City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Billings, MT
How Billings regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Short-term rentals here operate under a registration or permit system with ongoing operating rules.
- STR-specific permit required plus city business license
- Permit issued for one year, must be renewed annually
- Maximum one short-term rental permit per dwelling unit
- Zoning coordinator may deny for code/zoning noncompliance and revoke on violation
- Proof of building-code compliance and 24/7 local contact required
- Whole-home/absentee STR (tourist home) permitted in residential districts; no primary-residence or host-present requirement; no citywide cap
Based on: Billings Municipal Code (BMCC) Ch. 27 Zoning, Sec. 18-1304 (formerly 27-1621; renumbered by the Billings 2045 Zoning
Summary of the rule
Short-term rental (STR) permits are processed through section 27-1620, Permits, with the following additional requirements... Application contents. In addition to any other information prescribed by the zoning coordinator, an application for a short-term rental permit shall include... Contact information for the owner (person, trust, or corporation) of the property.
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 14, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Billings · system last checked Oct 25, 2026
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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.