Short-Term Rental Regulations
in Centre County, PA

Airbnbs are effectively legal in Centre County, PA because there are no specific short-term rental regulations on the books. Centre County government does not enact a county-wide short-term rental (STR) licensing program and directs property owners to comply with their local municipality’s ordinances; municipalities within Centre County have their own STR rules (examples: Borough of State College requires an annual STR license with limitations including a maximum of 120 days per license year, principal-residence and off-street parking requirements; College Township’s residential rental ordinance defines short-term rentals as stays of 14 nights or less and limits STR use to no more than 45 nights per calendar year). Operators should still verify HOA rules, state-level requirements, and any tax-collection obligations. See the official source linked on this page for full requirements. Last verified 2026-05-14.

Centre County government does not enact a county-wide short-term rental (STR) licensing program and directs property owners to comply with their local municipality’s ordinances; municipalities within Centre County have their own STR rules (examples: Borough of State College requires an annual STR license with limitations including a maximum of 120 days per license year, principal-residence and off-street parking requirements; College Township’s residential rental ordinance defines short-term rentals as stays of 14 nights or less and limits STR use to no more than 45 nights per calendar year).

No permit is currently required to operate a short-term rental in Centre County.

Vrbo is effectively legal in Centre County, PA for the same reason Airbnb is: there are no short-term-rental-specific regulations on the books. Operators should still check HOA, state, and tax obligations before listing. Last verified 2026-05-14.

Short-term rental hosts in Centre 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 Centre County. STR rules change frequently — verify the current requirements with the city or county before listing, using the official source linked on this page.