Blakeslee, Pennsylvania

Short-term rentals are permitted in the Pocono Mountains region, but rules are set by each township rather than by the county, and they vary significantly. There is no unified county permit system, so investors must confirm the specific township and any HOA rules for a target property. Most STR-active townships require an annual license or permit, with a reported cost of about $200. Common requirements include a Pennsylvania Sales and Use Tax license, county hotel excise tax registration, proof of $500,000 in general liability insurance, a local contact within 25 miles who is available around the clock, a parking plan and safety documentation. Permits are issued per property to the owner. No annual night cap is published for the region, and owner-occupancy and primary-residence requirements are not listed. Occupancy taxes stack. Pennsylvania charges a 6% state hotel occupancy tax and each of Monroe, Pike, Wayne and Carbon counties adds 3%, for a combined 9%. Platforms such as Airbnb collect and remit these automatically, while direct-booking operators must register and remit quarterly. Notable township restrictions as of early 2026: Hamilton Township bans STRs in residential zones under a 2019 Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling, Lehman Township stopped issuing new licenses in January 2025 with about 200 grandfathered, Paradise and Franklin Townships limit STRs to commercial zones, Jackson Township excluded residential zones in January 2023, and Dingman Township prohibits STRs in several named subdivisions. Tobyhanna Township imposed a 12% license cap in March 2024 and rescinded it in March 2025. Enforcement severity is rated moderate.