Springfield, MO Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- LDC § 36-473(2)(b)1, (3)(b)1
- Type 2 spacing rule
- 500 feet between rentals
- Type 3 unit cap
- Max two units per premises
- Applies in
- R-SF, R-TH & other residential zones
Summary
Springfield caps short-term rental type 3 units at two per property in residential districts outside R-SF and R-TH, and requires 500 feet of separation between type 2 rentals in single-family and townhouse zones.
Density limitations: No short-term rental type 2 shall be located within 500 feet of another short-term rental type 2, as measured by the shortest distance between the two closest property lines; ... No more than two short-term rental type 3 units are allowed on a premises;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23 Update 2 | Land Development Code: Supplement 9 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Springfield's Land Development Code creates three short-term rental tiers and caps how many can cluster together. A short-term rental type 2, a non-owner-occupied rental in an R-SF or R-TH district, cannot sit within 500 feet of another type 2 rental, measured between the two closest property lines. In residential districts other than R-SF and R-TH, a short-term rental type 3 is capped at no more than two units per premises. The ordinance briefly suspended the type 2 spacing rule for applications filed within the first 30 days after the ordinance's passage, after which the 500-foot limit applies to all new applications.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the density limits blocks the permit outright; a revoked or denied short-term rental type 2 permit also stays subject to the density limitation for 12 months before a new one can be established at that site.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many short-term rentals can operate on one Springfield property?
How close can two non-owner-occupied short-term rentals be in Springfield?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Springfield
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