Knoxville, TN Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Parking Rules (2026)

Section 16-612(6) of the Knoxville Code of Ordinances requires every short-term rental unit operating-permit application to include "a site plan and floor plan accurately and clearly depicting the size and location of the existing dwelling and the approximate square footage in the dwelling, the number and location of designated off-street parking spaces and the maximum number of vehicles allowed for overnight occupants." The same site plan must describe the use of every room, the number, location and approximate square footage of bedrooms, and any accessory structures such as garages or accessory dwelling units.

That parking documentation feeds into the city's broader short-term rental unit ordinance, adopted by Ordinance No. O-245-2017. A type 1 permit, available only to an owner whose short-term rental is their principal residence, is capped at one per person citywide under Section 16-613(a). A type 2 permit, for non-owner-occupied units in nonresidential zoning districts such as the Central Business District (C-2) and Town Center District (TC-1), is capped at two per person or entity under Section 16-613(b). A type 3 permit was a closing-window option under Section 16-613(c) for units already listed on a hosting platform and rented to a transient before March 1, 2017; it expired one year after the ordinance's effective date and cannot be renewed. Every application, regardless of type, goes to the business license and tax office and must also identify a local contact person under Section 16-612(4) who can physically respond to a complaint within forty-five minutes, plus an affidavit under Section 16-612(2) confirming smoke alarms, a carbon monoxide detector and a fire extinguisher are installed.