Montana Airbnb & Short-Term Rental Laws 2026
LawfulStay tracks short-term rental (STR / Airbnb / Vrbo / holiday let / vacation rental) regulations for 15 jurisdictions across Montana. Select a city below for current permit requirements, tax rates, and compliance details.
Montana at a glance
- Places tracked
- 15 places: 8 conditional, 7 restricted
- License or registration
- Required in 12 of 14 local places
- Tax on stays
- Applies in 13 of 14 local places
- State law
- Montana requires an annual state public accommodation license for whole-home short-term rentals, applied for through the county health department, which can refuse to validate it. Statewide rules ›
Montana short-term rental questions
Are short-term rentals legal in Montana?
In all 15 places we track in Montana, short-term rentals are allowed, all with permit conditions or limits.
Do I need a license for a short-term rental in Montana?
12 of 14 local places we track in Montana require a license, permit or registration. Check your city's page for its rules.
Is there a statewide short-term rental law in Montana?
Montana requires an annual state public accommodation license for whole-home short-term rentals, applied for through the county health department, which can refuse to validate it.
Which places in Montana have the strictest rules?
On our records: Bozeman, Whitefish, Kalispell, Missoula, Gallatin County, Red Lodge.
Counties in Montana
Compare every Montana market
Status, licensing, fees, taxes, night caps and penalties for all 15 places in one table, with CSV export and full audits.
State Access →Montana Airbnb & Vacation Rental Regulation Overview
The short-term rental regulatory landscape in Montana encompasses 15 tracked jurisdictions: 8 where rentals are allowed with conditions, 7 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.
13 of 15 tracked jurisdictions in Montana 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 14 of 15 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 Bozeman, Whitefish, Kalispell. These jurisdictions typically impose permit caps, zoning limitations, or primary residence requirements.
LawfulStay monitors Montana 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.