Rutherford County and Murfreesboro do not limit short-term rentals to a host's primary residence. Tennessee's STRU Act also grandfathers existing rentals, blocking local ordinances that would prohibit a property already used as a short-term rental.
There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence-only rule for short-term rentals in Rutherford County or Murfreesboro, so non-owner-occupied (investment) rentals are permitted. The Tennessee Short-Term Rental Unit Act strongly protects existing operators: T.C.A. 13-7-603(a) provides that a local ordinance or rule that prohibits or regulates STR use does not apply to a property that was already being used as a short-term rental before the rule was enacted. This 'legacy' protection means a city cannot retroactively force an established rental to become owner-occupied. Legacy status can end if the property is sold, transferred, sits unused as an STR for 30 continuous months, or racks up repeated violations.
No primary-residence penalty exists locally. Loss of legacy protection (via sale, 30-month gap, or repeated violations) is the main consequence tied to the state grandfather rule.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Murfreesboro, TN
Murfreesboro prohibits storing abandoned, inoperable, or unregistered vehicles on public streets or visible on private property. Vehicles may be tagged and t...
Murfreesboro, TN
Murfreesboro regulates electric vehicle charging infrastructure for residential and commercial properties. Building codes may require EV-ready parking in new...
Murfreesboro, TN
Murfreesboro regulates overnight parking on public streets. Many areas restrict parking between certain hours or require permits for overnight street parking.
Murfreesboro, TN
Murfreesboro requires pool barriers meeting safety codes to prevent drowning. Fences must be at least 4 to 5 feet tall with self-closing, self-latching gates.
Murfreesboro, TN
Murfreesboro requires permits for retaining walls above a certain height, typically 4 feet. Engineering review may be required for taller walls.
Murfreesboro, TN
Murfreesboro restricts or prohibits intentional feeding of wildlife including deer, coyotes, and bears. Feeding wildlife creates public safety hazards and nu...
See how Murfreesboro's primary-residence-only rule rules stack up against other locations.
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