McHenry County, IL Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Parking Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- UDO § 16.64.080(A), Table 16.64-1
- Bed & Breakfast
- 2 spaces plus 1 per guestroom
- Vacation Rental
- 1 space per unit
- Rounding
- Fractions round up to a full space
- Default
- 1 per 500 sf if use unlisted
- Fine
- $100-$500 per week, § 16.84.010
Summary
McHenry County's off-street parking table sets a bed-and-breakfast's minimum at two spaces plus one per guestroom, and a vacation rental's minimum at one space per unit, under UDO Section 16.64.080(A) and Table 16.64-1. Any fraction of a required space still counts as a full space.
A. The minimum number of off-street parking spaces to be provided for the designated uses is as follows in Table 16.64-1: Required Off-Street Parking. ... Bed and Breakfast 2 + 1 per guestroom ... Vacation Rental 1 per unit
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-5: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. A25-0037, passed 8-19-2025 | State legislation current through ALS 2025 Pamphlet No. 1).
Full Breakdown
64-1: Required Off-Street Parking for every listed use. The table sets a Bed and Breakfast at two spaces plus one additional space per guestroom, so a five-guestroom operation needs seven spaces, while a Vacation Rental is set at a flat one space per dwelling unit regardless of bedroom count. 080(A) falls back to a default of one space per five hundred square feet of gross floor area. 2 spaces must provide seven. Subsection E ties employee-based requirements to the maximum number of people present on the premises at one time, counting owners and on-site managers as employees where a use's ratio is calculated per employee.
040 controls where on the lot the required spaces may be located relative to the principal structure. Because these are zoning standards tied to the underlying use, a property operating as a Vacation Rental or Bed and Breakfast without the required on-site spaces is out of compliance with its zoning approval independent of any separate short-term rental license the county requires.
Violations & Fines
Operating a short-term rental without the parking Table 16.64-1 requires is a zoning ordinance violation under Section 16.84.010: a fine of no less than $100 and no more than $500, with each week of noncompliance a separate offense. The County may also pursue a Circuit Court action under Section 16.84.020 to restrain continued use of the property until the required spaces are provided.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many parking spaces does a vacation rental need?
What about a bed-and-breakfast?
What if my required space count comes out as a fraction?
What happens if I don't provide enough parking?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in McHenry County
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