Executive Summary
Maryland Governor Moore signed the Jillian and Lindsay Wiener Short-Term Rental Safety Act, requiring fire safety equipment in every STR rented for under 30 days and giving counties plus Baltimore City until July 1, 2028 to set up annual inspection rules. In France, starting May 20, 2026, every commune must issue registration numbers, and unregistered listings face fines of €10,000 to €20,000 — including primary homes used for occasional letting. Connecticut's House Bill 5536 would create a statewide STR registry; lawmakers pulled a proposed 2.5% local STR tax after owner pushback, though the state's 15% occupancy tax (highest in the country) still stands. Pennsylvania's Washington County is spending $28,000 a year on software to find unregistered STRs and collect the 6% hotel tax, with officials estimating around 300 properties operating versus just 35 registered today. Kentucky's Senate Bill 9 collapsed on the session's final day after a last-minute amendment to block local STR rules drew bipartisan opposition from Louisville.
New Regulations
Maryland
Published: April 15, 2026
Regulation Category: Safety / Inspections
Summary: Governor Wes Moore signed the Jillian and Lindsay Wiener Short-Term Rental Safety Act (HB 1221/SB 624), requiring fire prevention and detection equipment in all STRs rented for fewer than 30 consecutive days. By July 1, 2028, every Maryland county and Baltimore City that permits STRs must establish annual safety inspection requirements for all units.
Source: Governor Moore Signs Legislation To Protect Our People By Safeguarding Public Health and Securing Short-Term Rental Safety
France
Published: April 16, 2026
Regulation Category: Licensing / Registration
Summary: Starting May 20, 2026, France's Loi Le Meur requires every commune to issue registration numbers for short-term furnished rentals, which must be displayed on all listings — including primary residences used for occasional letting. Non-compliance carries fines of €10,000 to €20,000 and enables authorities to verify annual rental-day limits and safety standards.
Source: How to register your Airbnb with a French commune: A guide for landlords
Washington County, Pennsylvania
Published: April 13, 2026
Regulation Category: Tax / Enforcement
Summary: Washington County is deploying $28,000/year software to identify STRs that owe the county's 6% hotel tax, with officials estimating roughly 300 properties may be non-compliant versus the 35 currently registered. The initiative could generate an additional $300,000–$500,000 in annual tourism revenue from independently operated hosts whose platforms do not auto-remit.
Source: Washington County short-term rental owners reminded to pay 6% hotel tax
Developing Regulations
Connecticut
Published: April 17, 2026
Regulation Category: Registration
Impact: Developing
Summary: House Bill 5536 would create a statewide registry of short-term rentals to help municipalities track housing inventory and improve public safety response. Lawmakers stripped a provision that would have let municipalities levy up to a 2.5% STR-specific tax — on top of Connecticut's 15% occupancy tax, already the nation's highest — after pushback from rental owners and Airbnb.
Source: Proposed CT bill aiming to create registry for short-term rentals faces strong opposition
South Carolina
Published: April 14, 2026
Regulation Category: Tax / Transparency
Impact: Developing
Summary: House Bill 3876 would require STR platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo to consistently collect taxes and provide detailed tax records to hosts upon request. Sponsor Rep. Todd Rutherford frames the bill as a transparency measure to protect hosts who currently can't prove remittance during state audits.
Source: Lawmakers question short-term rental tax rules in South Carolina
Kentucky
Published: April 16, 2026
Regulation Category: Preemption / Local Control
Impact: Developing
Summary: Senate Bill 9, a housing-incentives package, collapsed on the final day of session after an eleventh-hour amendment would have barred local governments from regulating STRs. Bipartisan Louisville Metro Council opposition killed the provision, preserving local STR rules for the city's roughly 1,200–1,300 registered units.
Source: Kentucky housing bill collapses over Airbnb short-term rental fight