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  1. Home
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  3. Regulations
  4. ·
  5. Indiana
  6. ·
  7. Crawfordsville

Crawfordsville

Permissive
IndianaUpdated Mar 28, 2026
Gold-standard verification1% sourced

Cross-referenced against 0 official sources — municipal codes, planning-department pages, and government registries.

Verified Feb 8, 2026Sources 0

Summary

Plain-english overview

Short-term rentals in Crawfordsville must be registered annually as residential rental units and are subject to safety inspections every five years.

Restriction level

Severity 5
Classification
Permissive
5
Severity

Why this classification

  • Permit required
  • No night cap
  • No primary residence requirement
  • Tenants can host

In plain English

What this means for you

All owners of rental properties, including short-term rentals like Airbnb, must register with the city's Planning Department by January 31st each year. The registration fee is a nominal $5 per parcel, and your property must pass a basic safety inspection at least once every five years. You must also collect and remit both Indiana state sales tax and the local Montgomery County innkeeper's tax.

At a glance

Key numbers
Permit requiredYes
Night limitNone
Primary residenceNot required
Total tax rate0.1%
Permit fee$5
Processing time1-2 weeks
Max fine$22,500

4 things hosts often miss

Common compliance gaps
  1. 1Strict January 31st annual deadline for renewals; failure to register can lead to $500 daily fines.
  2. 2Must affirm you do not have an illegal homestead exemption on the rental unit.
  3. 3New 2025 enforcement rules allow the city to fine you just for listing an unregistered property on platforms like Airbnb.
  4. 4Inspections are required every 5 years even if no complaints are filed.

Regulation details

Sourced from official code
Eligibility5 rules
  • Crawfordsville: You can have a co-host or property manager help manage your listing.
  • Crawfordsville allows STRs in the following property types: Single Family, Multi-Family, Condo, Apartment, Mobile Home.
  • Crawfordsville allows tenants to host STRs. Requirements: Requires written permission from the property owner and the unit must still be registered by the owner.
Requirements11 rules
  • Crawfordsville: You must display your permit/registration number on your listing. Platforms may remove non-compliant listings.
  • Crawfordsville: Tenants CAN host STRs but must get written landlord approval first. Keep documentation.
  • Crawfordsville STR warning: Inspections are required every 5 years even if no complaints are filed.
Application process6 rules
  • How to set up an STR in Crawfordsville: All owners of rental properties, including short-term rentals like Airbnb, must register with the city's Planning Department by January 31st each year. The registration fee is a nominal $5 per parcel, and your property must pass a basic safety inspection at least once every five years. You must also collect and remit both Indiana state sales tax and the local Montgomery County innkeeper's tax.
Fees & costs1 rule
  • Crawfordsville charges a registration fee of $5 (annual).
Taxes2 rules
  • Indiana has a state sales tax of 0.07% that applies to STR rentals.
  • Crawfordsville charges a Montgomery County Innkeeper's Tax of 0.05%. This applies to stays under 30 days. Platforms like Airbnb collect and remit this tax. Note: Airbnb and VRBO remit both state sales tax and county innkeeper's tax directly in Indiana.
Limits & restrictions3 rules
  • Crawfordsville limits stays to a maximum of 29 nights.
  • Crawfordsville occupancy calculation: Subject to general occupancy standards (typically 2 persons per bedroom). Count your bedrooms to determine your max guest limit.
  • Crawfordsville enforces quiet hours: 11pm-7am.
Safety requirements1 rule
  • Crawfordsville requires the following safety measures for STRs: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, fire inspection, Plumbing system must be safe, Heating/HVAC must be functional, Electrical supply must meet code, Safe egress/exits.
Penalties4 rules
  • Crawfordsville enforces the following penalties for STR violations: First offense: Violation notice. Second offense: $500 fine. Third offense: Up to $1,000 per day fine (under 2025 amended enforcement). Daily fine: $500 per day. Maximum fine: 22500. Permit may be revoked for violations.
Exemptions3 rules
  • Crawfordsville exempts the following from STR regulations: long-term rentals (30+ days), extended stays, Hotels/Motels, Professional real estate managers of 5+ units (certain inspection exemptions).
  • Crawfordsville: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).

How to get permitted

Step-by-step guide for Crawfordsville

0/3
steps completed
Step 1

Register with Indiana Department of Revenue

Obtain a Registered Retail Merchant Certificate (RRMC) from the state to collect sales and innkeeper's taxes.

1 week$25
Documents needed
  • Business information
  • FEIN or SSN
Official resource
Step 2

Submit City Rental Registration Form

Complete the Rental Registration Form and submit it to the Department of Planning and Building Services. This must be done by Jan 31st each year.

1 week$5
Documents needed
  • Property address
  • Owner contact info
  • Number of units
  • Homestead affidavit
Official resource
Step 3

Schedule Safety Inspection

Coordinate with the city inspector for a mandatory safety inspection, required at least once every five years.

2-4 weeksFree

Frequently asked questions

4 answered

Disclaimer

Regulatory information is AI-researched from public city/county codes for educational purposes. Details may be outdated or incomplete. Always verify requirements directly with your city/county planning department before operating a short-term rental.

Researched & verified by Learn STR at GoStudioM

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