Short-Term Rentals in Las Vegas: Everything You Need to Know

Las Vegas is one of the most tightly regulated short-term rental markets in the US. Inside city limits, Airbnb and other vacation rentals must meet strict owner occupancy rules, spacing limits, safety standards and an involved permit approval process before you can legally operate. At the same time, parts of unincorporated Clark County either ban or heavily restrict short-term rental properties, so where your rental sits on the map matters as much as how you manage it.

This guide breaks down the current Las Vegas municipal code rules for short-term rentals and explains how to legally operate short-term rentals in the City of Las Vegas, how Clark County fits into the picture and what every host needs to know about licensing, safety, taxes and enforcement. The focus is on practical compliance, not marketing.

What this guide covers

• How Las Vegas defines a short-term residential rental and where vacation rentals are allowed

• The owner occupancy requirement, spacing rules and maximum occupancy basics

• The full application process: Conditional Use Verification (CUV), home inspection and business license

• Safety, house rules and neighborhood standards that hosts in Las Vegas must follow

• The relationship between the City of Las Vegas and Clark County short-term rental regulations

• Key tax and liability insurance coverage requirements for short-term rental owners

This guide excludes general hosting strategy. It focuses on short-term rental laws, local regulations and what you must do to legally operate short-term rentals and avoid significant penalties.

Who this is for

This guide is written for:

• Airbnb and short-term rental hosts operating within the City of Las Vegas limits

• Property owners considering converting a rental property to a licensed short-term rental

• Property managers representing multiple short-term rental operations

• Real estate investors comparing vacation rentals in Las Vegas vs other Nevada markets

If you’re trying to figure out whether your home or condo can legally operate as a short-term rental or you already host and want to check your compliance, this is for you.

Why this matters

Las Vegas local governments and Clark County now treat illegal rentals and unlicensed short-term rental operations as a serious enforcement priority. City staff monitor listings on short-term rental platforms, respond to noise and parking complaints and verify that every listing has gone through the city’s permit approval process and holds a valid rental license.

Non-compliant hosts risk:

• Denied or revoked business licenses

• Daily fines and enforcement actions

• Being classified as unlicensed rentals or illegal rentals under the Las Vegas municipal code

• Possible legal action if there is bodily injury and no proper liability coverage

What this really means is that you cannot just list a property and “see what happens.” You need to understand local rules before you operate short-term rentals in Las Vegas.

What you’ll learn:

• Las Vegas’s owner-occupancy requirement and the documentation needed to prove eligibility

• The full short-term rental licensing process, including CUV, inspections, spacing rules and the $500 annual business license

• Transient lodging tax obligations and what short-term rental owners must track for compliance

• Mandatory safety equipment, house rules and liability insurance standards required to operate legally

Understanding Las Vegas’s Short-Term Rental Legal Framework

The City of Las Vegas defines a short-term or vacation rental as the rental of a residential dwelling unit such as a house or condominium for 31 consecutive days or fewer.

Within city limits:

• Short-term rental operations require a short-term residential rental business license

• The use is treated as transient lodging, subject to local taxes and zoning laws

• The city maintains a Short-Term Rental License Map to show which properties already hold a license and the 660-foot buffer between licensed short-term rentals

The regulatory framework aims to:

• Protect residential neighborhoods and community standards

• Ensure guest safety through safety standards and inspections

• Balance economic benefits, like supporting tourism and local taxes, with community interests

City of Las Vegas vs Clark County

A big source of confusion for hosts in Las Vegas is the split between the City of Las Vegas and unincorporated Clark County:

• Inside the City of Las Vegas: short-term rentals are allowed only if you meet the city’s detailed regulations, get a CUV, pass an inspection process and obtain a business license.

• In unincorporated Clark County (large areas off the Strip): short-term rentals have historically been banned in residential areas and the county has introduced its own short-term rental unit regime under AB363, with strict rules and limited approvals.

If you misread the map and operate a short-term rental property in an area where it’s prohibited, no City of Las Vegas license will save you. Always confirm whether your address is inside city limits, in another city like Henderson or North Las Vegas or in unincorporated Clark County before you apply.

Core eligibility rules

Las Vegas applies very specific conditions to short-term residential rentals. To even qualify for a short-term rental license, a rental property must:

• Be owner-occupied throughout the rental period

• Have no more than three bedrooms, including the owner’s bedroom

• Be at least 660 feet from any other licensed short-term residential rental

• Be at least 2,500 feet from a resort hotel

• Sit in a zoning district that allows short-term residential rentals

• Have HOA written consent if located in a community with an association

• Not be in certain master-planned communities such as Summerlin, Sun City Summerlin, Town Center, Skye Canyon, Symphony Park, Grand Canyon Village and any property subject to the Form-Based Code.

On top of that, Las Vegas medical district and some downtown districts have their own restrictions or outright bans and you’ll see that reflected when you check the city’s zoning and short-term rental map.

These zoning laws and spacing rules are why many potential hosts discover that their home simply cannot be licensed, even if it seems like a perfect Airbnb from a guest perspective.

Licensing Requirements and Application Process

Las Vegas uses a three step permit approval process before you can legally operate short-term rentals:

1. Conditional Use Verification (CUV) – planning land use review

2. Home inspection – safety and building compliance

3. Business license review – short-term rental license issuance

Step 1: Conditional Use Verification (CUV)

You start by submitting a Conditional Use Verification application through the city’s online portal. This determines whether the property can be used as a short-term residential rental under Las Vegas municipal code and zoning laws.

Your CUV application must include:

• A justification letter explaining how you will operate the short-term rental, confirming owner occupancy and the number of bedrooms

• A site plan showing the residence, property line, required parking spaces and relationship to nearby streets

• A floor plan with all rooms labeled, interior doorways, the owner’s bedroom, egress routes and placement of fire extinguishers

There is no fee for the CUV, but the city will deny requests that don’t meet minimum standards like spacing, zoning or bedroom limits.

Step 2: Home inspection

If the planning division approves the initial CUV review, you move to a code enforcement home inspection.

Inspectors verify:

• The actual number of bedrooms and that the owner bedroom is on site

• Compliance with building permits for any additions or apartment buildings conversions

• Presence of required safety standards and equipment

• That occupancy limits and maximum occupancy signage align with the floor plan

This is where details like working smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, visible exit routes, fire extinguishers and clear emergency instructions are checked. Missing equipment or unpermitted work can delay or block your license.

Step 3: Business license review

After you pass the inspection and the CUV gets final approval, you can apply for a short-term residential rental business license. This is the document that actually lets you operate legally.

The business license application requires:

• $500 annual license fee (rental license renewed annually)

• Proof of liability insurance coverage with at least $500,000 in coverage for bodily injury and property damage connected to your short-term rental operations

• A short-term rental affidavit confirming compliance with local laws and owner occupancy

• A list of all short-term rental platforms where you’ll advertise (for example, Airbnb and Vrbo)

• A local 24 hour emergency contact, whose information must also be posted outside the rental property

• Ownership or entity documents if the property is held in a company or trust

• A Nevada ID whose address matches the short-term rental property

You cannot legally operate short-term rentals in Las Vegas until this business license is issued, even if the CUV is approved.

Operational Rules and Compliance Standards

Once you have a valid short-term rental license, you still need to comply with ongoing short-term rental operations rules.

Safety equipment and inspection expectations

Las Vegas treats safety as a core part of short-term rental regulations. The inspection process and ongoing compliance checks focus on:

• Smoke detectors on each level and in every bedroom

• Carbon monoxide detectors near sleeping areas and fuel burning appliances

• Fire extinguishers in accessible locations, usually near the kitchen

• Clear egress routes and posted evacuation plans

• Visible address numbers for emergency services

• Up-to-date electrical, plumbing and building code compliance

For hosts, this isn’t optional. These safety standards help ensure guest safety and protect you if something goes wrong.

Occupancy limits and house rules 

The city expects short-term rental hosts to control maximum occupancy and guest behavior. While the exact occupancy limits can depend on bedroom count and inspection findings, the basic approach follows rules like:

• No more than a set number of guests tied to bedroom count, with reasonable caps to protect residential areas

• No commercial events, special events or birthday parties that function like banquet hall events

• Clear house rules covering quiet hours, parking regulations and trash disposal

Hosts in Las Vegas should share these expectations in their listing and welcome materials, then reinforce them in message threads so guests know what’s allowed.

Noise, parking and trash rules

The city’s code enforcement section lists several common violations that frequently trigger complaints:

• Noise: Outside music or excessive noise that can be heard 50 feet from the property line violates the Las Vegas municipal code and noise regulations.

• Parking: All guest vehicles must be parked in the driveway or designated spaces. They may not block neighboring properties driveways or community mailboxes.

• Trash: Refuse cannot be left in public view except in proper containers for collection, under local rules in Las Vegas Municipal Code Chapter 9.08.

The city maintains a 24-hour hotline so neighbors can report excessive noise, parking issues or too many occupants. Persistent complaints can lead to investigations and potentially impact your license.

Key local short-term rental rules by location

To put the geography in perspective, here’s a simplified overview of how some local rules differ:

If your investment strategy spans multiple markets, always check local regulations and zoning laws city by city rather than assuming one set of rules covers the entire Las Vegas Valley.

Tax Obligations and Financial Requirements

Running a short-term rental in Las Vegas comes with a few financial responsibilities that every host needs to understand upfront. Beyond the license fee and insurance requirements, you’re also responsible for tracking rental income and staying compliant with local tax rules. Here’s how those obligations work once you begin operating legally.

Transient lodging tax and local taxes

Short-term rental income within Las Vegas is treated as transient lodging tax revenue. Properties within the city are generally subject to an occupancy tax of around 13–13.38 percent on bookings for the first 30 nights, similar to hotel taxes, with exact rates varying by location and corridor.

Some short-term rental platforms collect and remit this transient lodging tax or local taxes on your behalf, but that doesn’t remove your responsibility to:

• Understand which taxes apply to your rental property

• Track rental income and fees

• Verify whether platform remittances cover all required taxes inside city limits

Short-term rental owners should also account for business license fees, potential property taxes implications and local tax obligations when mapping out cash flow.

Liability insurance coverage and risk

To legally operate short-term rentals in the City of Las Vegas, you must maintain liability insurance coverage of at least $500,000 per occurrence and provide proof through the city’s third-party system.

This matters because:

• Standard homeowner policies often exclude short-term rental operations

• You need explicit coverage for guest-related bodily injury, property damage and short-term rental activities

• The city can deny or block license renewals for missing or expired coverage

Some hosts choose to layer dedicated short-term rental insurance on top of platform coverage, especially if they operate on multiple short-term rental platforms or accept direct bookings.

Common Challenges and How Hosts Can Avoid Them

Staying compliant in Las Vegas mostly comes down to knowing the zoning rules, keeping safety standards in place and managing guest behavior before it becomes a problem.

Challenge 1: Confusing the City of Las Vegas with Clark County

Many hosts hear “Las Vegas” and assume one rulebook covers everything. In reality, unincorporated Clark County operates under a different code and has historically banned or tightly limited short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods.

How to avoid this:

• Use official city and county maps to confirm whether your rental is inside city limits

• If your property is outside the City of Las Vegas, read the Clark County short-term rental regulations before making any decisions

Challenge 2: Distance and bedroom limits

A short-term rental might fail the CUV stage because it sits within 660 feet of an existing licensed short-term rental or too close to a resort hotel or because the home exceeds the three-bedroom limit.

How to avoid this:

• Check the Short-Term Rental License Map before applying

• Double-check the bedroom count and how the municipal code defines a bedroom or residential dwelling unit

Challenge 3: Safety equipment and inspection failures

Missing carbon monoxide detectors or incorrectly placed fire extinguishers are among the most common issues flagged during inspections.

How to avoid this:

• Walk through the city’s Short-Term Rental Home Inspection Overview checklist

• Test devices regularly and keep basic records of maintenance

• Fix any unpermitted work before the inspection

Challenge 4: Neighbor complaints over excessive noise and parking

Many enforcement actions start with neighbors reporting excessive noise, excessive number of tenants, cars blocking driveways or trash left out in public view.

How to avoid this:

• Set and enforce quiet hours in your house rules

• Give guests simple parking diagrams so they don’t block neighboring properties driveways or community mailboxes

• Schedule trash pickup reminders and spell out how to use bins

Good communication and clear house rules go a long way in upholding community interests and helping the city maintain residential neighborhoods.

Penalties and Enforcement Actions

Las Vegas backs its short-term rental regulations with active enforcement. The city’s code enforcement section uses complaint data, inspection results and platform monitoring to identify unlicensed rentals, properties operating outside local laws and licensed short-term rental owners who repeatedly ignore rules.

Potential consequences include:

• Denial or revocation of a short-term rental license

• Fines for operating without a rental license or violating spacing, occupancy or parking regulations

• Enforcement actions against hosts who hold a license but fail to comply with detailed regulations, including excessive noise or illegal commercial events

Unincorporated Clark County has its own penalty structures for short-term rental unit violations and planned enforcement changes are expected to affect many operators who ignore county rules.

The safest path is simple. Treat compliance as part of your regular hosting operations, not a one-time hurdle.

Conclusion and Next Steps

Las Vegas’s short-term rental regulations create a clear but strict framework for hosts who want to legally operate Airbnb and other vacation rentals inside city limits. You need to be comfortable with owner occupancy rules, spacing limits, licensing, inspections and ongoing neighborhood standards to keep your listing in good standing.

To move forward:

1. Confirm whether your property is inside the City of Las Vegas, another city or unincorporated Clark County.

2. Check basic eligibility: owner occupancy, three-bedroom maximum, zoning and distance from other licensed short-term rentals and resort hotels.

3. Prepare CUV materials: justification letter, site plan and floor plan.

4. Bring your property up to safety standards and be ready for the inspection process.

5. Gather proof of liability insurance coverage of at least $500,000 and budget for the $500 annual business license fee.

6. Build clear house rules for noise, parking, trash and maximum occupancy that align with the Las Vegas municipal code.

Once you understand how the pieces fit together, short-term rental operations in Las Vegas become much more manageable and you can legally operate short-term rentals without constantly worrying about the next enforcement letter.

Additional Resources:

If you want to double-check zoning, licensing steps, or local regulations, the city and county provide detailed guidance online. These resources make it easier to verify requirements and stay aligned with the most current rules.

• General information about short-term rentals: PDF from the Department of Community Development Las Vegas.

• Zoning information:  www.lasvegasnevada.gov/Business/Planning-Zoning 

• To apply for a CUV application: Log in to the “Citizen Portal” at www.lasvegasnevada.gov/dashboard 

• CUV submittal requirements: PDF from Department of Planning

• For help with the floor plan: Refer to the PDF of the Short-term rental home inspection overview 

• For information on acquiring a business license: www.lasvegasnevada.gov/Business/Business-License 

• Short-term rental affidavit: Editable form to fill out

• Code Enforcement Contact Information: 702-229-6615 option 3

• Planning (Zoning) Contact Information: 702-229-6301

• Business Licensing Contact Information: 702-229-6281 or license@lasvegasnevada.gov 

Frequently Asked Questions about Airbnb Rules in Las Vegas

1. Are Airbnb and vacation rentals legal in Las Vegas?

Yes, but only under strict conditions. Inside the City of Las Vegas limits, you must meet zoning rules, owner occupancy requirements, spacing standards, pass a home inspection and obtain a short-term residential rental business license before hosting. In unincorporated Clark County, short-term rental laws are different and in many residential neighborhoods, short-term rentals are heavily restricted or banned.

2. Do I have to live in the property to run a short-term rental in Las Vegas?

Yes. The city requires that licensed short-term rental properties be owner-occupied for the entire rental period. The owner must live on site and the home can have no more than three bedrooms, including the owner’s room. This is meant to distinguish legal owner-occupied vacation rentals from investment properties and commercial events.

3. What is the maximum occupancy for short-term rentals in Las Vegas?

Maximum occupancy is tied to bedroom count and safety limits, often following a standard of two people per bedroom plus a small additional allowance, subject to an overall cap. Inspectors verify sleeping arrangements and may set specific occupancy limits for your rental. You must also post maximum occupancy on the required external placard and in your house rules.

4. How far does my short-term rental have to be from other rentals or resort hotels?

In the City of Las Vegas, licensed short-term rental properties must be at least 660 feet from any other licensed short-term residential rental and at least 2,500 feet from a resort hotel. If another short-term rental is licensed within that distance before your business license is issued, your location can become ineligible even with an approved CUV.

5. What kind of insurance do I need to operate short-term rentals in Las Vegas?

The city requires proof of liability insurance coverage with a minimum of $500,000. This must cover your short-term rental activities and is checked during the business license review and renewal. Many hosts use specialized short-term rental policies in addition to any coverage provided by short-term rental platforms.

6. Are parties or commercial events allowed at Las Vegas short-term rentals?

No. The city explicitly prohibits weddings, birthday parties, bachelor or bachelorette parties and other commercial events at short-term rentals. The intent is to keep short-term rental operations consistent with residential neighborhoods rather than event venues.

7. What happens if I operate an unlicensed or non-compliant short-term rental?

Operating without a valid rental license, ignoring zoning laws or repeatedly violating noise and parking regulations can lead to fines, enforcement actions and possible loss of eligibility for a license. In Clark County, non-compliance with county short-term rental regulations can result in additional penalties under county code enforcement.