Hoover, AL Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)

Section 6-55 requires an operator to obtain a short-term rental permit for each property where short-term rentals will occur, issued by the planning and zoning department, running from the date of issuance through December 31 of each year with no transfer to another person or location. The application must name the operator with contact information, the property's physical address, and an emergency contact able to respond on-site at any time. The applicant must sign a sworn statement attesting that the unit has code-compliant smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms as required by the currently adopted International Fire and Building Codes or as the fire marshal or planning and zoning department otherwise requires; that emergency contact information and a fire exit/escape route diagram are posted prominently in the unit; that the unit complies with the city's minimum property maintenance, building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing codes and zoning standards; that the operator made best efforts to notify adjacent property owners of the application; and that the property carries no outstanding taxes or municipal code violations.

Required documents include a government-issued ID, proof of ownership or the legal right to possess the property, a parking survey, and a floorplan showing bedrooms used for rentals. The planning and zoning director must issue the permit once the application and documents are approved, following due-process review, unless the applicant fails to meet the article's conditions or applicable law. Any fraud, misrepresentation, or false statement in the application is grounds for immediate suspension or revocation by the City Council, and Section 6-55(g) separately requires a business license under Chapter 8 of the Code for every operator.