Winnebago County, IL Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Winnebago County, IL, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Special use permit
- Allowed district
- R-A only (not R-R subdistrict)
- Barred districts
- R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-MH
- Reviewing body
- Zoning Board of Appeals, County Board
- Max fine
- $500 per offense
Summary
Winnebago County classifies whole-house vacation rentals as a distinct zoning use that needs a special use permit and is barred outright from every residential district except R-A.
Vacation Rentals. The renting out of a furnished existing initially permitted home (single-family dwelling), furnished existing initially permitted apartment dwelling unit ... on a temporary basis (i.e. typically on a weekly or daily basis) to tourists as an alternative to a hotel/motel. This use is also known as short-term, whole-house rentals. "Vacation Rentals" shall not include "Bed and Breakfast" nor shall it include "Hotel/Motel".
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64).
Full Breakdown
The county's Unified Development Ordinance defines "Vacation Rentals" as short-term, whole-house lettings of an existing home, apartment unit, or condo unit, separate from bed-and-breakfasts and hotels/motels. Under Table 8.1 (Sec. 8.8.1), that use is not permitted by-right anywhere in the residential districts: it appears only as an "S" (special use) in the R-A Rural Agricultural Residential District, and it's unavailable even there in the R-R subdistrict. R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, and R-MH carry no entry at all, meaning the use is prohibited in those districts. Table 7.1 shows the same S-only treatment in the AG, A-1, and A-2 agricultural districts. An owner must file a special use permit application with the Planning and Zoning Officer under Sec. 4.3 before renting a property short-term.
Violations & Fines
Operating without the special use permit is a zoning violation: fines up to $500 per offense under Sec. 6.3, with each week of continued violation a separate offense, plus permit revocation and possible court action by the State's Attorney.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run a short-term rental anywhere in unincorporated Winnebago County?
How do I apply for the required permit?
Does the county treat a vacation rental the same as a bed-and-breakfast?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Winnebago County
How Winnebago County compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·Compare Winnebago County to another location·View the Illinois short-term rentals overview
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