Short-term rental permit rules in Lorain County, OH — also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration — list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Lorain County does not zone incorporated cities, so short-term-rental permits are set by your city. In the City of Lorain, an STR operator must hold a rental Housing License AND obtain a Conditional Use Permit before renting.
Rules come from your municipality, not the county. Lorain (Ord. 257-23, passed 12-18-23) folds short-term rentals into its Rental Dwelling Housing License Code, Chapter 1537, which 'shall apply to all rental dwelling units, including... short-term rental(s).' A Housing License application is filed with the Building, Housing and Planning Department, and STR applicants must additionally obtain a Conditional Use Permit under Part Eleven (the zoning code) plus proof of insurance. Elyria and other Lorain County cities regulate rentals under their own codes. For unincorporated townships, Ohio Revised Code Chapter 303/519 governs county and township zoning.
Lorain: first-degree misdemeanor, up to $1,000 and/or six months jail; each day of violation is a separate offense (Cod. Ord. 1537.99).
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Lorain County's permit requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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