Short-Term Rental Regulations
in Washington County, MN

Airbnb listings are allowed in Washington County, MN, but with restrictions. Regulations vary by municipality: Stillwater caps licenses at 50 outside the downtown and requires operators to be within 60 minutes of the property. Stillwater Township limits rentals to two weekends per month or 75 days per year and caps total licenses at 10. Afton restricts STRs to specific commercial zones (VHS-C) as conditional uses. 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.

Regulations vary by municipality: Stillwater caps licenses at 50 outside the downtown and requires operators to be within 60 minutes of the property. Stillwater Township limits rentals to two weekends per month or 75 days per year and caps total licenses at 10. Afton restricts STRs to specific commercial zones (VHS-C) as conditional uses.

Yes, a permit is required to operate a short-term rental in Washington County. 1. Submit a Short-Term Home Rental license application to the local Planning Division with the required fee (e.g., $600 in Stillwater). 2. Pass a property inspection and background check for owners/operators. 3. Obtain City Council or Town Board approval; licenses typically require renewal every 1-3 years depending on the municipality.

1. Submit a Short-Term Home Rental license application to the local Planning Division with the required fee (e.g., $600 in Stillwater). 2. Pass a property inspection and background check for owners/operators. 3. Obtain City Council or Town Board approval; licenses typically require renewal every 1-3 years depending on the municipality.

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