Kalispell, Montana

Short-term rentals (stays under 30 days) in Kalispell require an administrative conditional use permit from the City, adopted under rules effective December 5, 2016. Operators must also pass a building department safety inspection, a county health department review, and obtain a Montana public accommodation license from the state. As part of permitting, the city notifies property owners within 150 feet of the proposed rental and allows public comment. Operators must confirm no neighborhood covenants prohibit STRs. No permit cost was published.

Kalispell imposes a 2% cap on the share of residential-zone homes that can be short-term rentals, effectively limiting citywide permits to approximately 200 in residential zones. Commercial and mixed-use areas are more permissive. R-1 and R-2 zones face the strictest treatment. Owner-occupancy and primary-residence requirements do not apply.

Montana levies a combined 8% state lodging tax (4% Lodging Facility Use Tax plus 4% Lodging Sales Tax) on stays under 30 days. No additional local resort or bed tax applies in Kalispell. Hosting platforms typically collect state taxes, but operators should confirm remittance. Beginning in 2026, Montana’s Legislature changed property tax treatment so that STR properties are assessed at approximately 1.9%, a higher rate than owner-occupied residential rates. No annual night cap was published. Enforcement is classified as moderate.