Yellowstone County, MT Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)

In unincorporated Yellowstone County, short-term rental (STR) permits are processed as administrative permits under Section 27-1619 and detailed in Section 27-1620 of the Yellowstone County Zoning Code. The application must include contact information for the property owner (person, trust, or corporation), contact information for a local contact person with authority to fix problems or violations who is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at a phone number given to the County and to guests, an attestation to comply with the section, identification of every dwelling unit to be rented, and the URL of every advertisement for the rental.

The Zoning Coordinator reviews new and renewal applications against four criteria and may deny an application if the property carries any unresolved code enforcement violation, even one unrelated to the rental, fails to meet zoning, permit, fire, or building and safety requirements, the applicant made a knowing false or misleading statement in the application, or the property is not actually available for immediate short-term rental. A denied applicant cannot reapply for the same location for 30 days unless the Zoning Coordinator finds the reason for denial has been cured.

A second denial after a cure-based request can be appealed to the Board of Adjustment under Section 27-1615. Permits are valid for one year, and renewal applications should reach the Zoning Coordinator at least 30 days before the current permit expires. The requirement applies only in the unincorporated county; Billings and Laurel administer their own short-term rental rules separately.