City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Philadelphia, PA
How Philadelphia 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.
- Whole-unit non-primary STR (Visitor Accommodation) not by-right in residential districts
- Visitor Accommodation permitted only in CMX-3/CMX-4/CMX-5/CA-1/CA-2/RMX-1/RMX-2
- Zoning/use permit required before any STR; Limited Lodging requires proof of primary residence
- 10th Councilmanic District imposes owner-residence exceptions
- Hosted Limited Lodging remains broadly available in residential districts
Based on: Philadelphia Zoning Code Title 14 — Limited Lodging §14-604(13) and Visitor Accommodations §14-601(7)(n); enacted via
Summary of the rule
Visitor Accommodations (whole-unit, non-primary-residence STR) are not permitted by-right in residential districts; permitted only where the property is in CMX-3, CMX-4, CMX-5, CA-1, CA-2, RMX-1, or RMX-2.
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 14, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Philadelphia · 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.