Brunswick County, NC Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Parking Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Parking ratio
- 2 spaces per bedroom
- Use category
- "Tourist Homes"
- STR definition used
- 10 days or less
- Standard household rate
- 2 per dwelling unit
- Multifamily rate
- 1.75 per dwelling unit
- Coverage
- Unincorporated county only
Summary
Brunswick County, North Carolina's UDO treats a short-term rental of 10 days or less as a "Tourist Home" use and requires 2 off-street parking spaces per bedroom, more than the standard 2-per-dwelling-unit rate for ordinary household living, under the county's Required Parking table for unincorporated-county development.
Off-street parking spaces shall be provided for all uses listed below in the amounts specified below. ... Tourist Homes: Tourist homes and other temporary residences available for short-term rental (10 days or less): 2 per bedroom.
Full Breakdown
A sets minimum off-street parking for every listed land use, requiring calculations to be rounded up to the next whole number and applying to the square footage or unit count of each use. 75-per-unit rate for multifamily. 15 spaces per room plus additional spaces for conference, banquet and restaurant space, and cross-references "Tourist Homes" for short-term rentals rather than folding them into that hotel-style category. 4. This parking standard is the operative Brunswick County ordinance on short-term rental parking; the UDO does not separately regulate where tourist homes may operate by zoning district beyond this parking table, and the requirement applies only to development in the unincorporated county, not inside Leland, Southport, Oak Island, Holden Beach, Ocean Isle Beach, Sunset Beach, Calabash or Brunswick County's other incorporated towns, which set their own short-term rental rules.
Violations & Fines
A tourist home or short-term rental operated without the required 2 off-street spaces per bedroom is a parking violation under the UDO. The Zoning Administrator can issue a notice of violation and correction order, followed by a $100 civil penalty for each day the violation continues uncorrected under Section 9.11.9.C, or a misdemeanor charge under Section 9.11.9.D with a fine up to $500.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many parking spaces does a short-term rental need in Brunswick County?
Is a short-term rental treated the same as a hotel for parking?
Can the parking stall size be reduced for a tight lot?
Does this parking rule apply to a rental in Ocean Isle Beach?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Brunswick County
Compare Brunswick County to another location·View the North Carolina short-term rentals overview
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