Rental Rules by City / Free checklist / Pittsburgh

Is my Pittsburgh rental legal? Checklist

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania · Based on our Pittsburgh page, last verified Oct 24, 2026 · Print

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📋 The Basics

Can I rent my place short-term here?: Yes, with a permit
Do I need a permit?: Yes; no separate city STR license, but county tax registration is required.
What taxes do I pay?: Total about 13%. Check your Airbnb payout report to see which ones Airbnb collects; you pay the rest yourself.

Your 3 steps to be legal

Register with the Allegheny County Special Tax Division.
Collect PA and county hotel taxes.
Check city rental registration.

⚠️ Biggest risk: Not registering for county hotel tax.

Words confusing? See the glossary. Details and official sources are below.

This is the general rule for Pittsburgh. Does your address qualify?

The free info covers the city as a whole. Your property can still be different: zoning can change from one street to the next, and an HOA or condo ban can stop rentals even where the city allows them.

Your $49 Compliance Check looks at your exact property:

Whether your exact address and zone allow short-term rentals
A check of HOA / condo rental restrictions to look for
Which permits and tax accounts you personally need
What you're missing right now
A personal report with clear next steps and official sources, by email
A refund if we report a rule in error (refund policy)

🔎 How we check: official city, county and state sources, a last-verified date on every page, and nothing guessed. Learn more

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Rules don't change every week, but they do change, and nobody emails you when they do. We'll alert you when city rules, tourist taxes, HOA-related laws, or Airbnb/Vrbo policies change in Pittsburgh. Cancel anytime.

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Permit / license / registration

City rules: No separate city STR license is in force (a proposed ordinance died in 2025). City rental registration currently voluntary: verify.
County tax: Register with the Allegheny County Treasurer Special Tax Division and report STR revenue, even if a platform remits.

Zoning, where allowed & definitions

Not listed on our page: Verify with the city/county before renting.

Night limits, minimum stays & occupancy

Not listed on our page: Verify with the city/county before renting.

Fees, penalties & pending changes

Not listed on our page: Verify with the city/county before renting.

Taxes & who collects them

Register / account for Pennsylvania hotel occupancy tax (6%)
Register / account for Allegheny County hotel room rental tax (7%)
What Airbnb collects: Verify in payouts which PA and county taxes Airbnb remits.
Vrbo and direct bookings: check which taxes Vrbo collects in your area; for direct bookings you collect and remit all of them yourself.

Total rate: 13%. PA 6% hotel occupancy tax + 1% Allegheny local hotel tax (PA DOR). Allegheny County 7% hotel room rental tax shown in the calculator: verify with the County Treasurer. Calculate.

HOA / condo check

Read your declaration, bylaws and rules for rental bans, minimum terms, caps and approval requirements.
Get any association sign-off or approval letter your city or association requires.
See our HOA & condo guide.

Insurance

Confirm your homeowner/condo policy covers short-term rental use, or add a short-term rental policy. Platform host protection is not a substitute for insurance.
Ask your association whether it requires specific liability coverage.

Deadlines

Renew city/county permits or registrations on their schedule (often annually): confirm the date with the office that issued it.
File state and local lodging tax returns on the schedule your tax office assigns.

Official sources

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Not legal or tax advice. Last verified Oct 24, 2026. Rules and rates change: confirm with the official sources linked before you rent or file.