Short-Term Rental Regulations
in Kanawha County, WV

Airbnbs are effectively legal in Kanawha County, WV because there are no specific short-term rental regulations on the books. No county-level short-term rental–specific ordinance, permit, or registration requirement was found on Kanawha County official pages. Properties in unincorporated Kanawha County remain subject to the County’s Property Maintenance/Public Nuisance code and applicable building, fire, and health regulations; municipalities inside the county may have separate rental registration and zoning controls. 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.

No county-level short-term rental–specific ordinance, permit, or registration requirement was found on Kanawha County official pages. Properties in unincorporated Kanawha County remain subject to the County’s Property Maintenance/Public Nuisance code and applicable building, fire, and health regulations; municipalities inside the county may have separate rental registration and zoning controls.

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

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