Short-term rental permit rules in Wake County, NC — also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration — list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Wake County itself does not issue a single short-term rental permit for unincorporated areas — the Wake County Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) regulates homestays and tourist homes through zoning use standards in Article 4. Inside the 12 incorporated municipalities (Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Wake Forest, Garner, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, Morrisville, Knightdale, Rolesville, Wendell, Zebulon), each town's own zoning permit applies.
Wake County's UDO (administered by Planning, Development & Inspections) treats short-term rental of a primary residence as a homestay accessory use, while non-owner-occupied whole-house rentals fall under tourist home/lodging use categories with district-specific permitting. Owners in unincorporated areas must comply with UDO use standards plus the countywide Room Occupancy Tax registration through Wake County Tax Administration. Raleigh requires a separate Zoning Permit (TC-8-20, effective March 2021) for STR operators with an annual renewal. Cary requires a Short-Term Rental Registration. Operators must also collect NC state sales tax (4.75%), Wake County local sales tax (2.5%), and the 6% Wake County Room Occupancy Tax — combined ~13.25% remitted to the appropriate state and county agencies.
Operating without required city zoning permits is a zoning violation in each municipality (typically $100-$500/day in Raleigh under City Code Ch. 12). Failure to register for Room Occupancy Tax with Wake County Tax Administration triggers the penalties in NCGS §153A-155 — $10/day omission fines up to $2,000 per return plus 5% per month late tax.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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