Short-term rental permit rules in Cass County, ND — also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration — list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
North Dakota has no statewide short-term rental preemption or licensing program. Cass County has not adopted a county-wide STR ordinance for unincorporated areas. Where rural townships have adopted zoning under NDCC Title 58, lodging or transient rental uses may be regulated through township zoning. STR operators must collect and remit North Dakota state sales tax (5%) and any applicable local lodging or gross receipts tax. Inside Fargo, West Fargo, and other municipalities, city ordinances apply.
STR regulation in North Dakota is left almost entirely to local governments. Cass County does not currently maintain a county short-term rental license, registration, or inspection program for unincorporated parcels. Operators in unincorporated Cass County are generally subject to whatever township zoning applies, plus state-level tax obligations administered by the North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner: state sales tax (5%) on lodging stays of fewer than 30 consecutive days, plus any local sales or lodging tax adopted by the county or city. The City of Fargo separately administers STR rules through its Land Development Code. Because North Dakota has no statewide STR registration system, hosts should contact the Cass County Planning Office (for unincorporated parcels) or the relevant city planning department (for parcels inside Fargo, West Fargo, Horace, Casselton, or Mapleton) before listing on Airbnb or Vrbo. Operating an STR may also trigger building safety inspection requirements that differ from owner-occupied homes.
Failure to collect and remit North Dakota state sales tax (5%) on transient lodging can result in tax assessments, penalties, and interest from the Office of State Tax Commissioner. Operating in violation of a township zoning ordinance can lead to zoning enforcement action. City STR rules carry separate municipal penalties.
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