Short-term rental permit rules in Lehigh County, PA — also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration — list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Lehigh County does not license short-term rentals; PA land use is municipal. In Allentown, every rental unit must hold a city residential rental license before being offered to guests, with an annual inspection and $75 per-unit fee.
Pennsylvania counties do not zone or license rentals; authority sits with each city, borough, or township under the Municipalities Planning Code (53 P.S. §10601). In Allentown, the county seat, short-term rentals fall under the Rental Unit Registration and Inspection Program: a residential rental license is required for each unit, obtained only after a passing inspection. Zoning treats short guest stays like lodging or a Bed and Breakfast Inn use, and on lots with an accessory dwelling unit short-term rental is barred outright. Outside Allentown, check the specific borough or township. Lehigh County's role is limited to collecting the hotel room rental tax.
Operating an unlicensed rental in Allentown draws code-enforcement citations, fines, and denial or revocation of the rental license until inspections pass and fees are paid.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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