Benton County, OR Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Benton County, OR, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- Definition
- Rental under 1 month is a short-term rental
- Classification
- Treated as a home occupation
- Permit needed
- When rental run from accessory structure
- Renewal
- Every 2 years
- Traffic cap
- 10 trips per day
- Space cap
- 500 to 2,000 sq ft by lot size
- Fine
- $500 per violation, $1,000 continuing
Summary
In unincorporated Benton County, renting out a dwelling for less than a month is not treated as ordinary residential use: County Code classifies any short-term rental as a home occupation. Every short-term rental must therefore meet the home occupation standards at BCC 91.205 through 91.215, and a rental operated out of an accessory structure needs a permit that the Community Development Department renews every two years.
(3)In addition to any other remedy provided by law to the County, the County may seek a fine of $500 for each separate violation and a fine of $1,000 for a continuing violation of any County ordinance, pursuant to this ordinance. ... (12)"Dwelling" means a single-family dwelling, as further defined below for purposes of this Development Code. ... This type of use is distinct from a short-term rental use (defined as rental of a dwelling for less than a 1-month period) which is considered a home occupation and allowed subject to the applicable standards for home occupations in this code. ... (1)In addition to the requirements of BCC 55.205, 60.205, or 89.400, every home occupation shall conform to the applicable standards of BCC 91.205, 91.210, or 91.215 as determined by parcel or lot size. ... (6)Home occupations conducted in an accessory structure require a permit that shall be renewed every 2 years.
Full Breakdown
020(12) draws the line at one month: a rental of a dwelling for less than a month is a short-term rental, not ordinary dwelling use, and the code routes it through the home occupation rules instead of a separate STR license. Which standard applies turns on parcel size. 820 allow, forbids noise, odor, vibration, glare or fumes detectable off the property, and restricts staffing to household members. 215 and up to two outside employees. 205(6) requires a permit, and that permit must be renewed every two years.
230 for any construction or system work tied to the rental space. Community Development, through the Planning Official, administers these standards; deed restrictions are not overridden by getting a county permit.
Violations & Fines
An unpermitted short-term rental in an accessory structure, or one over the traffic, staffing or floor-area caps, violates County Code under BCC Chapter 31. Enforcement officers from Community Development, the Building Official, the Sheriff or County Counsel escalate from a verbal notice through a written notice of violation, a notice to comply, and a stop-work order or permit suspension before filing an infraction complaint. Under BCC 31.125(3), the County may seek a $500 fine per violation and $1,000 for a continuing one, each 24-hour period counted separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to rent my house short-term in unincorporated Benton County?
How often does the short-term rental permit need to be renewed?
Are there limits on traffic or space for a short-term rental?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Benton County
How Benton County compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·Compare Benton County to another location·View the Oregon short-term rentals overview
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