Last updated:
September 16, 2026
2
minute read

This Week's Short-Term Rental Regulation Updates

September 9-15, 2026: Airbnb Regulations

Executive Summary

National City, California is rolling out a new short-term rental law that caps rentals at 180 citywide, or 45 per council district, requires permits and around-the-clock oversight, and, unusually, does not grandfather existing operators. Teller County, Colorado became the last Colorado county to regulate STRs, passing rules that require a license, a $750 annual fee, 365 days of prior ownership, and enrollment in an emergency alert system. Chincoteague, Virginia approved an ordinance with occupancy limits, one parking space per two guests, and a two-night minimum that takes effect January 1, 2027. On the developing side, Pacifica, California agreed to Coastal Commission changes that drop a primary-residence rule and raise the unhosted cap from 60 to 120 days, pending a final sign-off in October. Cannon Beach, Oregon is weighing a 165-license cap with exclusion zones, Pittsburgh's owner-occupied crackdown stalled over legal questions, and Chatham County, Georgia and Charleston County, South Carolina are both moving toward tighter tracking of where guests actually sleep. Monterey County, California, meanwhile, is pausing enforcement of two of its rules while lawsuits play out.

New Regulations

National City, California

Licensing / Caps · Published September 12, 2026

National City's new short-term rental ordinance takes effect the week of September 15, requiring operators to obtain permits, maintain around-the-clock oversight of their properties, and observe a 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. noise restriction. The law caps STRs at 180 citywide (45 per council district) on a first-come, first-served basis and does not grandfather existing rentals, so current operators must apply like everyone else.

→ Source: National City's new short-term rental law takes effect next week

Teller County, Colorado

Licensing / Fees · Published September 11, 2026

Teller County commissioners unanimously passed Ordinance 23, making it the last Colorado county to regulate short-term rentals in unincorporated areas, a response to more than 850 unregulated STRs with many reported violations. Owners must register the property, obtain a license, have owned the property for 365 days (with an exception for existing operators who can prove ownership as of the ordinance date), pay a $750 annual fee, enroll in the Everbridge alert system, and allow periodic inspections after reported violations.

→ Source: Commissioners pass STR regulations

Chincoteague, Virginia

Occupancy / Parking · Published September 10, 2026

Chincoteague's council approved a short-term rental ordinance at a packed September 8 meeting, setting occupancy limits, a parking requirement of at least one off-street space per two guests, and a two-night minimum rental period. Mayor Denise Bowden said the rules do not ban STRs but add regulation for the benefit of the whole community, with tweaks to follow, and the ordinance takes effect January 1, 2027.

→ Source: Chincoteague approves ordinance for short-term rentals

Developing Regulations

Pacifica, California

Zoning / Coastal · Published September 11, 2026

Pacifica's City Council voted unanimously to accept the California Coastal Commission's modifications to its coastal-zone short-term rental ordinance, which struck a primary-residency requirement and raised the annual cap on unhosted rentals from 60 to 120 days. The city plans to formally adopt the revised rules and resubmit them to the Coastal Commission in October, and they take effect in the coastal area only after the Commission signs off.

→ Source: Pacifica council votes to accept Coastal Commission's short-term rental changes

Monterey County, California

Enforcement / Legal · Published September 10, 2026

Monterey County will suspend enforcement of two provisions of its recently adopted short-term rental ordinance while related lawsuits move through the courts. County officials said they will refrain from enforcing the contested rules at least until the pending litigation is resolved.

→ Source: Monterey County suspends enforcement of two short-term rental rules during litigation

Ulster, New York

General · Published September 11, 2026

The Town of Ulster is debating a proposed short-term rental law, weighing recognition of existing STR activity against neighborhood concerns, with one resident objecting to the prospect of an Airbnb 50 feet from a house. The debate centers on how to regulate rentals amid resident pushback, and no ordinance has been adopted yet.

→ Source: Ulster debates short-term rental law

Chatham County, Georgia

Zoning / Licensing · Published September 11, 2026

Chatham County staff presented proposed short-term vacation rental ordinances to the Board of Commissioners that would change licensing, monitoring, and enforcement and modify the county's zoning rules to make properties easier to track. Key elements include creating designated STR districts aligned with county police response neighborhoods and capping the number of rentals allowed within those areas, which for residents could mean fewer rentals in some neighborhoods and greater oversight of approved ones.

→ Source: Chatham County commissioners see proposed STVR ordinances

Cannon Beach, Oregon

Caps / Zoning · Published September 11, 2026

Cannon Beach city councilors continued a hearing on a proposed ordinance that would cap total short-term rental licenses at 165, amend density rules to limit how many STRs can cluster in one area, and establish exclusion zones east of Highway 101. A majority of councilors backed this version, and if adopted at an October 6 meeting it would reverse an earlier Planning Commission recommendation to reject a cap; the city currently has 195 STR permits plus 40 lifetime permits.

→ Source: Cannon Beach continues hearing on short-term rental cap

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Licensing / Zoning · Published September 8, 2026

Pittsburgh's proposed short-term rental crackdown stalled after the city Planning Commission declined to vote on the bill, pending a legal review of enforceability by the city's law department. The proposal would restrict new STRs in residential zones to owner-occupied properties, require registration and licensing, and cap units per building; AirDNA pegs the city at roughly 2,500 short-term rentals.

→ Source: Proposed Pittsburgh Airbnb crackdown hits snag

Charleston County, South Carolina

Occupancy / Parking · Published September 8, 2026

Charleston County may require short-term rental permit applications to list the maximum number of bedrooms and all designated sleeping areas (any space furnished or used for overnight sleeping, even if it does not legally qualify as a bedroom), plus one off-street parking space per designated sleeping area. Part of Round 6 of the county's zoning amendments, the changes would mainly affect new applications while existing permit holders are reviewed at annual renewal; if approved, the STR application would be updated within six to eight weeks.

→ Source: Charleston County wants to know where your short-term rental guests are sleeping

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