City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Kansas City, MO
How Kansas City 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 of non-resident (absentee/whole-home) STR — flat "Not permitted" in every base R district
- only resident (owner-primary) STR permitted in R districts, in accordance with Ch. 56 and § 88-321
- in non-residential districts, non-resident STR further constrained by 1,000-ft dispersion and 12.5% per-structure cap
- one STR per single-dwelling parcel; ministerial registration/permit with annual renewal
Based on: Zoning & Development Code § 88-110-03 (88-110 Residential Districts use table, Lodging), current supplement Aug 13
Summary of the rule
In the 88-110 Residential Districts use table, Lodging category: 'Short term rental, non resident' = 'Not permitted.' (a flat row value across all base R districts); 'Short term rental, resident' = 'Permitted in all R Districts in accordance with' Chapter 56 and § 88-321.
Last reviewed Sep 25, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Kansas City · 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.