- Required approvals
- Health Dept. + Planning/Building/Dev Dept.
- Max guest stay
- 7 consecutive days
- Sign allowed
- 1 sign, max 1 sq ft
- Scope
- Unincorporated Lake County only
Summary
Unincorporated Lake County has no dedicated short-term-rental ordinance; the closest local rule is the Unified Development Ordinance's bed-and-breakfast accessory use, capping rented guest rooms at five per night and requiring health and planning approval.
(H) Bed and breakfast. Bed and breakfast operations shall be subject to the home occupation provisions of subsection (E) above and the following standards... (1) Guest rooms. No more than five bedrooms or guest rooms shall be rented per night.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-15: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 26-0618, passed 6-9-2026 | State legislation current through ILCS Pamphlet 2025 #5).
Full Breakdown
Lake County's zoning code (Chapter 151, Unified Development Ordinance) governs only unincorporated land. Waukegan, Highland Park, Gurnee, Libertyville and dozens of other municipalities set their own rules and are not covered here. The county code has no Airbnb-style short-term-rental ordinance; instead, a bed-and-breakfast run as a home occupation is capped at five rented bedrooms or guest rooms per night under § 151.113(H)(1). Operators must also get Lake County Health Department and Planning, Building and Development Department approval, may post only one sign of one square foot, and must cap any guest's stay at seven consecutive days.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the five-room cap or operating without Health Department and Planning, Building and Development Department approval is a Unified Development Ordinance violation under § 151.251, enforced by the Planning, Building and Development Director, with each uncorrected week a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Lake County regulate short-term rentals like Airbnb?
How many guest rooms can a Lake County bed and breakfast rent out?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lake County
Compare Lake County to another location·View the Illinois short-term rentals overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.