Fishers, IN Short-Term Rentals: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (2026)

Indiana's STR statute (IC 36-1-24) hinges on whether the property is the owner's primary residence. Under IC 36-1-24-8, an owner-occupied short-term rental — one that is simultaneously the owner's primary residence — is a permitted residential use that may not be disallowed in any district permitting residential use. For STRs that are NOT owner-occupied, IC 36-1-24-9(b) allows a unit to require a special exception, special use, or zoning variance, so long as it does not prohibit or unreasonably restrict STRs. Fishers' UDO Section 5.4.6 implements this directly: an owner-occupied STR is a permitted residential use without a permit, and a non-owner-occupied STR requires a Special Exception from the Board of Zoning Appeals. So Fishers does not impose a 'primary residence only' ban — investor STRs are allowed — but a non-primary-residence operator must clear the Special Exception process that primary-residence hosts skip. Verify current procedure with Fishers Planning & Zoning, as 2026 state law (HEA 1210) further constrains local rental regulation.