City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Huntsville, AL
How Huntsville 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.
- residential-zone exclusion — STR classified as a motel use, barred from single-family R-1/R-2 districts
- STR allowed by-right only in Residence 2-B and commercial/industrial zones
- business license plus Zoning Administration approval required
- 9% city lodging tax plus $2 per room-night surcharge
Based on: Huntsville Zoning Ordinance (Code of Ordinances App. A), Art. 10 §10.1 (Residence 1) and Art. 15 §15.1 (Residence 2-B)
Summary of the rule
Zoning Ordinance §10.1 (Residence 1 District, Uses permitted): 'Land and buildings shall be used only for the following uses: Single-family dwellings. Agricultural uses ... Municipal, county, state or federal use ... Churches and similar places of worship. Accessory structures. Accessory uses as defined and regulated by section 73.1.1 hereof. Church bulletin board ... Permitted uses as special exceptions as defined and regulated by subsection 92.5.3 hereof.' Hotels, motels, tourist homes, roominghouses and boardinghouses are NOT among the permitted uses. By contrast §15.1 (Residence 2-B District, Uses permitted) expressly permits 'Hotels, motels, tourist homes, roominghouses, boardinghouses and office buildings.' Because the City classifies short-term rentals as a motel/transient-lodging use, whole-home STR is foreclosed by-right in the base single-family residential districts (Residence 1, 1-A, 1-B, 1-C, 2, 2-A, 2-C) and is permitted among residence districts only in Residence 2-B.
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 25, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
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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.