Boise cannot limit short-term rentals to a host's primary residence because Idaho Code §67-6539B (2017) requires cities to allow STRs as a residential use without owner-occupancy mandates.
When the Idaho Legislature passed §67-6539B in 2017, it preempted the kind of primary-residence-only or owner-occupancy STR rules common in Pacific Northwest cities. Boise's Title 11 Chapter 11-04 framework therefore registers both hosted and non-hosted listings, including investor-owned whole-home rentals and out-of-state owners. The city may impose neutral health, safety, parking, and noise standards that apply equally to all STRs but cannot ban non-owner-occupied operations or cap them by ownership category. This makes Boise an open market relative to Seattle, Portland, or many California coastal cities.
If Boise attempted to enforce a primary-residence rule, operators could challenge it under §67-6539B and Idaho's strict preemption doctrine; no fines apply for non-owner-occupied STRs today.
Boise, ID
Boise requires short-term rental registration but cannot ban STRs under Idaho Code §63-1803A. Operators must register with the city, designate a 24-hour loca...
Boise, ID
Boise does not require a general rental property registration or licensing program. Unlike many larger cities, Boise does not mandate that landlords register...
See how Boise's primary-residence-only rule rules stack up against other locations.
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