Short-Term Rental Laws in Whitefish, Montana

Whitefish operates a two-track licensing system: Type A (Resort Business) STRs are permitted in commercial, resort, and mixed-use zones with no cap. Type B (Vacation Home Rental) STRs in residential zones are restricted to the operator's primary residence OR require a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) granted by Planning Board. The Type B residential framework was tightened in 2018 specifically to slow STR conversion of long-term housing — Whitefish is the headline Montana ski town for this tension. The Whitefish 3% resort tax dedicates a share to affordable housing.

Whitefish Municipal Code Title 11 zoning governs. Resort Business (Type A) STRs allowed by right in WB-2 Resort Business, WCB-3 Resort Commercial, and mixed-use zones — these are where investor-owned whole-home STRs concentrate, especially in the Wisconsin Avenue corridor and Whitefish Mountain Resort base village. Vacation Home Rental (Type B) in WR-1, WR-2, WR-3 residential zones requires owner-occupancy OR a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) reviewed case-by-case by Planning Board — non-owner-occupied Type B is the harder path. The neighboring Flathead County unincorporated areas (Columbia Falls outskirts, Lakeside, Big Fork) operate under a separate Flathead County STR framework.

Operators must hold a short-term rental permit before listing. See the official permit portal.

Whitefish Planning + Building Department administers. Annual permit renewal (~$250 + inspection). Application requires Montana state lodging tax registration, Whitefish resort tax registration, designated local 24/7 contact, life-safety inspection (smoke + CO + extinguisher + posted occupancy + parking plan), and proof of insurance. Operating without a permit: $500 first violation + per-day continuing fines. CUP applications for Type B non-owner-occupied STRs require public notification of neighbors within 150 ft and Planning Board hearing — multi-month approval timeline.

Combined short-term lodging tax in Whitefish is approximately 11.000% of gross nightly revenue (state sales + state TRT + local TRT + applicable resort/city options).

Montana Lodging Facility Use Tax 4% + Montana sales tax on accommodations 4% + Whitefish Resort Tax 3% — combined ~11.0% on transient lodging

Verify the current combined rate via the Utah State Tax Commission before remitting — rates drift quarterly.