Kootenai County, ID Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Kootenai County, ID, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- County STR permit
- Not required (state preempts)
- Governing law
- Idaho Code 67-6539
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Kootenai County
- Cities differ
- CDA, Post Falls set own rules
- Life-safety items
- County may still require
Summary
No. Idaho law bars counties from requiring a license, permit, or registration just to operate a short-term rental. Unincorporated Kootenai County imposes no STR-specific permit. Inside cities like Coeur d'Alene or Post Falls, city rules may apply.
Neither a county nor a city shall enact or enforce any ordinance that has the express or practical effect of prohibiting any type of short-term rentals in the county or city.
Full Breakdown
Idaho Code 67-6539 preempts local short-term rental permitting: a county cannot require a license, fee, permit, certificate, or registration as a condition of operating an STR, nor impose obligations that single out STRs versus ordinary single-family homes. Kootenai County has not adopted an STR permit chapter in its Title 8 Land Use and Development Code for the unincorporated county. A normal dwelling used as an STR needs no special land-use permit here. Cities within the county (Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Hayden) set their own rules, so confirm jurisdiction by address. The county may still require basic life-safety items (smoke alarms, extinguishers, CO detectors).
Violations & Fines
No permit means no permit-based penalty. Generally-applicable nuisance, noise, or building-code violations are enforced the same as for any residence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Kootenai County make me get an STR permit?
What if my property is inside a city?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kootenai County
How Kootenai County compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·Compare Kootenai County to another location·View the Idaho short-term rentals overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.