Linn County, IA Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)

Iowa Code Section 414.1, enacted through HF 2641 in 2020, requires counties to classify short-term rental property as a residential land use and prohibits regulations that single out STRs unless they apply equally to other comparable residential uses. Linn County's Unified Development Code (Chapter 107 of the Code of Ordinances), administered by the Linn County Planning & Development Department (319-892-5130), does not contain an STR-specific maximum-guest provision in unincorporated areas. The general baseline most operators rely on is the residential bedroom-based rule of thumb of two persons per bedroom plus two additional occupants, drawn from the International Residential Code adopted statewide through Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 661-301. Sleeping rooms must meet the IRC minimum of 70 square feet for one occupant and 50 square feet per occupant when shared, plus emergency-egress window requirements. Septic-system capacity in unincorporated areas can also limit practical occupancy under Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 567-69 (private sewage disposal). Linn County retains authority under Iowa Code Section 414.1 to enforce noise, nuisance, and public-safety rules that apply uniformly to all dwellings.