Running short-term rentals in Nashville, where the zoning code decides who can hold a permit
If you manage or clean short-term rentals in Nashville, every property you rent needs a permit from Metro Codes before it is listed, and that permit lapses after 365 days unless it is renewed. An owner who lives on the property can get one in most residential zones. A property the owner does not live in can get a new permit only in the commercial, mixed-use and downtown districts the code lists. Upbridge's AI operations assistant, Cleo, works over WhatsApp with vacation rental operators and cleaning companies and organizes the cleanings and the inventory for each place.
The rules here
Nashville and Davidson County share one government, so one set of Metro rules covers the whole county. All of these pages were checked on October 24, 2026.
| Topic | What it says | Status | Since | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permit | Anyone renting a property through short-term rental websites needs a Metro Codes permit before listing it, and the permit expires 365 days after it is issued unless renewed. WSMV reported a fee of $313 for either permit type. Applications moved to a new online process on March 11, 2026. | In force | Online process from March 11, 2026 | Metro Codes, WSMV |
| Owner-occupied | The owner has to live at the property permanently and be a natural person, so LLCs, corporations, trusts and partnerships cannot hold this permit. Up to four sleeping rooms may be rented to one party, and single-family and two-family zones get one permit per lot. | In force | Page not dated | Metro Codes |
| Not owner-occupied | New permits are not issued in AR2A, R, RS or RM zones. They are issued, with conditions, only in the mixed-use, office, commercial, downtown and shopping center districts the code names. Existing holders in residential zones may renew, but the permit does not pass to a buyer. | In force | Page not dated | Metro Codes |
| Operating rules | The principal renter must be at least 21, occupancy is capped at twice the permitted sleeping rooms plus four with a maximum of 12, stays are at least 24 hours, and two parties under separate contracts may not rent at the same time. The local responsible party's name and number are posted inside the unit and answered around the clock during every stay. | In force | Page not dated | Metro Codes |
| Ownership changes | A permit cannot be transferred to another person, entity or address, and a change of ownership cancels it, including moving a property from a person into a trust or LLC. | In force | Page not dated | Metro Codes |
| Hotel occupancy tax | Metro's local occupancy tax is 7% plus a nightly fee of $2.50, after Metro Council added 1% under BL2022-1529. Permit holders also remit business and sales taxes. | In force | July 1, 2023 | Metro Finance, Metro Codes |
We did not find the state and local sales tax rate on stays on a Metro page we read, so it is left out. This is not legal or tax advice, and Upbridge does not file anything for you: no registrations and no tax returns.
How it works on the ground
For group bookings, two rules matter most: no more than 12 people, and the person who books must be at least 21. A four-bedroom house tops out at 12 guests, so a listing that promises more is promising something the permit does not allow.
The NFL announced on May 19, 2026 that Nashville will host Super Bowl LXIV in 2030, at the new Nissan Stadium that is scheduled to open in 2027. WSMV reported three days later that residents were already looking at short-term rental permits for that week, and that Metro estimates 80,000 hotel rooms will be available by 2030.
Because a sale or a transfer into an LLC cancels the permit, a property that changes hands loses its right to rent until a new permit is issued, and a non-owner-occupied property in a residential zone cannot get a new one at all. If an owner you manage for is planning an estate move or a sale, the calendar beyond the closing date needs a second look.
Where Upbridge fits
A Nashville group house after a weekend can mean twelve sets of towels, a full recycling bin and a living room that needs work. Upbridge creates the cleaning task the moment the checkout arrives from Guesty, Hostaway, Lodgify, Uplisting or an iCal link, with a room-by-room photo checklist. Add a photo of the posted responsible-party notice to that list, and the cleaner confirms it is still on the wall after every stay.
Inventory per property drops after each stay by what the group used, so the restock for the next party is known before the cleaner leaves. The guest who booked gets the guest guide on their phone with the entry code, where to park and the house rules for the group.
If you run a cleaning company in Nashville
Sunday and Monday checkouts after a big weekend stack up across the county. In the cleaning company account every client's turnovers appear on one calendar, sorted by day, so you can see the Monday pile on Friday, and the clients are still yours.
Questions about short-term rentals in Nashville
Do I need a permit for an Airbnb in Nashville?
Yes. Metro Codes requires a short-term rental permit before a property is listed, and the permit expires 365 days after it is issued unless it is renewed. WSMV reported in May 2026 that it costs $313.
Can I get a non-owner-occupied permit in a residential zone?
Not a new one. Metro Codes says new not owner-occupied permits are not issued in AR2A, R, RS or RM zones. Existing holders there may renew, but the permit does not transfer when the property is sold.
How many guests can stay in a Nashville short-term rental?
Twice the number of permitted sleeping rooms plus four, with a maximum of 12, and the principal renter must be at least 21.
More questions
What is the hotel occupancy tax in Nashville?
Metro Finance says that since July 1, 2023 the local occupancy tax has been 7%, plus a nightly fee of $2.50.
When is the Super Bowl in Nashville?
The NFL picked Nashville for Super Bowl LXIV, the final game of the 2029-2030 season, at the new Nissan Stadium.
Sources
Checked on October 24, 2026
- Metro Nashville Codes, “Short Term Rental Property”, undated, read October 24, 2026.
- Metro Nashville Codes, “Short Term Rental Property Permit Types”, undated, read October 24, 2026.
- Metro Nashville Codes, “Short Term Rental Property Operation Rules and Requirements”, undated, read October 24, 2026.
- Metro Nashville Finance, “Increase of Hotel Occupancy Tax: Metropolitan Nashville-Davidson County”, June 14, 2023.
- WSMV, “Nashville residents eye short-term rentals for Super Bowl, but permit process poses challenges”, May 22, 2026.
- Mason Leib, ABC7, “Nashville to host Super Bowl LXIV in 2030”, May 20, 2026.