Short-term rental permit rules in Pittsburgh, PA — also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration — list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Pittsburgh's 2021 STR ordinance requires every short-term rental host to register with the Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections (PLI), pay an annual license fee, and post the license number on every listing. STRs in residential zones must be the operator's primary residence; investment STRs are limited to mixed-use and commercial districts.
Pittsburgh adopted its short-term rental ordinance in 2021 (Ord. No. 6 of 2021), codified at City Code Title VII, Chapter 781. The ordinance defines a short-term rental as the rental of a dwelling unit or portion thereof for fewer than 30 consecutive days. Every operator must apply for an annual STR license from the Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections (PLI), with a $250 license fee per dwelling unit. The application requires proof of insurance ($1M liability minimum), a designated 24-hour responsible party, a floor plan, and a safety self-certification.
In residential zoning districts, STRs are permitted only in the operator's primary residence — defined as the dwelling where the operator resides at least 184 days per year. Non-primary STRs (investment properties) are restricted to mixed-use and commercial zoning districts and require zoning approval. Every listing on Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, or similar must display the Pittsburgh STR license number; platforms are required to remove unlicensed listings on request.
Operators must collect and remit both the 7% Allegheny County hotel tax and the 6% Pennsylvania state hotel occupancy tax. PLI conducts an initial life-safety inspection (smoke alarms, CO detectors, second egress) and may re-inspect on complaint. The chapter also imposes operational standards: no events advertised on the platform, occupancy capped at two adults per bedroom plus two, and a designated parking plan for properties without driveway access.
Operating without a license: $500 first offense, $1,000 per day for continuing violations. Failure to display the license number in a listing: $300 per occurrence. Two confirmed nuisance violations in 12 months trigger license suspension; three trigger revocation for one year.
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