Idaho Governor Brad Little just signed House Bill 583 into law, and it's the strongest state law protecting STR owners from local regulations in the country.
The bill passed the House 54-16 and Senate 23-12 after a three-year effort by the Idaho realtors association, taking effect July 1, 2026.
Idaho already had a 2017 law that stopped cities from banning STRs outright, but local governments found ways around it by piling on permits, density caps, and fees that made running a STR difficult. HB 583 closes those loopholes with a clear list of what cities and counties can no longer do, and it classifies STRs as regular residential properties for zoning purposes.
What Local Governments Can No Longer Do
Under HB 583, Idaho cities and counties can no longer:
- Require a license, permit, fee, or registration to run an STR
- Require the owner to live on the property
- Limit the number of days a property can be rented
- Cap how many STRs can operate in an area
- Require special permits for STRs in residential zones
- Require hosts to report rental activity to the local government
- Set minimum distances between STRs
- Require notices to neighbors
- Require extra parking, insurance, or building upgrades just for STRs
What Cities Can Still Do
The law keeps basic safety rules in place, as long as cities apply them equally to all residential properties. Cities can still require smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, carbon monoxide detectors, escape ladders for upper-floor bedrooms, and emergency contact information for guests. They can also enforce existing noise, parking, and nuisance rules. Occupancy limits, HOA rules and private deed restrictions still apply, so hosts in those communities should review their bylaws separately.
Essentially, if a city can't require something of a regular homeowner, it can't require it of an STR host.
The National Picture
Idaho joins Arizona, Indiana, Tennessee, and Wisconsin as states that have limited local governments' ability to restrict STRs. Ohio has two active bills (HB 109 and SB 104) working toward similar goals, and similar efforts are underway in Arkansas, and Pennsylvania. Kentucky tried to do something similar last year with Kentucky's SB 61, targeting Lexington's density caps and distance rules, and that bill passed the House but died in the Senate.
HB 583 gives Idaho STR operators a clear set of ground rules: no permits, no density caps, no day limits, and a legal classification that treats STRs like any other home. With Ohio and other states working on similar bills, Idaho's law could become the model for the next round of state-level STR protections.
.webp)
