City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Fairbanks, AK
How Fairbanks regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Short-term rentals here are subject to registration, a lodging tax, or a small number of operating rules.
- City room rental (bed) tax 8% reaching STR stays of 30 days or less
- Borough hotel-motel room tax 8% also reaches STR
- State + borough business license required to operate
- No STR-specific licensing/permit process at any level
- Whole-home STR permitted by-right in residential zones as 'bed and breakfast homestay' (1-4 guestrooms) with no owner-occupancy requirement
Based on: Fairbanks General Code § 74-118 (Room Rental Tax Levy and Collection); amended by Ord. No. 6345, as amended, adopted
Summary of the rule
There is levied and imposed upon the use and privilege of renting a room within the city a tax equal to eight percent on the daily rate charged for each such room rented for each 24-hour period or any portion of such period. This tax is imposed upon all room rentals unless the rental is specifically exempted herein or by other applicable law. The tax will not be levied and imposed upon a permanent resident of a room.
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 15, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Fairbanks · system last checked Oct 25, 2026
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City Watch provides good-faith summaries of publicly available information as of the review date shown. Rules, enforcement, and permit availability can change, and summaries may contain errors or omissions. Ratings describe the general regulatory environment; they do not establish whether a particular property or stay is permitted. This is general information, not legal advice. Before buying, listing, or hosting, verify applicable requirements with the responsible authorities and review any HOA, condominium, deed, or lease restrictions.