Idaho Falls, ID Short-Term Rentals: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (2026)

There is no primary-residence requirement for short-term rentals in Idaho Falls. The city's Short-Term Rentals FAQ describes an STR as a property owner renting out "their property or a part of their property such as a bedroom," which covers both whole-home and partial rentals, but it nowhere conditions operation on the home being the owner's primary or principal residence. The FAQ's core rule is locational and use-based, not occupancy-based: "Short term rentals are allowed in all zones where residential uses are also allowed," with no application required because the use is permitted in any residential zone. A non-owner-occupied or investor-owned property may therefore operate as an STR in Idaho Falls, provided it is a lawful dwelling (not an accessory structure unsuited for habitation, and not an RV or travel trailer outside an approved travel trailer court) and is otherwise compliant with city codes. This light-touch posture aligns with Idaho Code 67-6539, which prohibits any city or county ordinance that has "the express or practical effect of prohibiting short-term rentals," and classifies an STR as a residential land use. A blanket primary-residence-only rule is the kind of restriction that other Idaho jurisdictions have abandoned after the state strengthened its preemption (House Bill 583, 2026), which further limits cities from imposing STR-only operational mandates. Idaho Falls has not adopted an owner-occupancy or primary-residence condition.