Short-Term Rental Regulations
in New Castle County, DE

Airbnb listings are allowed in New Castle County, DE, but with restrictions. New Castle County UDC defines commercial lodging (hotels, motels, boarding/rooming houses) as commercial uses and does not permit them in many residential zoning districts; bed-and-breakfasts are separately defined and permitted with standards (owner must reside in the dwelling as principal residence; minimum floor area and lot/parking/open-space/sign rules apply; B&B parking must be off-street and screened). No county-wide short-term-rental license/registration for transient whole-house STRs is codified in the UDC; transient lodging is controlled by zoning use classifications and zoning permits. A permit is required before you can host. These rules apply to all short-term rental platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, etc.) — not just Airbnb specifically. See the official source linked on this page for full requirements. Last verified 2026-05-14.

New Castle County UDC defines commercial lodging (hotels, motels, boarding/rooming houses) as commercial uses and does not permit them in many residential zoning districts; bed-and-breakfasts are separately defined and permitted with standards (owner must reside in the dwelling as principal residence; minimum floor area and lot/parking/open-space/sign rules apply; B&B parking must be off-street and screened). No county-wide short-term-rental license/registration for transient whole-house STRs is codified in the UDC; transient lodging is controlled by zoning use classifications and zoning permits.

Yes, a permit is required to operate a short-term rental in New Castle County. 1) Confirm parcel zoning via New Castle County zoning/parcel lookup and consult the UDC to determine whether the desired lodging use (e.g., bed & breakfast versus commercial lodging) is permitted in that zoning district. 2) Apply for the required zoning permit from the Department of Land Use (UDC Sec. 40.31.240 requires a zoning permit prior to building permit). 3) If the property is a residential rental, complete the County’s Rental Property Registration form online; registration is free of charge.

1) Confirm parcel zoning via New Castle County zoning/parcel lookup and consult the UDC to determine whether the desired lodging use (e.g., bed & breakfast versus commercial lodging) is permitted in that zoning district. 2) Apply for the required zoning permit from the Department of Land Use (UDC Sec. 40.31.240 requires a zoning permit prior to building permit). 3) If the property is a residential rental, complete the County’s Rental Property Registration form online; registration is free of charge.

Vrbo is permitted in New Castle County, DE under the same restrictions that apply to Airbnb — local rules govern the rental itself, not the specific platform. You must hold a valid permit before hosting on Vrbo. Last verified 2026-05-14.

Short-term rental hosts in New Castle County are typically responsible for lodging, occupancy, and applicable sales taxes — these usually apply even where hosting is allowed without a permit. Rates and remittance rules vary by jurisdiction (state, county, and city can each levy a share); confirm the current rates with the official source linked on this page. Platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo collect some taxes automatically, but the host remains liable for any not collected on their behalf.

We are not currently tracking any recent short-term rental ordinance changes for New Castle County. STR rules change frequently — verify the current requirements with the city or county before listing, using the official source linked on this page.