Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Short-Term Rental Rules 2026

LawfulStay tracks short-term rental rules for 3 places in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Each city and town sets its own rules, so select a place below for its permit, tax and other rules, or see all of Pennsylvania.

1 Conditional 2 Restricted

Lancaster County at a glance

Places tracked
3 places: 1 conditional, 2 restricted
License or registration
Required in all 3 local places
Tax on stays
Applies in all 3 local places
County law
No county record yet; each place below has its own page.

Lancaster County short-term rental questions

Are short-term rentals legal in Lancaster County?

In all 3 places we track in Lancaster County, short-term rentals are allowed, all with permit conditions or limits.

Do I need a license for a short-term rental in Lancaster County?

All 3 local places we track in Lancaster County require a license, permit or registration. Check your city's page for its rules.

Which places in Lancaster County have the strictest rules?

On our records: Strasburg Township, Lancaster.

Lancaster County Airbnb & Vacation Rental Regulation Overview

The short-term rental regulatory landscape in Lancaster County encompasses 3 tracked jurisdictions: 1 where rentals are allowed with conditions, 2 with restrictions. Hosts operating on platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com should verify local requirements before listing, as rules vary significantly between cities and regions.

All 3 tracked jurisdictions in Lancaster County require some form of permit, license, or registration for short-term rental operations. Requirements range from simple online registration to comprehensive permit applications with inspections.

Tax obligations apply in 3 of 3 jurisdictions. Common taxes include occupancy taxes, tourist levies, and sales taxes. Many jurisdictions require hosts to register for tax collection, and some platforms like Airbnb collect and remit taxes automatically in select locations.

Cities with significant restrictions on vacation rentals include Strasburg Township, Lancaster. These jurisdictions typically impose permit caps, zoning limitations, or primary residence requirements.

LawfulStay monitors Lancaster County STR regulations daily and updates this page as rules change. Each city page includes detailed permit requirements, fee schedules, tax rates, zoning rules, and penalty information sourced from official government websites.

Lancaster
Distinguish between City of Lancaster (cityoflancasterpa.gov) and Lancaster Township
Restricted
Strasburg Township
Strasburg Township (Lancaster County, not Strasburg Borough) now allows new short-term rentals only in its Gateway North zone, by conditional use adopted 3-0 on September 8, 2026
Restricted
Paradise Township
Paradise Township (Lancaster County) has no short-term rental section in its zoning ordinance yet, so each rental needs a special exception from the Zoning Hearing Board as a use not provided for
Conditional