Short-Term Rentals Decisions in Portland
How short-term rentals requests are decided across Portland, OR council meetings, the vote and the conditions on the record
Short-Term Rentals is one of the most actively tracked zoning topics in Portland, OR. ZoneWire has analyzed 5 council meetings and detected 21 instances of short-term rentals activity. Below are the most recent discussions.
What is Short-Term Rental (STR)?
A dwelling rented for stays shorter than 30 days (Airbnb, Vrbo). Regulated through zoning permits, caps, and owner-occupancy rules that change frequently.
A short-term rental (STR) is a residential property rented out for brief stays - typically under 30 consecutive days - through platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo. Unlike long-term rentals, STRs are treated by many zoning codes as a distinct land use, closer to lodging than to housing, which is why they attract dedicated ordinances.
Read full definitionShort-Term Rentals in Portland, OR
A dwelling rented for stays shorter than 30 days (Airbnb, Vrbo). Regulated through zoning permits, caps, and owner-occupancy rules that change frequently. In Portland, OR, local government bodies regularly discuss short-term rentals as part of zoning and land use decisions.
ZoneWire has analyzed 5 meetings in Portland and detected 21 mentions of short-term rentals, an average of 4.2 mentions per meeting.
No material zoning changes in Portland in the last 30 days. We monitor every Portland, OR meeting and surface new opportunities here as they happen.
The rules, as adopted
Verified 2026-07-21 from official sourcesPortland allows Accessory Short-Term Rentals only where a resident actually lives in the unit at least 270 days a year: Type A (up to 2 bedrooms, max 5 guests) needs a $504 permit renewed every two years, while Type B (3–5 bedrooms) needs a discretionary Conditional Use review and is barred from commercial, employment, and industrial zones. Lodging taxes stack to roughly 11.5% plus a 3% tourism district fee and a $4/night host fee, and citation fines escalate $1,829 → $5,475 → $9,122 per offense.
What permit does a Portland short-term rental need?
Type A (no more than 2 bedrooms rented) requires an ASTR permit from Portland Permitting & Development, renewed every two years. Type B (3–5 bedrooms) requires a discretionary Conditional Use land-use review (Type III procedure if commercial meetings are proposed, otherwise Type II).
PCC 33.207.040, 33.207.050
Does someone have to live there?
Yes — the defining rule. A resident (owner or long-term renter) must occupy the dwelling at least 270 days per calendar year for both types, which effectively excludes dedicated investor units. In multi-dwelling structures, ASTRs are capped at 1 unit or 25% of units, whichever is greater.
PCC 33.207.040.A, 33.207.050.A, 33.207.030
How many guests are allowed?
Type A: maximum 2 rented bedrooms and 5 overnight guests. Type B: maximum 5 rented bedrooms, with total occupancy settable as a condition of the conditional-use approval. Advertising more than the approved bedrooms or guests is prohibited.
PCC 33.207.040.B, 33.207.050.B
What does it cost?
Type A: $504 (valid two years; $186 delinquent-renewal fee) per the fee schedule effective July 10, 2026. Type B adds a $309 inspection verification fee plus the Conditional Use land-use review fees, which run into five figures under the general land-use fee schedule.
PP&D Enforcement Fee & Penalty Schedule (eff. 2026-07-10)
What taxes apply?
The 6% city transient lodgings tax plus 5.5% Multnomah County tax, a 3% Tourism Improvement District fee, and a $4-per-night fee due from booking agents and STR hosts. Platforms with city agreements collect and remit for hosts.
PCC 6.04.020, 6.04.030; Ch. 6.05, 6.09
What are the penalties?
Citation fines of $1,829 (first offense), $5,475 (second), and $9,122 (third and each additional), stackable across offense types; revoked Type A permits cannot be reissued for the dwelling for two years.
PCC 33.207.040.D; 3.30.040; fee schedule (eff. 2026-07-10)
Not specified in the sources we verified
- Whether the full generic Conditional Use land-use fee applies to Type B ASTRs or a reduced ASTR-specific fee exists
- The Type B conditional-use validity period (no renewal cycle stated on official pages)
Confirm these directly with Portland planning before relying on them.
Rules change at public hearings first — ZoneWire tracks every council discussion of this topic below.
Summary of adopted regulations; not legal advice. Verify current rules with the planning department.
Recent Short-Term Rentals meetings in Portland
Why Track Short-Term Rentals?
STR rules vary more between neighboring jurisdictions than almost any other land-use topic. The common regulatory levers:
Short-Term Rentals Regulations in Oregon
Oregon sets the regulatory framework that governs how short-term rentals decisions are made at the county and municipal level. State statutes define zoning authority, hearing requirements, and appeal processes that directly affect short-term rentals outcomes in Portland.
View all Oregon zoning activityEvery Short-Term Rentals decision in Portland
See how every short-term rentals request in Portland was decided: the vote, the conditions attached, and how it moved through its hearings.
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Short-Term Rentals in Other Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
A short-term rental (STR) is a residential property rented out for brief stays - typically under 30 consecutive days - through platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo. Unlike long-term rentals, STRs are treated by many zoning codes as a distinct land use, closer to lodging than to housing, which is why they attract dedicated ordinances. ZoneWire tracks short-term rentals activity across Portland, OR public meetings.
ZoneWire monitors Portland, OR planning and council meetings, transcribes them, and flags short-term rentals activity. As of the latest update we have analyzed 5 meetings and detected 21 short-term rentals mentions.
Tracking short-term rentals in Portland surfaces zoning and development signals early, so developers, investors, and brokers can evaluate parcels and approvals before they reach the broader market.
Zoning in Portland is governed by Title 33, Planning and Zoning, of the Portland City Code. The Land Use Services division administers Title 33, but it does not create or change zoning regulations. Proposed changes to the Zoning Code are developed by the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability through public legislative processes and are then adopted by the Portland City Council. The Zoning Code is intended to implement Portland's Comprehensive Plan and related land use plans.
You can look up a property's zoning through the City's PortlandMaps tool by address or intersection, search by tax numbers, consult the official Zoning Maps by quarter section, or reference the Portland Zoning Code (Title 33) directly. Every property in the City of Portland has a base zone, and some properties also carry overlay zones or fall within plan districts that add regulations.
Every property in Portland has a base zone, such as a residential, commercial, or employment and industrial zone, which sets the primary regulations for the area. Overlay zones consist of additional regulations that address specific subjects in particular areas and modify the base zone rules. Overlay zones appear as lowercase letters after the base zone designation, for example R10(d), where 'd' is the design overlay. Some properties are also within plan districts that carry further regulations.
The Portland Planning Commission is charged with guiding the City's land use planning through stewardship, development, and maintenance of the City's Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Code. It is made up of nine volunteer members who hold public hearings, take public testimony on items marked as hearings, and develop recommendations on land use and urban design regulations that they forward to City Council. Meeting minutes, documents, and videos are generally made available about seven days after each meeting.
The Portland Design Commission provides leadership and expertise on urban design and architecture and advances the purpose of the Design overlay zone. Regularly scheduled Design Commission hearings are held on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month. Agendas and meeting details are posted in advance on the City's website.
Yes. ZoneWire Free sends New Meeting Alerts for Portland at no cost, with the agenda for each meeting. ZoneWire Pro adds full transcripts, zoning and development analysis, and keyword alerts for $129 per market per month.
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What gets approved in Portland
ZoneWire analyzed 21 land-use board decisions in Portland over the last 24 months. Here are the most active project types and how often each one clears.
| Project type | Decisions | Approval rate |
|---|---|---|
| Land use / comp-plan amendment | 7 | 100% |
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