Mount Juliet, Tennessee

Short-term rentals are legal in and around Mount Juliet but are governed by a patchwork of local zoning rather than a single dedicated STR ordinance. Both the City of Mount Juliet and Wilson County treat STRs under bed-and-breakfast land-use rules rather than a standalone STR code.

Operators inside city limits should obtain a local business license and verify their zoning district with the Planning and Zoning Department. In unincorporated Wilson County, STR or bed-and-breakfast use requires Board of Zoning Appeals approval, a minimum 2-acre lot, and adequate sewer or septic capacity per state environmental rules, with approvals valid for a 2-year term since a November 2019 extension.

Tennessee’s statewide Short-Term Rental Unit Act (Public Chapter 972, 2018) constrains local control: it grandfathers properties that operated before local restrictions took effect, if they held a permit or remitted taxes for 6 or more months, supersedes conflicting local ordinances, and allows a municipality to prohibit an STR only after three or more violations of generally applicable law.

A Wilson County hotel and motel occupancy tax applies, reported at 5%, and major platforms like Airbnb remit Tennessee state and local taxes on hosts’ behalf. Effective May 5, 2025, Tennessee capped cumulative local occupancy tax in an incorporated area at 8%.

Enforcement is rated moderate: county officials have described STRs as a moving target, noting Mount Juliet had granted only about 11 licenses despite growth, and tracking remains incomplete. Investors should confirm current district rules and license or tax obligations directly with the city and the Wilson County Clerk before purchasing.