Short-Term Rental Regulations
in West Chester, PA

Airbnb listings are allowed in West Chester, PA, but with restrictions. Short-term rentals are allowed only by special exception/conditional use in the Borough’s Town Center (TC) district. Lease of individual bedrooms is prohibited; STRs are not permitted as student homes or in larger multifamily buildings; the Town Center is capped at 20 approved STRs with a register and waiting-list process. Owners must maintain $1,000,000 general liability insurance and provide one off-street parking space per bedroom in residential permit parking areas. 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.

Short-term rentals are allowed only by special exception/conditional use in the Borough’s Town Center (TC) district. Lease of individual bedrooms is prohibited; STRs are not permitted as student homes or in larger multifamily buildings; the Town Center is capped at 20 approved STRs with a register and waiting-list process. Owners must maintain $1,000,000 general liability insurance and provide one off-street parking space per bedroom in residential permit parking areas.

Yes, a permit is required to operate a short-term rental in West Chester. 1) Obtain required zoning approval (special exception/conditional use) for an STR in the applicable district; 2) Within 60 days of zoning approval, apply for an annual short-term rental permit via the Borough’s permitting & licensing portal (SmartGov); 3) Provide proof of $1M liability insurance and any required site plans, pass a health/safety inspection, and pay applicable fees. Licenses must be renewed annually by July 1.

1) Obtain required zoning approval (special exception/conditional use) for an STR in the applicable district; 2) Within 60 days of zoning approval, apply for an annual short-term rental permit via the Borough’s permitting & licensing portal (SmartGov); 3) Provide proof of $1M liability insurance and any required site plans, pass a health/safety inspection, and pay applicable fees. Licenses must be renewed annually by July 1.

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