Rental Rules by City / Pennsylvania / Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh short-term rental rules & tax calculator
📋 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.
Tax calculator
Rates used: Pennsylvania hotel occupancy tax 6% + Allegheny County hotel room rental tax 7% = 13%. Mandatory cleaning fees are included in the taxable total. 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. Rates not yet confirmed on an official page: Allegheny County hotel room rental tax 7%. Verify before filing.
What Airbnb collects: Verify in payouts which PA and county taxes Airbnb remits.
Advanced details (laws, fees, sources)
Rules
| 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. |
Items marked "Verify with the city" could not be confirmed from an official source; call the office listed before relying on them.
Sources
Free tools
Free "Is my rental legal?" checklist · Free tourist tax calculator
Rules can change
Pittsburgh's rules, its tax rates and platform policies can change through a council vote, a new state law or a court ruling, often with little notice to hosts. We re-check this page monthly; subscribers get notified. Stay Compliant for $4.99/mo.
Want it done for you?
Get a personalized STR Compliance Check ($49) for your exact address in any US city: the permits, registrations and tax accounts you need, with official sources, delivered by email in 48 business hours. Not legal advice.
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Stay Compliant: $4.99/month
Rules, tax rates and Airbnb/Vrbo policies can change without warning, and hosts who miss a change can be fined. Get alerts when your city, county or state changes, deadline reminders, a pending-bill watch list and a monthly host brief (even in quiet months: "we checked on [date]; no changes"). Compare plans.
By paying, you agree to our Terms and Refund Policy.
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.