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Arkansas Airbnb & Short-Term Rental Laws 2026

LawfulStay tracks short-term rental (STR / Airbnb / Vrbo / holiday let / vacation rental) regulations for 10 jurisdictions across Arkansas. Select a city below for current permit requirements, tax rates, and compliance details.

4 Active 4 Restricted 2 None

Arkansas Airbnb & Vacation Rental Regulation Overview

The short-term rental regulatory landscape in Arkansas encompasses 10 tracked jurisdictions: 4 with active regulations, 4 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.

Approximately 70% of tracked jurisdictions in Arkansas 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 9 of 10 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 Little Rock, Fayetteville, Hot Springs. These jurisdictions typically impose permit caps, zoning limitations, or primary residence requirements.

LawfulStay monitors Arkansas 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.

Eureka Springs
BANNED in residential zones (R-1, R-2, R-3) as of October 2021. Pre-September 2021 grandfathered operators may continue (with transfer restrictions). Allowed in…
Restricted
Fayetteville
Type 1 (Owner-Occupied/Primary Residence ≥9 months/yr): uncapped. Type 2 (Non-Owner-Occupied): 475-unit cap REACHED — new applicants go on waitlist. Initial app…
Restricted
Hot Springs
$50 per person of authorized overnight occupancy; minimum $200/year. Residential zone STR permit cap: 400 licenses — CAP REACHED, no new residential licenses. R…
Restricted
Little Rock
Two-tier system: STR-1 (owner-occupied, must live on-site or within 1,500 ft, requires Special Use Permit via Planning Commission). STR-2 (non-owner-occupied, r…
Restricted
Bella Vista
Bella Vista requires an annual STR permit from the city plus a Certificate of Compliance from the Advertising and Promotion Commission (Discover Bella Vista) fo…
Active
Fort Smith
No dedicated STR ordinance as of July 2026. Standard business license required (specific amount to be verified with city). Generally permitted in residential zo…
Active
Hot Springs Village
Hot Springs Village is a large private gated community governed by the Hot Springs Village Property Owners' Association (HSVPOA), not an incorporated municipali…
Active
Mountain Home
STR operators must obtain and maintain a business license through the City of Mountain Home prior to operation. Properties must pass an inspection by the city c…
Active
Beaver Lake
Beaver Lake is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir spanning parts of Carroll and Benton Counties, Arkansas. It is not an incorporated city or municipality.…
None
Bentonville
No dedicated STR framework as of July 2026. STR Work Group concluded without action. HOA/deed restrictions may still apply. Taxes (13.5%) apply but no permit or…
None