Short-Term Rentals

What you need to know about: Short-Term Rental Permits & Regulations

As of January 2026, the City of Kearney has new regulations for Short-Term Rentals! The City now requires that all Short-Term Rentals be permitted for operation. The regulations also provide additional guidelines on occupancy, life-safety requirements, and other operational matters. Click here for Section 46-013, F. Short-Term Rental.

  • Permits are issued annually; get your permit in January (or anytime throughout the year), and it expires in December.
  • The permit fee for the 1st year is $100, and the renewal fee is $25 – paid upon permit approval.
  • Already operate a Short-Term Rental? That’s great, we will have a 60-day compliance period to obtain a Short-Term Rental permit.
  • The number of occupants per Short-Term Rental is determined by multiplying the number of sleeping areas by 2. Sleeping areas (i.e. living rooms, basements, etc.) with adequate square footage can be granted additional occupancy. Maximum occupancy is based on the total number of sleeping areas. Click here for help determining occupancy. 
  • All Short-Term Rentals must adhere to the building code requirements for smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Click here for a quick reference guide for compliance. 
  • Hotel Occupation Tax must be paid to the City’s Finance Department. If using a third-party parking booking service, confirm they are paying the tax on your behalf. If not, then you are subject to paying the necessary tax. For more information regarding the Hotel Occupation Tax please click here: https://cityofkearney.org/516/Hotel-Occupation-Tax or contact Taylor Jaeger at 308-233-3674 or by email.
  • No property inspection is required for permit approval. Have questions about compliance? Staff are happy to help and offer a no-charge consultation inspection upon request. Call Melissa Dougherty-O’Hara at 308-233-3254 for questions or to schedule a free consultation inspection.
  • Getting a permit is easy and done via the City’s online permitting portal (click here). See below for more information regarding what you need for a permit.