Bowling Green, KY Short-Term Rentals: Registration Rules (2026)

Bowling Green's STR registration process is administered through the City-County Planning Commission of Warren County (the joint city-county planning agency at warrenpc.org) and the City of Bowling Green Building Division and Treasury Office. Step one is a zoning eligibility check: confirm via the Bowling Green zoning map that the property is not located in an RS (single-family residential) zoning district, where STRs are categorically prohibited. The Planning Commission staff (270-842-1953) can confirm zoning status. Step two is the Conditional Use Permit application under Zoning Ordinance Article 5, Section 5.1, filed at the Planning Commission office at 1141 State Street, Bowling Green; the application packet includes a site plan showing the dwelling, off-street parking, and surrounding properties, plus the application fee set by the Planning Commission fee schedule. Step three is the Board of Zoning Adjustment public hearing: surrounding property owners receive mailed notice, the hearing is held at a regularly scheduled BZA meeting, and the BZA may approve, deny, or condition the CUP after taking public testimony. Step four is the Bowling Green Building Division change-of-use building permit (270-393-3676): residential occupancy class typically does not change but a change-of-use inspection confirms life-safety equipment (smoke alarms in each bedroom and on each floor, carbon monoxide detectors near sleeping areas where applicable, accessible fire extinguishers, code-conforming egress from each rented bedroom). Step five is the Short Term Rental license itself, issued by the Planning Commission office; the license number must be displayed in every online listing (Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, direct website). Step six is the City of Bowling Green Treasury Office registration for monthly transient room tax filing on the city's TRT return form, plus state-level registration with the Kentucky Department of Revenue for the 1% state TRT and 6% state sales tax on accommodations. Operators must also confirm any homeowner's-association covenants do not independently prohibit STR operation; the city's CUP and license do not override private restrictive covenants. Renewal cadence for the CUP is generally tied to the BZA's case-specific conditions; the STR license is typically annual and the change-of-use building permit remains valid as long as no material structural change is made.