Jackson County, MO Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)

Kansas City's Zoning and Development Code §88-321 (Short Term Rentals), implemented through Ordinance 230268, distinguishes Type 1 owner-occupied STRs (operator must reside on the property at least 270 days/year) from Type 2 non-owner-occupied STRs. For both types, the operational standards in §88-321-02 and §88-321-03 cap total occupancy at two persons per bedroom being rented plus one additional person per dwelling unit, not to exceed eight guests per dwelling unit. Children under a certain age are typically counted; confirm the specific carve-out with KC Neighborhood Services at str@kcmo.org or 816-513-3226. Type 1 STRs must remain the operator's primary residence; Type 2 STRs are limited to one per parcel, prohibited in residentially-zoned areas, and capped at 12.5% of dwelling units in any multi-family structure with 3+ units. Independence, Lee's Summit, Blue Springs, Raytown, Grandview, and North Kansas City each have separate STR ordinances — most cap occupancy through their own zoning codes. In unincorporated Jackson County, no STR-specific cap exists; the controlling limit is the building code's residential occupancy load (one person per 200 ft2 gross or one per 70 ft2 net sleeping room) under Chapter 54's 2018 IBC/IRC adoption, plus general nuisance enforcement.