City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Columbia, MO
How Columbia 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.
- discretionary conditional-use permit required for non-owner-occupied whole-home STR in residential zones
- whole-home STR over 120 nights (Tier 3) excluded from all residential zones (commercial districts only)
- per-owner limit of one short-term rental certificate of compliance
- 210-night annual cap on non-resident whole-home STR
Based on: Columbia Unified Development Code (Ch. 29), UDC §29-3.3(vv) 'Accessory and temporary uses of land and buildings:
Summary of the rule
If the dwelling unit is or is not a long-term resident's principal residence, a Tier 2 short-term rental shall be an accessory use in zoning districts M-OF, M-N, M-C, and M-DT and shall be a conditional accessory use in zoning districts A, R-1, R-2, and R-MF provided the following criteria are met: 1. The dwelling unit or portion of the dwelling unit is rented by transient guests for no greater than two hundred ten (210) nights in a calendar year; and 2. ... [parking] 3. A conditional use permit, where required, is approved by the city council in accordance with section 29-6.4 (conditional use permit).
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Last reviewed Sep 25, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
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City Watch tracks changes from public sources — council agendas, state bills, local news — not a complete legal compendium.
A city permit is not the whole picture — HOA, condominium, deed, or lease rules may be stricter.
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.