Oklahoma City, OK Short-Term Rentals: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- License authority
- Supervisor of Licenses
- Non-primary trigger
- special exception required
- Nightly cap for primary residence
- 10 nights/month before exception
- Block cap on exceptions
- 10% of dwelling units
- Special exception term
- up to 3 years
Summary
Oklahoma City licenses home sharing/short-term rentals only in a host's primary residence by right; renting a non-primary home requires a discretionary Board of Adjustment special exception, capped at 10% of dwelling units per block.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article, where said dwelling unit: 1) is not the host's primary residence; or 2) is the host's primary residence but the host engages in home sharing/short term rental for more than ten nights in a calendar month; or 3) is located within the boundaries of a Historic Preservation District ... no license shall be issued for home sharing/short term rental without a current, valid special exception.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 5 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Under City Code § 13-500(1) and § 13-510(e), a home sharing/short-term rental (stays under 30 consecutive days) must be the host's primary residence to get a license without extra approval. A special exception from the Board of Adjustment is required if the unit is not the host's primary residence, if the primary-residence host hosts more than 10 nights in a calendar month, or if the property sits in a Historic Preservation District. Zoning code § 59-9350.38.1(G) caps special exceptions at 10% of dwelling units per platted block, renewable up to three years at a time.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a required license or, where triggered, without a valid special exception is a Class "a" offense under § 13-515; a suspended, revoked, or denied license bars re-licensing that address for one year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rent out a house I don't live in?
Does renting my own home ever need a special exception?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Oklahoma City
Compare Oklahoma City to another location·View the Oklahoma short-term rentals overview
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