Short-Term Rentals
Short-term rentals fall into three categories:
- Accessory Home Share: For rental of a maximum of 2 bedrooms in an owner-occupied homestead property not to exceed 4 guests. Owners must live in and be generally present during all short-term rental periods. Only bedrooms may be rented. All other spaces (including but not limited to kitchens, bathrooms, and common dwelling space) must be shared common space with the owner occupants. The owner-occupied unit may be located within a one-family or two-family structure but may not be located in a multi-family building with 3 units or more. In a two-family structure, the home share shall be located in the same unit the owners inhabit.
- Accessory Vacation Dwelling Unit, Limited: For rental of an entire unit in an owner-occupied homesteaded property for 2-7 consecutive nights without the owner present. The maximum total number of nights that may be rented in calendar year is 21. The rental period must be specified in the permit at the time that the permit was applied for and may not be altered.
- Vacation Dwelling Unit/Accessory Vacation Dwelling Unit: For rental of an entire unit without the owner present for rental periods of 2 or more nights. The maximum number of guests is one person plus the number of bedrooms multiplied by two, which shall not exceed nine. The maximum number of bedrooms that may be rented is 4. There is a cap on vacation dwelling units, determined as a percentage of housing units. After advertising for Letters of Interest, the City held a drawing in 2024 for those letters received to determine the order on an eligibility list. At this point, there is not expected to be any openings on the eligibility list in the foreseeable future.
*Properties located in a Form District are not subject to the cap and may be rented 1-29 consecutive nights. A current zoning map can be found here.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is very important that you read these Frequently Asked Questions and review the building code information for short-term rentals. If you are pursuing an Interim Use Permit for a Vacation Dwelling Unit, you can also review the Construction Services and Inspections Division's Vacation Dwelling Unit Guide to understand the step-by-step process you will use for inspections and building permits, after receiving your Interim Use Permit.
Pre-Application Meetings
If you will be pursuing an Interim Use Permit for a Vacation Dwelling Unit or Accessory Vacation Dwelling Unit, you need a pre-application meeting. First, please watch this pre-application video, then contact Planning and Development at 218-730-5580 or planning@duluthmn.gov.
Regulations
- Zoning regulations are available in the Unified Development Chapter. Scroll down to "Article 3" and click on "Use-Specific Standards."
- For Vacation Dwelling Units, look under section 50-20.3, Commercial Uses.
- For Accessory Vacation Dwelling Units; Accessory Vacation Dwelling Units, Limited; and Accessory Home Share; look under section 50-20.5, Accessory Uses.
- Recent changes are found in the Amending Ordinance passed on 10/25/21.
- Building regulations for short-term rentals.
- Selected City Ordinances on Parking, Parks, Pets, & Noise (must be provided to all guests)
- As part of your building permit, the Fire Department will conduct an inspection to ensure your building meets the fire code.
Applications
- Accessory Home Share Application Checklist
- Accessory Vacation Dwelling Unit, Limited Checklist
- Interim Use Permit Application Checklist
Other Information
Contact Information
For general information on short-term rentals, contact Construction Services at 218-730-5240 or permittingservices@duluthmn.gov.
If you have questions about the Interim Use Permit process for Vacation Dwelling Units, contact Planning and Development at 218-730-5580 or planning@duluthmn.gov.