Bozeman, Montana
When deciding whether to become an Airbnb Host, it's important for you to understand the laws in your city. As a platform and marketplace we do not provide legal advice, but we want to provide some useful links that may help you better understand laws and regulations in Bozeman. This list is not exhaustive, but it should give you a good start in understanding your local laws. We’ll continue to update this information as more becomes available. If you have questions, you can visit the Bozeman Short Term Rental website, contact planningtech@bozeman.net, or consult a local lawyer or tax professional.
Airbnb doesn’t update this article in real time and isn’t responsible for the reliability or correctness of the information contained in any links to third-party sites. Please check each source and make sure that the information provided hasn’t recently changed.
Registering your short-term rental unit(s)
All Hosts in Bozeman, Montana are required to register short-term rental (STR) unit(s) with the Bozeman Planning Department. To register your short-term rental unit(s), please visit the City of Bozeman’s Short Term Rental website.
Step 1: Collect the relevant information to register
Before you register your short-term rental listing, ensure you have the following information confirmed along with identifying your STR type and confirming zoning eligibility:
- Contact information for property owner
- Contact information for property manager
- Emergency contact information
- Rental property address
- Property parcel number
- Type of STR being registered. For full definitions, refer to Section 38.360.260.D. of the municipal code.
- Type 1
- Owner-occupied primary residence
- Owner present during rental period
- Type 2
- Owner-occupied primary residence, duplex, or accessory dwelling unit (ADU)
- Owner not present during rental period
- Type 3
- Entire home
- Not owner-occupied primary residence
- These are restricted from residential districts
- Type 1
- Zoning district: Short-term rentals are only allowed in some zoning districts. The allowed districts are shown below.
- Type 1 STR are allowed in all districts.
- Type 2 are allowed in all but RS and R1, and Type 3 are not allowed in residential districts. If you don’t know what your property is zoned as, you may find out on the Community Development web viewer.
Step 2: Apply for your Public Accommodations License with Gallatin County Health Department
You can apply using the Gallatin County Health Department Public Accommodations License application. Fill out the following forms if your listing is within the City of Bozeman:
- Plan Accommodation Plan Review
- Water/Wastewater Summary Form (required for all applications)
- Property Information Request Form (required for properties not in a municipality planning jurisdiction)
The one-time application fee is $168 (pre-operational inspection fee) and $126 (application processing fee) and can be paid in the following ways:
- In-person: Gallatin County Health Department, 215 W Mendenhall St, Bozeman, MT 59715
- Mail: Gallatin County Health Department, 215 W Mendenhall St, Bozeman, MT 59715
- Credit Card: Call 406-582-3120
Checks can be made payable to: GCCHD (Gallatin City County Health Department).
Upon turning in the application, the County has 30 days to review the application. If the County grants a conditional or approved permit, you need to schedule an in-person inspection. The contact information for the inspection will be on the letter attached to the conditional permit.
If you have any questions, please reach out to the Gallatin County Health Department at ehs@gallatin.mt.gov or call 406-582-3120.
You can find an example of an approved Public Accommodations License.
Step 3: Apply for business account tax registration number, sales tax permit, and use tax permit
You must first apply for the business account tax registration number, and then you can apply for the sales and use tax permits. You can check out examples of a Sales and Use Tax permit.
If you have any questions, please reach out to the Montana Department of Revenue at 406-444-6900.
Step 4: Complete your fire inspection with the City of Bozeman
The City suggests that all Hosts perform a preliminary self-inspection using the Fire Safety Inspection Checklist.
Once you're ready for your fire inspection, pay the fire inspection fee of $225 either in-person at City Hall (121 N Rouse Ave) or via phone at 406-582-2327.
After the fee payment, schedule your STR fire inspection appointment via the Bozeman Fire's Schedulicity.com page. Please note that appointments are only available between 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Step 5: Create an interior floor plan and exterior sketch plan of the property
You will need to turn these in when you register your STR unit with the City of Bozeman. Please refer to the City of Bozeman sketch plan example and floor plan example as references.
Step 6: Register your short-term rental unit with the City of Bozeman
Before registering please make sure you have all of the following documents ready to upload:
- Gallatin County Public Accommodation License
- State of Montana Tax Registration
- Fire Safety Inspection Form
- Floor plan (interior)
- Site plan (exterior)
You can complete the registration on the City's Short Term Rental (STR) Registration website. For further instructions to navigate the online portal, please review these short-term rental registration instructions.
The fee to register your short-term rental in Bozeman is $250.
Once you've completed your online form, you'll receive email confirmation upon the approval of your short-term rental within 1–2 weeks.
Adding your registration number to your Airbnb listing
To finalize your registration with the City of Bozeman and comply with the law, you’ll need to display your registration number on your Airbnb listing.
To add your registration number to your listing:
- Go to Listings
- Select the listing you want
- Under Regulations, add your registration number
Renewing your registration with the City of Bozeman
Your City of Bozeman registration is valid for one year from the date that your permit number was issued and must be renewed yearly. Please note that all Gallatin County Public Accommodations Licenses are valid for a calendar year (for example, if you received your license June 20, 2023, it would still expire December 31, 2023 so you would need to renew every calendar year).
For yearly renewals to ensure you remain in compliance, you need the following:
- Updated Public Accommodations License every year with the Gallatin County Health Department
- Register renewal with the City of Bozeman via the online portal
Our commitment to your community
We are committed to working with local officials to help them understand how Airbnb benefits our community. Where needed, we will continue to advocate for changes that will allow regular people to rent out their own homes.