Short-term Vacation Rental

BE ADVISED:

The moratorium in effect on all new non-owner occupied short-term rental applications through January 09, 2023 was extended through July 10, 2023. NO NEW NON-OWNER OCCUPIED SHORT-TERM VACATION RENTAL APPLICATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED.

Effective 12.13.2022
All new owner occupied short-term rental applications require two forms of proof establishing primary residence. Acceptable documentation includes:
(a)Tennessee Driver's license -OR- (b)State of Tennessee identification card

AND one of the following: 

(c) Hamilton County voter registration card; (d) current employer verification of residential address or a letter from the employer on company letterhead with original signature. (If the employer does not have letterhead, the signature of the employer must be notarized.); (e) current automobile, life or health insurance policy. (Wallet Cards not accepted); (f) paycheck/check stub, (g) work ID or badge, (h) Internal Revenue Service tax reporting W-2 form; or (i) a bank statement.

SHORT-TERM VACATION RENTAL REGULATION

The City of Chattanooga has regulated STVR operation since 2009 when City Council passed Ordinance 12231 limiting STVR operation to only R-3 and R-4 zones. In 2017, City Council passed a comprehensive STVR reform ordinance (Ordinance 13194) to restrict STVR operation to “The Overlay”. This ordinance made all zones that allowed for dwellings within “The Overlay” to be eligible for STVR permitting provided certain regulatory steps were taken. Additionally, the ordinance grandfathered the R-3 and R-4 protections present in the 2009 ordinance into the 2017 ordinance so those zones would not be restricted to “The Overlay”.

In 2019, City Council revised Ordinance 13194, and the revisions were adopted as Ordinance 13515. This ordinance tweaked the opposition requirements and allowed an additional appeals process for applicants denied by The Land Development Office.

Below are flowcharts to help guide you through the process of short-term vacation rental regulation.

Designations
1) Owner Occupied
2) Non-Owner Occupied

Pathways
1) Owner Occupied and R-3/R-4
2) Non-Owner Occupied 

Flowchart: Owner Occupied and R-3/R-4 Zoned Properties

Non-Owner Occupied

To check your zoning and proximity to the Short-Term Vacation Overlay, please click here.

APPLICATION LINK

• Short-Term Vacation Rental (STVR) Application Link (Viewpoint Cloud)

FORMS

• Short-Term Vacation Rental
  
• Code Compliance International Building Code Reference
• STVR Renewal Affidavit

COSTS & FEES

• Application Fee: $150
• Renewal Fee: $150
• Additional fees may apply

SCHEDULE A MEETING / OFFICE HOURS

If you'd like to meet with a member of staff in-person about Short-Term Vacation Rental rules, regulations, and procedures, you can schedule a meeting. Scheduling a meeting ahead of time is the best way to ensure that you get the time you deserve to talk with us. 

To schedule a meeting:

- Email Levi Witt at lswitt@chattanooga.gov

COMPLAINTS - OPPOSITION - QUESTIONS

The City of Chattanooga welcomes input from the community. For any STVR related inquiries, email us at stvr@chattanooga.gov.

Additionally, there is an opposition process that all Non-Owner Occupied STVR Applications must go through before becoming permitted. This thirty day period allows for property owners or residents within 300 feet of the applied for property to submit a written objection to The Land Development Office. The applicant will also be required to post a Notice Sign in their yard for a period of fifteen days within the thirty day opposition period. Meanwhile, Notice Letters are mailed to all property owners within 300 feet of the applied for property. Should The Land Development Office receive four or more letters of objection from property owners or residents within 300 feet of the applied for property then a public hearing before City Council is triggered. At that point, The City Council will make a determination on whether or not to allow the application to proceed. If an application is denied by City Council, that property is not eligible to attempt the STVR permitting process in any form for a period of one year from the date of denial.

As a last note ..... Don’t forget to remit those occupancy taxes!