Missoula, Montana

Short-term rentals are explicitly legal in Missoula, but the city has tightened its registration regime significantly in the past two years. Any dwelling rented for fewer than 28 consecutive days to guests whose primary residence is elsewhere requires a City of Missoula Short-Term Rental Registration number, categorized as a ‘Tourist Home.’ The 2025 application fee is $636, renewed annually with registrations expiring January 31, a figure reported to represent roughly an 825% increase from prior years. There is no cap on nights, no owner-occupancy mandate, and no primary-residence requirement, so non-owner-occupied tourist homes are allowed, though operators in residential zones must complete a Neighbor Notification covering parcels one deep around the property.

Beyond city registration, hosts must obtain a Public Accommodations License from the Missoula City-County Health Department, hold a Lodging Facility Sales and Use Tax account with the Montana Department of Revenue, and complete a Safety Self-Inspection Checklist, which replaced in-person inspections in late 2024. As of December 5, 2024, Airbnb and Vrbo must verify a valid registration number is displayed before accepting bookings, a change that coincided with a surge in new registrations (roughly 160 issued between September 2024 and January 2025, versus about 25 per year in 2022 and 2023). Montana levies a combined 8.0% statewide Lodging Facility Sales and Use Tax, and Missoula adds no additional local resort or bed tax. Enforcement is rated moderate and complaint-driven; repeated violations can result in revocation of the right to operate.