Short-Term Rental Laws in Medora, North Dakota

Medora — the gateway town to Theodore Roosevelt National Park (population ~144, but tourism volume of 700K+ annual park visitors) — operates a permissive STR framework. The Medora Foundation owns and operates a large share of the in-town lodging (Rough Riders Hotel, Bunkhouse, Medora Musical campground) but private STR inventory exists on the residential blocks west of the historic downtown. STRs permitted broadly with city + county registration + lodging tax. The seasonal nature (Medora Musical season Memorial Day → Labor Day) drives concentrated summer demand and near-zero winter occupancy.

Zoning: Medora town limits + Billings County (unincorporated areas around the Park boundary) both permit STR with registration. The Medora Historic District (downtown core + Chateau de Mores State Historic Site adjacent) has design-review overlay through the State Historical Society of North Dakota for exterior modifications on historic structures. Properties on the Park boundary or in scenic-view corridors may have additional NPS coordination requirements for new construction (rare given the small town footprint).

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

Billings County Auditor + Medora City Clerk jointly administer (Medora is a small-town municipality with very lean administrative infrastructure). Annual registration. Lodging Tax + state sales tax remittance directly to the Billings County Auditor + ND State Tax Department. Confirm specific procedural details with the Medora City Clerk directly — the small-town context means most processes route informally rather than through municipal portals. Tax rates and exact ordinance text not publicly aggregated on city web; verify per-parcel.