Regulation ranking
The 30 Strictest Airbnb Cities in 2026
65 tracked markets are rated 4/5 or 5/5 for regulation strictness. Here is what the rules actually say.
This page lists markets we rate 4/5 (Strict) or 5/5 (Very strict) for short-term rental regulation: 65 of the 174 rated markets. The strictest come first, and for each we quote the cap or permit rule and status note held in our regulation table, where we have one. A strict rating does not make a market uninvestable, but it usually means caps, zoning limits, owner-occupancy rules or waitlists that decide which properties can legally operate.
Last updated September 21, 2026
10
markets rated 5/5 Very strict
55
markets rated 4/5 Strict
65 of 174
rated markets are Strict or Very strict
Top 30: strictest Airbnb cities
| Rank | Market | State | Regulation | Cap / permit rule on file, and status | Annual revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. PetersburgPinellas County | FL | 5/5 Very strict | Cap: Max 3 stays under 30 days per 365 days in most residential zones (pre-2011, grandfathered)Status: Exempt downtown/mixed-use zones exist; get written zoning determination. | $66K |
| 2 | New OrleansOrleans Parish | LA | 5/5 Very strict | Permit: STR License (residential or commercial) | $59K |
| 3 | DeadwoodLawrence County | SD | 5/5 Very strict | Permit: Conditional Use Permit for a 'Vacation Home Establishment,' reviewed annually by the Deadwood Planning & Zoning Commission and Board; only allowed in Commercial and Commercial Highway zoning districts.Status: Deadwood has banned new short-term rentals in residentially-zoned areas and has separately prohibited first-floor short-term rental use within the local historic district — this is one of the most restrictive markets in the eight-state research region. | |
| 4 | DuluthSt. Louis County | MN | 5/5 Very strict | Cap: Citywide cap on non-owner-occupied vacation dwelling permits, reported in the roughly 60-120 permit range and growing only slowly each year; the waitlist created by the most recent (2024) lottery is not expected to reopen for the foreseeable future.Status: As of the most recent city guidance, the Interim Use Permit waitlist has no opening expected in the foreseeable future — an investor buying property specifically to run a non-owner-occupied Duluth STR should assume no path to a new permit exists today. | |
| 5 | GalenaJo Daviess County | IL | 5/5 Very strict | Cap: City Council-set cap on total vacation rental licenses; all licenses are currently allocated, with a substantial waitlist for new applicants and no published timeline for new openings.Status: New vacation rental licenses within city limits are effectively unavailable; prospective investors should contact the Zoning Administrator to confirm waitlist position, or consider unincorporated Jo Daviess County, which is governed by different zoning rules. | |
| 6 | NewportNewport County | RI | 5/5 Very strict | Cap: No numeric cap, but effectively banned in all residential zones (R3–R160); allowed by right only in GB/WB/CI zones, conditional Special Use Permit in the Limited Business zone | |
| 7 | TaosTaos County | NM | 5/5 Very strict | Cap: Town: hard cap of 120 STR permits citywide, allocated first-come-first-served, plus outright bans in Historic Districts, Historic and Hotel Overlay Zones, and the Central Business District (with limited renewal-only exceptions for previously permitted units…Status: Two separate STR regimes (Town of Taos vs. unincorporated Taos County) apply depending on the exact parcel location — always confirm which jurisdiction governs a specific property before assuming either cap or rule set applies. | |
| 8 | WashingtonDistrict of Columbia | DC | 5/5 Very strict | Cap: Not a numeric citywide cap, but a structural ban on non-primary-residence STR investment; the Vacation Rental type is additionally capped at 90 cumulative nights/year | |
| 9 | MauiMaui County | HI | 5/5 Very strict | $118K | |
| 10 | HonoluluHonolulu County | HI | 5/5 Very strict | $81K | |
| 11 | MiamiMiami-Dade County | FL | 4/5 Strict | Permit: Certificate of Use + Business Tax Receipt | $83K |
| 12 | Lake OconeeMorgan County | GA | 4/5 Strict | Cap: Greene restricts STRs to mapped overlay districtsStatus: GA SB 570 training required for all STR operators from 1 Jul 2026. Private lake communities add their own rental rules. | $65K |
| 13 | Lake LanierHall County | GA | 4/5 Strict | Cap: Forsyth effectively excludes residential zonesStatus: GA SB 570 training required for all STR operators from 1 Jul 2026. Gwinnett adopted new ordinance Apr 2026 - rollout into 2027. | $62K |
| 14 | Chelan CountyChelan County | WA | 4/5 Strict | Cap: 6% of housing units; Leavenworth / Lake Wenatchee / Plain already over capStatus: Permit transferability ends 26 Sep 2026. | $57K |
| 15 | EllijayGilmer County | GA | 4/5 Strict | Cap: City bans STRs in residential zones (500 ft neighbour notice for CUP)Status: GA SB 570 training required for all STR operators from 1 Jul 2026. County enforcement began 1 Jan 2026. | $57K |
| 16 | DahlonegaLumpkin County | GA | 4/5 Strict | Cap: City bans STRs in R-1 single-family zoningStatus: GA SB 570 training required for all STR operators from 1 Jul 2026. | $52K |
| 17 | DenverDenver County | CO | 4/5 Strict | Permit: STR License required | $46K |
| 18 | Whatcom CountyWhatcom County | WA | 4/5 Strict | Cap: Banned in Lake Whatcom Watershed and shoreline areas | $46K |
| 19 | St. LouisSt. Louis city | MO | 4/5 Strict | Cap: 1 occupied + 4 non-occupied permits per natural person; building caps 50% / 25% / 12.5%Status: PERMIT REGIME ENJOINED by court order since Apr 2025 - check city status page. | $42K |
| 20 | BiloxiHarrison County | MS | 4/5 Strict | Cap: Banned entirely in the AR, RS-5, RS-7.5, RS-10, Residential Estate (RE) and Residential Estate Restricted (RER) zoning districts; limited to a maximum of four STR units per tax parcel where permitted. | |
| 21 | ChicagoCook County | IL | 4/5 Strict | Cap: No citywide numeric cap, but STRs are prohibited on the Prohibited Buildings List and within City Council-designated Restricted Residential Zones (RRZs), effectively banning STRs in parts of the city. | |
| 22 | East HamptonSuffolk County | NY | 4/5 Strict | Cap: No blanket numeric cap on total registrations townwide, but each property is capped at a maximum of 2 rentals of under 2 weeks within any rolling 6-month period; 'share houses' (splitting occupancy rights among multiple parties/time periods) are prohibited…Status: The Town has been intensifying enforcement, including reported use of AI tools to flag unregistered listings, with local reporting finding roughly half of active listings unlicensed — signals a rising compliance-risk environment for buyers assuming they can… | |
| 23 | Lake PlacidEssex County | NY | 4/5 Strict | Cap: Unhosted permits capped at 165 townwide; as of recent local reporting only ~3 unhosted and ~16 hosted town permits remained available — unhosted category effectively full.Status: The town/village previously imposed a moratorium on new STR permits and has since managed/lowered the unhosted cap; the unhosted-permit ceiling is effectively reached, making an existing permitted unhosted property materially more valuable than pursuing a new… | |
| 24 | LawrenceDouglas County | KS | 4/5 Strict | Cap: No citywide numeric unit cap, but a single owner/licensee may hold no more than three active short-term rental licenses at one time, and non-owner-occupied STRs are banned in RS and PD zoning districts (with an exception for an ADU/duplex on an owner-occupied…Status: For the 2026 FIFA World Cup (Kansas City-area matches, with Lawrence's Rock Chalk Park considered as a possible team training/recovery site), the City Commission adopted temporary amendments to expand STR lodging supply during the tournament window — confirm… | |
| 25 | LouisvilleJefferson County | KY | 4/5 Strict | Cap: No citywide numeric cap, but a 600-foot buffer rule blocks a new CUP if an existing CUP'd STR is within 600 feet in a residentially zoned buffer; a 2023 update removed the waiver option when two or more CUP'd STRs already sit within that buffer.Status: Kentucky SB 112, pending in the state Senate as of September 2026 (not yet law), would void Louisville's CUP and 600-foot spacing requirements if it passes — this is a live risk/opportunity to monitor rather than a settled fact. | |
| 26 | MeredithBelknap County | NH | 4/5 Strict | Cap: 120 rental days per year per property (zoning ordinance caps bookings); permitted by special exception in all zoning districts except the Business & Industry District | |
| 27 | NarragansettWashington County | RI | 4/5 Strict | Cap: Ordinance sets 1,100 permits (2024) declining to 1,000 (Sept 2025) and 900 (Sept 2026) — currently NOT enforced due to a preliminary injunction (Narragansett 2100 v. Town, filed July 2024, TRO/injunction granted Oct 2024)Status: A Superior Court preliminary injunction (granted Oct 2024) remains in effect blocking enforcement of the permit cap and 7-night minimum; the underlying home-rule lawsuit is still active. The cap/minimum-stay rules are law-on-the-books but not currently… | |
| 28 | NashvilleBrown County | IN | 4/5 Strict | Cap: No numeric citywide cap identified, but county rule requires short-term rentals to be at least 250 feet from the nearest residence and at least 1,320 feet from the nearest other short-term rental, limiting achievable density in popular cabin areas.Status: Indiana's HEA 1210 (effective July 1, 2026) bars new local rental-count caps, but Brown County's spacing/distance rule is a discretionary zoning-approval condition rather than a stated numeric cap, so its status under HEA 1210 is unclear — VERIFY how the two… | |
| 29 | Ocean CityCape May County | NJ | 4/5 Strict | Cap: New STR license issuance has been frozen in R-1 (single-family) and MH (mobile home) zones since January 28, 2025, extended through January 3, 2027 (a July 22, 2025 repeal referendum narrowly failed); existing 2024 R-1/MH license holders may still renew.Status: Actively contested and time-critical: the R-1/MH moratorium and minimum-stay rules were narrowly upheld via a July 2025 referendum. A 31-night minimum takes effect January 1, 2027, effectively ending short-stay STRs in R-1/MH zones. Verify current… | |
| 30 | OxfordLafayette County | MS | 4/5 Strict | Cap: STRs in residential districts must be located at least 1,500 linear feet from another STR property.Status: The City of Oxford's Board of Aldermen has also been implementing Mississippi SB 2805 (2025), updating the local definition of "hotel" for special-levy tax-collection purposes to reach short-term rentals and third-party booking platforms. |
Swipe the table sideways for more columns. Ranked by strictness rating; within a rating, markets with a cap or permit rule on file are listed first, then by revenue. Rule text is quoted from our regulation table and shortened where long. Follow each market link for the full rules.
How to read this
- Regulation ratings run from 1/5 (Relaxed) to 5/5 (Very strict) and summarise the rules we hold on file. Rules change, and a city rating does not cover HOA or deed restrictions. Confirm current requirements with the local jurisdiction before you buy or list.
- Annual revenue is the average annual gross STR revenue from STR HUB's market analytics, the same figure shown on each market page. It is gross, and an individual property can earn more or less.
- An empty cell means we do not hold that figure for the market. We never estimate or interpolate a missing number.
Frequently asked questions
Which cities have the strictest Airbnb rules in 2026?
10 tracked markets are rated 5/5 Very strict: St. Petersburg, FL, New Orleans, LA, Deadwood, SD, Duluth, MN, Galena, IL, Newport, RI, Taos, NM, Washington, DC, Maui, HI and Honolulu, HI. Another 55 are rated 4/5 Strict.
How many STR markets are rated Strict or Very strict?
65 of the 174 markets we rate: 55 at 4/5 Strict and 10 at 5/5 Very strict. 29 of them have a specific cap or permit rule recorded in our regulation table.
How does revenue in strict markets compare with the rest?
The 28 Strict or Very strict markets with revenue data have a median average annual gross revenue of $69K, compared with $59K across all 88 markets with revenue data. That is a comparison of market averages, not proof that rules raise or lower earnings; strict rules mainly decide which properties can legally operate.
Which state has the most markets on the strictest list?
California, Florida and Georgia tie with 5 markets each out of the 65 qualifying. California: Lake Tahoe, Napa Valley, Mammoth Lakes, San Diego and LA. Florida: St. Petersburg, Miami, Key West, Naples and Clearwater Beach. Georgia: Lake Oconee, Lake Lanier, Ellijay, Dahlonega and Tybee Island.
See these on the interactive map
Turn on the Regulation overlay to see Strict and Very strict markets in red, and open any pin for its permit, cap and penalty details.
More rankings
Best STR markets overall Top markets by Opportunity Score, full-basis scores only. Highest gross yield Revenue relative to the county's typical 4BR home value. Highest Airbnb revenue Top markets by average annual gross STR revenue. STR markets under $400K Markets where the county's typical 4BR home is under $400K, by opportunity score. STR markets under $600K Markets where the county's typical 4BR home is under $600K, by opportunity score. Most STR-friendly cities Relaxed or Light-touch rules, ordered by gross yield. Rising home values Tracked markets where county home values rose fastest over the past year. Cooling home values Tracked markets where county home values fell most over the past year. Resort economies Counties with the highest vacation-home density, with tourism job share. Best markets for large homes Deepest supply of 4+ bedroom homes among markets scoring 50+.
State pages for the top markets here
- Florida STR markets
- Minnesota STR markets
- Illinois STR markets
- Rhode Island STR markets
- New Mexico STR markets
- All rankings →
Data sources
- Revenue, nightly rate, occupancy and regulation ratings: STR HUB market analytics and regulation research.
Figures come from the STR HUB national dataset dated September 21, 2026 and are refreshed whenever that dataset is rebuilt. Screening data only: not investment, legal or tax advice.
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