Penn Hills has no dedicated short-term rental registration ordinance. Operators must obtain a Certificate of Use, Occupancy and Compliance for the rental use and register with the PA Department of Revenue and Allegheny County Treasurer for hotel occupancy taxes.
Penn Hills has not adopted a Chapter 781-style rental permit program comparable to Pittsburgh. There is no municipal STR registry, no annual rental license fee, and no mandatory safety inspection specific to short-term rentals. However, operators are not free from oversight. Any rental use triggers the need for a Certificate of Use, Occupancy and Compliance issued by Penn Hills Code Enforcement, which verifies that the property complies with zoning, building, and life safety requirements. Before advertising or hosting guests, operators must register with the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue for a Hotel Occupancy Tax account (6 percent state tax) and with the Allegheny County Treasurer for the county Hotel Room Rental Tax account (7 percent county tax). Monthly tax returns are required. Operators should also verify that STR use is compatible with the zoning district for their property; operating a commercial lodging use in a residential zone without proper approval is a zoning violation. Penn Hills may adopt a formal registration program in future as STR regulation evolves across the region.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
See how other cities in Allegheny County handle registration rules.
See how Penn Hills'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 If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.