Waynesville, MO Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)

Section 405.735 of the Waynesville Municipal Code creates a dedicated approval process for any short-term rental of a residence or lodging room in the City of Waynesville, Missouri. By location, short-term rentals are authorized outright only in the R3, C1 and Mixed Use zoning districts; operating one in R1 or R2 requires an approved Conditional Use Permit, which the section requires to be issued in the name of the property owner and made non-transferable. Regardless of district, every short-term rental must apply for approval through the Building Department at City Hall, and the application carries a seventy-five dollar ($75.00) fee that already includes the cost of the required business license, so there is no separate license fee layered on top.

The section also ties the permit to the physical structure: the short-term rental must be located within an existing primary residence, and accessory structures on the lot cannot be used for sleeping or accommodation purposes, which rules out converting a detached garage or shed into a rentable unit. Once approved, the rental remains subject to the City's Fire Code and Building Code inspection requirements, and to all applicable taxes, including lodging taxes, sales taxes and business license regulations. Advertising or operating a short-term rental without the required business license or City permit, or advertising one in conflict with § 405.735's specific provisions, is expressly identified in the section as a violation.