Ames, IA Short-Term Rentals: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (2026)

Ames Municipal Code Chapter 35, the Guest Lodging Code, offers property owners a voluntary alternative to full compliance with Chapter 13's Rental Housing Code, but only for owner-occupied Short-Term Rentals. Sec. 35.400(2) states plainly that the dwelling unit must be the primary residence of the property owner, and Sec. 35.200 defines "Primary Residence" as a dwelling unit that is the only place where a person has a true, fixed, and permanent home, and to where the person intends to return whenever briefly and temporarily absent, adding that a person may have only one primary residence.

This requirement applies whether the unit is used as a Hosted Home Share, where the owner is present overnight, or a Home Share, where the owner is away during the rental; it excludes second homes, vacation properties, and units purchased purely for investment or rental income from registering under Chapter 35 at all. An applicant who is not the property owner cannot register either, because Sec. 35.400(1) separately requires the registrant to be the property owner. If a Short-Term Rental is not the owner's primary residence, the property must instead fully comply with Chapter 13's Rental Housing Code and obtain a Letter of Compliance from the Inspection Division rather than relying on the Chapter 35 registration exemption.

The Enforcement Officer designated by the City Manager administers this requirement and can deny or refuse to renew a registration where the primary-residence condition is not met, and a false statement about primary residence on the registration is grounds for revocation under Sec. 35.500(6)(a)(ii).