Poconos market data / STR permit rules

Short term rental permit rules in the Poconos, township by township

STR Select checked 23 Pocono municipalities: 20 require short term rental registration, 2 have no registration ordinance, and 8 publish a fee. Checked 2026-09-26.

STR registration, fees, occupancy limits and zoning for 23 Pocono municipalities each from the township’s own ordinance, checked September 2026.

20 of 23require registration or a permit

2have no registration ordinance but restrict by zoning

6% + 3%state hotel tax plus county room tax

Not legal advice. Township rules change by resolution, and several fees are set outside the ordinance. Every entry links to the document we read. Confirm with the township before you book a guest. Found a change? Tell us and we will re-check it.

Quick answer

20 of the 23 Pocono municipalities we checked require short term rental registration or a permit, and 2 have no registration ordinance but restrict rentals through zoning. Pennsylvania charges a 6% hotel occupancy tax and each of the three counties adds 3%.

Monroe County

Stroudsburg

Registration required

Ordinance: Ordinance #1087 (STR licensing), plus Chapter 27 zoning amendment
Fee: $250 initial per unit (includes first inspection), $150 annual renewal, $100 per additional inspection
Renewal: annual, due May 1
Inspection: yes
Occupancy: not found
Local contact: not found
Zoning: Prohibited in R-1, R-2, R-3. Permitted in C-1, C-1A, C-2, MU-A, MU-B, I-1, O-1.
In effect: Ordinance #1087 enacted May 5, 2020

Open question: Local contact rule not confirmed from primary text.

Sources: 1 2 · checked 2026-09-14

East Stroudsburg

Registration required

Ordinance: Ordinance No. 1379 (Chapter 124, Article III), zoning Ordinance No. 1380
Fee: Set by Borough Council resolution, amount not published in ordinance
Renewal: annual
Inspection: yes, annual
Occupancy: One family per dwelling unit; day guests up to 75% of overnight maximum
Local contact: yes, manager within 20 miles if owner is not a full time resident within 20 miles
Zoning: Permitted in R-2, R-3, C-1, C-1A, C-1B, C-2, OM-1, S-1, I-U. Not listed for R-1.
In effect: Enacted 2021

Sources: 1 2 3 · checked 2026-09-14

Stroud Township

Registration required

Ordinance: Ordinance No. 4-2020 (Chapter 11, Part 2)
Fee: Set by Board of Supervisors resolution, amount not published in ordinance
Renewal: annual
Inspection: yes, including sewage system inspection
Occupancy: 2 bedrooms 6, 3 bedrooms 8, 4 bedrooms 10, 5 bedrooms 12; maximum 5 bedrooms
Local contact: yes, 24 hour phone or authorized local agent
Zoning: Not stated in the STR ordinance
In effect: 2020

Sources: 1 · checked 2026-09-14

Pocono Township (Tannersville)

Registration required

Ordinance: Chapter 302, Ord. 2019-07 amended by Ord. 2021-02
Fee: Set in township fee schedule, amount not published in ordinance
Renewal: annual, November 1 to October 31
Inspection: yes
Occupancy: 2 per bedroom plus 4, or 14 total, whichever is less; day guests up to 75%
Local contact: yes, person in charge within 15 miles, responds within 1 hour
Zoning: Permitted only in Commercial and Recreational districts
In effect: Adopted Sept 16, 2019; amended Mar 15, 2021

Open question: Source is an archived copy of eCode360.

Sources: 1 · checked 2026-09-14

Mount Pocono

Registration required

Ordinance: Chapter 154 Article III, Ord. No. 3 of 2016; districts amended by Ord. No. 5 of 2023
Fee: $500 registration fee (application form)
Renewal: annual
Inspection: yes, before first rental and before renewal
Occupancy: 2 per bedroom plus 2 (2 bedrooms 6 up to 6 bedrooms 14)
Local contact: yes, local contact (owner may serve within 40 miles), responds within 1 hour
Zoning: Not permitted in R-1, R-2, R-3, M, R-LM. Permitted in C-1 and C-2.
In effect: Adopted June 6, 2016; districts amended June 6, 2023

Open question: Fee is from the 2022 application form.

Sources: 1 2 3 · checked 2026-09-14

Coolbaugh Township

Registration required

Ordinance: Ordinance No. 141-2020 (Chapter 324)
Fee: $200 initial application, $150 annual renewal, $40 re-inspection
Renewal: annual; late fee doubles after Feb 15, license void after May 1
Inspection: yes
Occupancy: 2 per bedroom plus 4 (under 2 not counted); day guests up to 75%
Local contact: yes, 24 hour contact on site within 2 hours
Zoning: Not stated in Chapter 324; zoning Chapter 400 not reviewed
In effect: 2020

Sources: 1 2 · checked 2026-09-14

Tobyhanna Township

Registration required

Ordinance: Ordinance No. 569 (Chapter 114), amended by No. 572; zoning Ord. No. 570
Fee: Set by Board resolution, amount not published; $200 fee for application reviews beyond the third
Renewal: annual, rolling
Inspection: yes
Occupancy: 2 per bedroom, maximum 10
Local contact: yes, 24 hour local contact
Zoning: Permitted in RR Rural Residential and OS Open Space districts
In effect: Enacted June 28, 2022; amended Oct 3, 2022

Sources: 1 2 3 4 · checked 2026-09-14

Tunkhannock Township

Registration required

Ordinance: Ordinance No. 2019-01
Fee: $750 new permit, $250 renewal (effective March 1, 2026)
Renewal: annual
Inspection: yes
Occupancy: 2 per bedroom plus 4; day guests up to 50% of overnight maximum
Local contact: yes, person in charge reachable 24/7
Zoning: Applies to all residential dwelling units township wide
In effect: Adopted Oct 9, 2019

Open question: Third party sites still show an outdated $500/$100 fee. Different township of the same name exists in Wyoming County (tunkhannocktwp.org).

Sources: 1 2 · checked 2026-09-14

Jackson Township

Registration required

Ordinance: not found
Fee: $1,000 initial (non refundable), $750 annual renewal; $100 per extra inspection
Renewal: annual
Inspection: yes, every 2 years at renewal (confirmed: due in 2026 if not inspected in 2025)
Occupancy: not found
Local contact: not found
Zoning: Not permitted in R-1 or where an owners association bars rentals; existing permitted R-1 properties may continue
In effect: In place since July 2018

Open question: Ordinance number and occupancy rule still not published on the township's own STR page as of 2026-09-28 recheck.

Sources: 1 · checked 2026-09-28

Middle Smithfield Township

Registration required

Ordinance: Chapter 150, Ordinance No. 221 (restating No. 216)
Fee: $500 annual (2026 fee schedule, Resolution 01-2026-4)
Renewal: annual, November 1 to October 31
Inspection: yes
Occupancy: 2 per bedroom plus 4, or 14 total, whichever is less; day guests up to 75%
Local contact: yes, person in charge within 15 miles
Zoning: not found
In effect: Enacted Aug 23, 2018

Sources: 1 2 3 · checked 2026-09-14

Smithfield Township

No registration ordinance

Ordinance: Zoning §27-306 (Ordinance 225)
Fee: none found
Renewal: none found
Inspection: none found
Occupancy: not found
Local contact: not found
Zoning: Prohibited in R-C, R-1 and R-2; permitted in R-E Resort district
In effect: Dec 13, 2016

Open question: Blog claims of an annual permit likely confuse it with Middle Smithfield.

Sources: 1 2 · checked 2026-09-14

Hamilton Township

No registration ordinance

Ordinance: not found
Fee: none found
Renewal: none found
Inspection: none found
Occupancy: not found
Local contact: not found
Zoning: Zoning District A limited to a single housekeeping unit; PA Supreme Court (Slice of Life v. Hamilton Twp ZHB, 2019) held short term rental use is not permitted there
In effect: not found

Sources: 1 2 3 · checked 2026-09-14

Barrett Township

Registration required

Ordinance: Chapter 391, Rental Property
Fee: Conflicting township documents: fee schedule (rev 03/26/2025) says $500 registration and $300 annual renewal; the 2026 permit application says $1,000 first time up to 3 bedrooms plus $50 per extra bedroom. Both documents current as of this check, conflict not resolved by the township.
Renewal: annual
Inspection: yes, first inspection included; $100 re-inspection
Occupancy: not found
Local contact: yes, 24/7 managing agent or local contact
Zoning: not found
In effect: not found

Open question: Fee conflict between two official documents, both current as of 2026-09-28 recheck.

Sources: 1 2 · checked 2026-09-28

Paradise Township

Registration required

Ordinance: Chapter 114 (Ord. 240, amended by 255 and 267)
Fee: Set by resolution, amount not published
Renewal: annual
Inspection: yes
Occupancy: 2 per bedroom plus 4 (2021 text)
Local contact: yes, 24 hour phone or local agent
Zoning: Zoning Ordinance No. 281 replaced the STR zoning provision (Sec. 160-12.A(64.A)): STR use now requires its own zoning permit in addition to the Ch. 114 license, is capped at 4 bedrooms (or fewer if sewage capacity is lower), is barred on lots nonconforming in minimum area, and needs proof of adequate sewage disposal at application. Ordinance No. 280 (same enactment round) rewrote the Ch. 114 license terms: 24-hour contact for the managing agent, added sewage-facility disclosure and inspection proof requirements, and restated annual license renewal.
In effect: Chapter 114 adopted Mar 6, 2017 (Ord. 240), amended 2019 and 2021; Ordinance No. 280 (license) and No. 281 (zoning) both enacted 2024 per their ecode360 text, noticed for a Feb 18, 2026 hearing per the county legal notice, so read both dates as unconfirmed final-adoption vs. hearing/publication

Open question: Ordinance 273 (2022 Resort Development Area overlay amendment) touches Article XII, not the STR section directly; not re-verified this pass. Adoption date on Ordinances 280/281 is unclear between the ordinance text and the county hearing notice; treat the substance as current but do not quote a single adoption date until the township confirms.

Sources: 1 2 3 4 · checked 2026-09-28

Price Township

Status unknown

Ordinance: not found
Fee: not found
Renewal: not found
Inspection: not found
Occupancy: not found
Local contact: not found
Zoning: not found
In effect: not found

Open question: Official site blocked automated access; status unknown.

Sources: 1 · checked 2026-09-14

Carbon County

Kidder Township (Lake Harmony)

Registration required

Ordinance: Ordinance No. 2021-187
Fee: Set by resolution, amount not published
Renewal: annual
Inspection: yes
Occupancy: 2 per bedroom plus 4
Local contact: yes, local agent required if owner lives more than 1 hour away
Zoning: Applies township wide
In effect: Enacted July 15, 2021

Open question: News reports of $2,000 / $1,000 fees not confirmed from a township source.

Sources: 1 · checked 2026-09-14

Penn Forest Township (Albrightsville)

Registration required

Ordinance: Ordinance #2 of 2021
Fee: Base license fee set by resolution, not published; $150 one time zoning permit application; annual inspection $100 plus $25 per bedroom
Renewal: annual
Inspection: yes, annual
Occupancy: Average 2 per bedroom plus 4 (under 2 not counted)
Local contact: yes, 24 hour local contact
Zoning: Applies township wide
In effect: Enacted May 3, 2021

Sources: 1 2 · checked 2026-09-14

Pike County

Lehman Township

Registration required

Ordinance: Ordinance No. 140 of 2020, amended by No. 145 of 2021
Fee: Set by resolution, amount not published
Renewal: every two years
Inspection: yes, annual certified inspection report with application
Occupancy: No numeric cap stated
Local contact: yes, agent within 30 air miles if owner is farther
Zoning: not found
In effect: Adopted July 23, 2020; amended Apr 8, 2021

Open question: Reported 2025 residential zoning change not confirmed.

Sources: 1 2 · checked 2026-09-14

Dingman Township

Registration required

Ordinance: Zoning Ordinance Section 438
Fee: Set by fee schedule, amount not published
Renewal: not found
Inspection: not found
Occupancy: One family per unit; permit states the maximum
Local contact: yes, local contact within 25 miles
Zoning: Permitted only in CP, RC and NC districts
In effect: Effective May 19, 2015

Sources: 1 · checked 2026-09-14

Delaware Township

Registration required

Ordinance: Ordinance No. 802
Fee: Set by resolution, amount not published
Renewal: annual
Inspection: yes
Occupancy: 2 per bedroom plus 4; day guests up to 75%
Local contact: yes, 24 hour local contact
Zoning: Not permitted in residential zone; permitted in rural residential, commercial, quarry and parkland zones
In effect: Adopted Feb 23, 2021

Sources: 1 · checked 2026-09-14

Blooming Grove Township

Registration required

Ordinance: Ordinance No. 72-2021
Fee: Set by resolution, amount not published
Renewal: annual
Inspection: yes
Occupancy: 2 per bedroom plus 4; day guests up to 75%
Local contact: yes
Zoning: not found
In effect: 2021

Sources: 1 · checked 2026-09-14

Palmyra Township

Registration required

Ordinance: Ordinance No. 132-2019
Fee: Set by resolution, amount not published; late renewal after Feb 15 doubles the fee
Renewal: annual
Inspection: yes, conditional
Occupancy: 2 per bedroom plus 4; day guests up to 75%
Local contact: yes
Zoning: not found
In effect: Adopted Oct 15, 2019

Open question: Ordinance text names two different repealed ordinances.

Sources: 1 · checked 2026-09-14

Lackawaxen Township

Registration required

Ordinance: Ordinance No. 114; fees by Resolution 2022-04
Fee: $100 initial for existing compliant rentals, $300 for new; $50 annual renewal; $75 re-inspection
Renewal: annual
Inspection: yes
Occupancy: 2 per bedroom plus 4; day guests up to 75%
Local contact: yes
Zoning: Permitted in all districts
In effect: Adopted Apr 19, 2021

Sources: 1 2 · checked 2026-09-14

What managers charge in the Poconos is on the Poconos fee index, and the Airbnb management fees by market table sets it beside every other market. The Poconos STR permit guide and the Poconos quarterly report cover the same county. Owners new to the area can start with the Poconos owner FAQ.

Researched and written by Aaron Whittaker. Updated September 26, 2026. Every fact on this page carries its source. How we rank

Taxes on Poconos short term rentals

Level	Rate	What it covers	Source
Pennsylvania	6%	Pennsylvania hotel occupancy tax on stays under 30 consecutive days, including Airbnb and Vrbo bookings	PA Department of Revenue
Monroe County	3%	Hotel room rental excise tax	county treasurer
Pike County	3%	Hotel room rental excise tax	county treasurer
Carbon County	3%	Room rental excise tax, stays under 30 days	county treasurer

Private community rules

Many Pocono homes sit inside lake communities with their own rental rules on top of the township's. These are the ones with a published rule we could read.

Lake Naomi Club / Timber Trails: Rental property registration form and $150 annual registration fee (2026 policy); guest acknowledgment due within 72 hours of arrival source
Arrowhead Lake: STR rental registration form and pre-registered guest check-in by QR code source
Big Bass Lake: not found, site unreachable
Pocono Farms: not found source

Sources

Every township entry links the ordinance or page we read, last checked 2026-09-26.

Questions owners ask

Do I need a permit to run an Airbnb in the Poconos?

In most places, yes. 20 of the 23 Pocono municipalities we checked require short term rental registration or a permit. Smithfield Township and Hamilton Township have no registration ordinance, but both restrict short term rentals through zoning. Check your own township below.

How much is a short term rental permit in the Poconos?

It varies by township. Published amounts we found start at a $50 annual renewal in Lackawaxen Township. First permits reach $1,000 or more: Jackson Township charges $1,000, and Barrett Township charges $1,000 for up to three bedrooms plus $50 for each extra bedroom. Many townships set the fee by resolution and do not publish it, so we list those as not published.

What taxes apply to Poconos short term rentals?

Pennsylvania charges a 6% hotel occupancy tax on stays under 30 consecutive days, including Airbnb and Vrbo bookings. Monroe, Pike and Carbon counties each add a 3% county hotel or room rental tax.

What is the usual occupancy limit for a Poconos STR?

The most common rule in the ordinances we read is two people per bedroom plus four, with day guests capped at a share of the overnight limit. Several townships use a different formula or a hard cap, so read your township entry.

Compare what managers charge in the Poconos fee index, or see the ranked managers. Compliance tools that track these rules are compared in STR compliance tools.

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Sources

External pages cited here, in order.

Also built from these STR Select data pages and files: