City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Seward, AK
How Seward regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Rules here limit which homes may operate as short-term rentals, how many, where, or for how many nights a year.
- Owner-occupancy / primary-residence required for STRs in ALL residential zones (whole-home / absentee STR foreclosed)
- Only 50% of bedrooms (max 3) may be rented in residential zones
- Annual STR permit + city business license required; annual renewal
- Life-safety inspection and per-unit STR permit fees
- Commercial insurance required (Ord. 2022-016)
Based on: Seward City Code Title 15 (Planning and Land Use Regulations); STR insurance requirement added by Ordinance 2022-016
Summary of the rule
A short-term rental must be owner occupied in all Residential zoning districts (Urban Residential, Multi-Family Residential, Two Family Residential, Single Family Residential, and Rural Residential). The owner of the dwelling structure — the individual whose name is on the title of the property — must live in the dwelling as their primary residence, and only 50% of the bedrooms (up to 3) may be used for nightly rentals.
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 14, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Seward · system last checked Nov 9, 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.