Short-term rentals in Asheville, in plain language

The first question for any STR is jurisdiction: is the property inside Asheville city limits or in unincorporated Buncombe County? The rules are materially different, and the county’s are generally more permissive.

The lookup resolves jurisdiction from county GIS first, then applies the rule set. It should be the easiest part of the answer, not an afterthought — a wrong assumption here is an expensive one.

Renting an entire home for under 30 days is generally prohibited inside city limits outside designated resort zoning districts, under the city’s 2018 ordinance.

Owner-occupied homestays — renting 1–2 rooms while you live there — may be permitted in residential zones with a city permit.

One honest limit: if a reliable public registry of active homestay permits isn’t available, the tool says permit status must be confirmed directly with the City of Asheville. It won’t guess.

Unincorporated Buncombe County has a different, generally more permissive rule set. The panel flags the distinction clearly and points you at the current county rules — check them before relying on anything.

HOA covenants can further restrict short-term rentals independent of city or county zoning — and no public record reliably covers every covenant. The tool states this on every STR panel.