Auburn, AL Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Auburn, AL, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Zoning certificate, Section 408.02(D)(6)
- Annual operating cap
- 240 days per calendar year
- Certificate term
- Expires December 31 each year
- Revocation trigger
- 2+ substantiated complaints in a calendar year
- Revocation lockout
- Rest of year plus all of next year
Summary
Operating a short-term non-primary rental in Auburn requires a zoning certificate under Section 408.02(D)(6), valid only through December 31 of the year it's issued, capped at 240 operating days a year, and revocable by the Planning Director after two substantiated complaints in a calendar year.
A short-term non-primary rental shall be limited in operation to 240 days each calendar year. Each zoning certificate for a short-term non-primary rental will be valid from January 1 (or such other date during a calendar on which such certificate is issued) through December 31 of the calendar year in which the certificate is issued. A zoning certificate for a short-term non-primary rental may be revoked by the Planning Director (i) in the event that two (2) or more substantiated complaints are received by the city within a calendar year, or (ii) for failure to maintain compliance with any of the regulations set forth within this section.
Full Breakdown
02(D)(6)(a) caps operation at 240 days per calendar year. Subsection (b) ties the permit to the calendar year: "Each zoning certificate for a short-term non-primary rental will be valid from January 1 (or such other date during a calendar on which such certificate is issued) through December 31 of the calendar year in which the certificate is issued," meaning an operator has to renew every year rather than holding a permanent permit. The Planning Director can revoke that certificate under subsection (c) if two or more substantiated complaints come in during a calendar year, or if the operator fails to comply with any regulation in the section; a revoked owner is locked out from getting a new certificate for the rest of that year and all of the following year.
Subsection (d) restricts use of the property to lodging only, meaning eating and sleeping, and bars private or commercial events; only the registered or contracted guest may use the rental. 01.
Violations & Fines
Operating a short-term non-primary rental without a valid zoning certificate, exceeding the 240-day annual cap, or hosting a private or commercial event on the property violates Section 408.02(D)(6) and can draw revocation of the certificate after two substantiated complaints in a year, on top of the Zoning Ordinance's general penalty of up to a $500 fine and six months in jail under Section 909, plus doubled fees under Section 909.01 for operating before a certificate is issued.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to run a short-term rental in Auburn?
How many days a year can I operate a short-term rental in Auburn?
Can the city revoke my short-term rental permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Auburn
How Auburn compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·Compare Auburn to another location·View the Alabama short-term rentals overview
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