October 2017
Chicago offers a glimpse into how Airbnb can be regulated. That city, which had 54 million tourists in 2016, requires Airbnb hosts to register with the city before renting out their home or spare rooms.
Being able to rent out a home or spare room begins with submitting registration paperwork to the city. The city informs if registration is approved or denied.
Registration denials may be the result of zoning laws, a building that has exceeded the maximum number of temporary rentals or a condo association that prohibits short-term rentals. Condo associations that prohibit short-term rentals also file with the city.
Those denied permission to rent their property and trying to do so can receive a fine from $1,500 to $3,000 per day. Airbnb hosts that have not received city permission to rent their property are removed from the Airbnb website.
