Short-Term Rental Regulations
in Douglas County, MN

Airbnb listings are allowed in Douglas County, MN, but with restrictions. Private/vacation home rentals are permitted in multiple Douglas County zoning districts (A, RR, R, RS, C) but are subject to performance standards and conditional use permit requirements for higher occupancy or multiple units; overnight guest occupancy is limited to 3 guests per bedroom, not more than 12 guests without a conditional use permit, and property capacity is capped at 2x or 3x the overnight-guest occupancy depending on neighbor distance and lot size. Operators must designate a 24/7 local contact (phone response within 60 minutes and in-person within 120 minutes), post the license and property information inside the unit and on all advertisements, comply with parking, noise, and septic/ sanitation requirements (including current septic compliance and annual pumping if on an ISTS), and temporary/detached sleeping accommodations are prohibited. 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.

Private/vacation home rentals are permitted in multiple Douglas County zoning districts (A, RR, R, RS, C) but are subject to performance standards and conditional use permit requirements for higher occupancy or multiple units; overnight guest occupancy is limited to 3 guests per bedroom, not more than 12 guests without a conditional use permit, and property capacity is capped at 2x or 3x the overnight-guest occupancy depending on neighbor distance and lot size. Operators must designate a 24/7 local contact (phone response within 60 minutes and in-person within 120 minutes), post the license and property information inside the unit and on all advertisements, comply with parking, noise, and septic/ sanitation requirements (including current septic compliance and annual pumping if on an ISTS), and temporary/detached sleeping accommodations are prohibited.

Yes, a permit is required to operate a short-term rental in Douglas County. 1) Contact Horizon Environmental Health for an on-site consultation/inspection prior to submitting an application (inspectors will verify bedrooms, septic info, etc.). 2) Submit the annual Private/Vacation Home Rental license application and payment to Horizon with required attachments (name/contact of local 24/7 local contact, aerial image of property with features marked, current county/state septic compliance inspection if applicable, water test if on private well). 3) Receive and post the issued license in the rental unit and include the license number on all advertisements/web-based reservation pages; obtain an ISTS operating permit from the Land & Resource Department if required.

1) Contact Horizon Environmental Health for an on-site consultation/inspection prior to submitting an application (inspectors will verify bedrooms, septic info, etc.). 2) Submit the annual Private/Vacation Home Rental license application and payment to Horizon with required attachments (name/contact of local 24/7 local contact, aerial image of property with features marked, current county/state septic compliance inspection if applicable, water test if on private well). 3) Receive and post the issued license in the rental unit and include the license number on all advertisements/web-based reservation pages; obtain an ISTS operating permit from the Land & Resource Department if required.

Vrbo is permitted in Douglas County, MN 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 Douglas 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 Douglas County. STR rules change frequently — verify the current requirements with the city or county before listing, using the official source linked on this page.