A Short-Term Rental is defined as the rental of an existing or otherwise permitted dwelling structure or any portion thereof, for a period of not more than thirty (30) days, where the owner is engaged in a contract for the rental of that specific dwelling, or any portion thereof.  An annual Short-Term Rental license may be issued to eligible Applicants by the City Clerk.  A Short-Term Rental license is a privilege, not a right, and may be denied, suspended, revoked or not renewed.  This definition shall not be interpreted to alter, add to, or in any way supersede existing zoning uses allowed in zoning districts, particularly provisions regarding the allowance, or not, of accessory dwelling structures. (See Chapter 22 – Sections 420.1 A-1,  420.2 A-2, 420.3 RE, 421.1 R-1, 422.2 RM-4, 422.9 O-1, 423.1 CO, 424.2 TC, 429 MUD, 423.11 Additional District Provisions, 450 Definitions.)

Licensing for short-term rentals was approved by the Norman City Council on July 28, 2020.   The ordinance requires an annual license for each short-term rental in the City of Norman, effective August 27, 2020.

See Sec. 13-3500 – 13-3508

Ordinance O-1920-56

STRs will be allowed in all zoning districts except Rural Commercial, Light Industrial, Heavy Industrial and restricted Industrial.  PUD (planned unit development) and SPUD (simple planned unit development) will require Council approval or special use.  In the Center City Form Based Code (CCFBC), STR’s will be permitted as “overnight lodging” on the upper story in the Urban General, Urban Storefront and Urban Residential Building Form Stardards.  STR’s are permitted as “overnight lodging” with additional regulations on the ground floor in Urban General, Urban Storefront and Urban Residential Building Form Standards.

The ordinance requires STR operators, starting August 27, 2020, to obtain a short-term rental license before advertising or offering the property for rent. The ordinance also requires a local contact person to be designated for each short-term rental who can always be contacted by the City.

An Applicant may be issued up to (4) Short-Term Renal license(s); unless the Applicant complies with Chapter 22 Zoning Ordinance (Sec. 434.1 – Special Uses).

Sec. 434.1-Special Uses

Use of the Short-Term Rental for any commercial or social event is prohibited.

A licensee or guest of a Short-Term Rental shall not use or allow use of sound equipment, amplified music and musical instruments.

A licensee or guest of a Short-Term Rental shall not violate any parking ordinances, noise ordinances or any other ordinance of the Norman City Code.

Property owners and operators are responsible for reviewing the entire short-term rental zoning and licensing ordinances.  The following standards provide an abbreviated version:

It is the responsibility of the operator to prevent nuisance behavior and maintain neighborhood peace and quiet.

Notification of affected property owners:  All recorded property owners immediately adjacent to or directly across the street or alley in any direction from the subject property shall be notified of an Application for a Short Term Rental.  This Notice to Neighbors, as provided by the City Clerk’s Office with the Application, shall contain the name, address, phone number, email of the property owner and the required local contact person, along with contact information for City offices, such as Code Enforcement, the Norman Police Department, Parking Services and any other necessary contact information.

The license holder shall post the following information in a prominent location in the interior, clearly visible to guests and provide a packet of the information, summarizing the restrictions applicable to Short-Term Rental use, including:

(1)       The license registration, which includes license number;

(2)       Operator’s name and number and property manager, if applicable, name and number;

(3)       Local contact person name and number;

(4)       The location of any on-site and off-site parking spaces available for guests;

(5)       Occupancy limits;

(6)       Noise restrictions, including prohibition on the use of sound equipment, amplified music and musical instruments; 

(7)       Parking restrictions;

(8)       Information on relevant burn bans;

(9)       Information on relevant water restrictions;

(10)     Trash and recycling collection rules and dates;

(11)     Prohibition on the use of the Short-Term Rental for commercial or social events; and

(12)     Floor plan with fire exit and escape routes.

The STR license can be obtained for a license fee of $150 and an annual inspection fee for $50, for a total of $200.

A short-term rental license must be renewed annually to remain in compliance.

You may register for your license online by clicking on the "Registration" button above.

Yes and remit those taxes monthly to the City of Norman. The tax rate is 8%.  

The tax is due on the 15th of the following month.

Tax reports and taxes are due monthly.

Yes. Hotel/motel taxes are remitted to the City of Norman. Sales taxes are remitted to the Oklahoma Tax Commission based on State statutes.

You can file and pay your hotel/motel/transient guest taxes online by clicking on the "Registration" button above.  Airbnb does not collect the Hotel/Motel/Transient Guest Tax.

You may email STRental@normanok.gov or call (405) 217-7700.

Short-term rentals have been operating in Norman for some time in response to the growing sharing economy.  The City wanted to properly regulate short-term rentals and collect the hotel/motel tax.

The City contracted with Deckard Technologies, a live web-delivered dashboard with complete address information of all identifiable STRs in the City of Norman’s jurisdiction listed on social platforms such as Airbnb, Homeaway, Vacation Rentals, VRBO, TripAdvisor and Flipkey in or near Norman.  It allows the City of Norman to:

• Identify all short-term rentals in operation within the City of Norman.
• Monitor and report rental activities at the short-term rental units on an ongoing basis.
• Contact property owners who are out of compliance with City ordinances and regulations.
• Provide short-term rental property owners a positive customer experience with registrations, tax reporting and remittance, and the reporting of any issues experienced.
• Provide a dedicated 24/7 hotline for neighbors to report noise, parking, and other complaints

If you need to file a Short-Term Rental complaint, please call the 24/7 complaint line or file your complaint online.

24/7 Complaint Line: (405) 726-0065

File a Complaint Online

Sec. 13-112. - Penalties.

(a)       Any person, firm, or corporation convicted of violating any provision of this chapter, or of failing to act or comply with the provisions of this chapter, shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) nor more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00) or by imprisonment not to exceed sixty (60) days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

(b)       Each day that a violation or failure to comply exists shall constitute a separate and distinct offense, and any one (1) or more of such offenses may be set out in any complaint or information filed.