Aurora has not adopted a stand-alone short-term rental ordinance. Hosts must register and obtain a rental license through the City's Rental Licensing Program administered by the Department of Neighborhood Standards / Property Standards Division (630-256-3770), attend the Landlord Training Class held monthly at Aurora Police Headquarters, and renew the license each year by August 31 (license year runs September 1 through August 31).
Aurora regulates rentals (including stays under 30 days marketed on Airbnb or Vrbo) through the City's Rental Licensing Program rather than a dedicated short-term rental chapter. The Property Standards Division within the Department of Neighborhood Standards (630-256-3770) administers registration of all non-owner-occupied dwelling units and multi-unit properties, with forms and renewals filed through the Online License Renewals portal at aurora.il.us. To obtain a rental license an owner must register the property, pay the published Rental Program Fees adopted July 14, 2015 (application fee plus per-unit license fees that scale with the number of units), and the responsible owner or property manager must complete the Landlord Training Class held monthly at Aurora Police Headquarters; landlords need only attend once but the City recommends repeat attendance every couple of years. The license year runs September 1 through August 31 and renewals are due by August 31 each year. If occupancy changes the City of Aurora Development Services Department must be notified within ten business days, with failure to do so resulting in a fine of up to $500 plus applicable license fees. Properties must comply with the Aurora Property Maintenance Code (Aurora has adopted the International Property Maintenance Code with local amendments) and pass City inspections. Illinois has no statewide STR preemption, so the City rental license plus zoning compliance is the controlling local authority. STR operators are also subject to the Illinois Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax under 35 ILCS 145 (6 percent state) on stays under 30 days.
Operating a rental dwelling in Aurora without a current City rental license, failing to renew by August 31, or failing to notify the Development Services Department within ten business days of an occupancy change is a Code of Ordinances violation enforced by the Department of Neighborhood Standards. The City may assess a fine of up to $500 in addition to applicable license fees, deny or revoke the license, cite property maintenance code violations after inspection, and pursue further enforcement through the City's administrative hearing process.
See how other cities in this county handle registration rules.
See how Aurora's registration rules rules stack up against other locations.
Quick Compare
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.