Regulations & Compliance

Airbnb strongly discourages hosts from requiring external leases, deposits, or background checks for guests booked through their platform, as they want all communication and agreements to remain on-site.

Midterm rentals (30+ days) are often a strategic pivot for hosts in cities with strict short-term rental (STR) regulations, as they typically bypass STR-specific laws.

There is a common 'insurance gap' for rentals between 30 days and 6 months; standard policies often cover very short (<30 days) or very long (>6 months) stays well, but struggle with the mid-term window.

The key to legal compliance is finding the 'Definitions' section of your local municipal code to see exactly how your city distinguishes between a vacation rental and a standard residential lease.

MTR is often legally safer than STR because many city regulations only apply to stays under 30 days, though HOA rules still apply.

Most municipal short-term rental ordinances apply specifically to stays of 30 days or less; leases for 31 days or more are often legally classified as 'residential dwellings' rather than 'transient occupancy' (hotels/motels).