Do I need a permit to run a short term rental in the Poconos?
Yes in most townships, and the permit comes from the township or borough, not the county or the state.
Middle Smithfield Township states that short term rentals are permitted by permit only and that permits renew annually (Middle Smithfield Township). Jackson Township issues a one year permit (Jackson Township). Coolbaugh Township requires a short term rental license that renews annually (Coolbaugh Township Ordinance 141-2020). Rules differ by municipality, so the first call is to the office for the township where the home sits. Our township by township table is in the Poconos permit guide.
What does a township ask for besides the permit fee?
Expect proof of tax registration, proof of insurance and an inspection, though each township sets its own list.
Coolbaugh Township asks for a current Monroe County Hotel Room Excise Tax Certificate, a current Pennsylvania Sales Tax License and a declaration page showing at least $500,000 in liability insurance (Coolbaugh Township Ordinance 141-2020). Jackson Township requires an inspection at renewal if it has not completed a full site inspection in the previous 24 months (Jackson Township). Penn Forest Township, in Carbon County, charges a one time $150 zoning application and lists an annual inspection fee of $100 plus $25 per bedroom (Penn Forest Township).
How often does a Poconos short term rental permit renew?
Usually every year, and Jackson Township wants the renewal filed at least 30 days before the permit expires.
Jackson Township says a permit is good for one year, that a complete renewal must be filed at least 30 days before expiry. The township sends no expiration notices and grants no extensions (Jackson Township). Middle Smithfield and Coolbaugh also renew annually (Middle Smithfield, Coolbaugh). Put the date in your calendar. Coolbaugh Township says a license is void if the renewal fee is not paid by May 1 (Coolbaugh Township Ordinance 141-2020).
What taxes do Poconos short term rental owners pay?
Pennsylvania charges 6 percent hotel occupancy tax on stays under 30 days, and Monroe County adds a 3 percent hotel excise tax.
The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue says anyone who rents a property for lodging for less than 30 days to the same person must collect and remit the state hotel occupancy tax. The rate is the same 6 percent as sales tax (Pennsylvania Department of Revenue). Monroe County applies a 3 percent tax to each rental of a room with a bed and counts a cabin as a hotel under its ordinance (Monroe County Treasurer). Carbon and Pike County owners should confirm the county rate with their own treasurer.
Does Airbnb or VRBO collect the tax for me?
Often yes, but only if the platform confirms it collects and remits the tax, and you do not rent through any other channel.
The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue says an owner who rents exclusively through a third party booking site should not register for a Sales, Use and Hotel Occupancy Tax License. That applies only if the site confirms it collects and remits the hotel occupancy tax. An owner who takes direct bookings or whose broker does not collect the tax must register through myPATH (Pennsylvania Department of Revenue). Some townships also ask for the license as part of the permit file, as Coolbaugh does (Coolbaugh Township).
Does my HOA or lake community have its own rental rules?
Possibly, and the township says to check before you apply for the permit.
Middle Smithfield Township notes that some homeowner and property owner associations restrict or prohibit short term rentals, and recommends contacting the association before applying for a township permit (Middle Smithfield Township). A community rule sits on top of the township permit, so a home inside one needs to satisfy both.
How much can a Poconos short term rental earn in a year?
Median revenue per listing ran from $36,561 in Stroudsburg to $73,179 in East Stroudsburg over October 2025 to September 2026, and the spread inside each market is wide.
These figures are AirROI market metrics for ten Pocono markets, pulled October 8, 2026, and published as a table by Ideal Property Management (Poconos Airbnb Earnings by Town). Median annual revenue per listing was $73,179 in East Stroudsburg, $58,198 in Pocono Summit, $54,014 in Tunkhannock Township (Long Pond), $49,236 in Kidder Township (Lake Harmony) and $48,251 in Tobyhanna Township (Pocono Lake). Average occupancy ran from 31.7 percent in Kidder Township to 44.7 percent in East Stroudsburg. In East Stroudsburg the 25th to 75th percentile band ran from $31,728 to $131,049. The table says these are market figures for every active listing, not results for any one manager and not a forecast for your home.
What does a short term rental manager actually do?
A full service manager typically handles the booking portals, pricing, guest messages, cleaner scheduling, lawn care and snow removal, and repair coordination.
Scope varies between companies, so ask each one for the list in writing, including who orders supplies, who schedules cleaners and who approves repairs. One published example of a scope list is on the fee page of Ideal Property Management (How Poconos Airbnb Management Fees Are Charged). Our vetting guide covers what to request.
How are Poconos management fees structured?
The percentage matters less than the amount it is charged on, so ask whether the fee applies to the booking total or to rent after platform and cleaning fees.
Fees are usually a percentage, and the base it applies to changes what an owner pays: the booking total, rent after the platform fee, or rent after the platform and cleaning fees. Ask whether repairs, lawn care and snow removal are billed at actual cost or with a markup, and whether the rate changes in a strong month. One published example is Ideal Property Management, which says it charges on net rent after the platform fee and cleaning fee (How Poconos Airbnb Management Fees Are Charged). Our management fee guide and the Poconos fee comparison show which companies publish a rate.
How do I compare Poconos short term rental managers?
Put the same written questions to each company: what the fee is charged on, what passes through, how long the contract runs, and what an owner kept on a real statement.
Ask for the fee base, whether the rate changes in a strong month, and which costs pass through. Also ask the length of the agreement, notice to leave, owner use of the home, and what a comparable owner kept last year. One published example of such a question list is on the page of Ideal Property Management (What to Ask Any Manager). See the STR Select Poconos manager rankings to compare listed companies side by side.