Can I Rent Out My Apartment During Special Events?

Whether a major sports tournament is coming to your city or your neighborhood stays busy with concerts and events, renting out your apartment or a spare room can be a tempting way to earn extra income. However, short-term rentals aren’t as easy as simply finding a tenant. Local laws, lease terms, and additional considerations limit whether you can rent your space and how.

Key Takeaways

• Your lease and landlord determine whether you can rent out your apartment, sublease, or list it as a short-term rental during special events. Renting without approval could violate your lease and risk your tenancy.
• Local laws often regulate short-term rentals with rules about licenses, primary residency, occupancy limits, zoning, taxes, and whether tenants can legally host short-term renters.
• Subleasing or short-term renting can help offset housing costs, but you may still be responsible for rent, damages, guest behavior, insurance gaps, and neighbor complaints if problems arise.

Can You Rent Out Your Apartment?

Your lease and landlord dictate if you can rent out your apartment or not. Even if local laws allow it, your lease can prohibit subletting or short-term renting. First, start by checking your lease and talking to your landlord before moving to the broader picture by reviewing local laws. However, most apartment communities and private landlords only allow those on the lease to live there.

Can I rent out a room in my apartment?

Renting out a room also depends on your lease terms and landlord.

Check Your Lease

Your lease will typically state if you can sublease your apartment or not. If it’s prohibited, follow that rule as renting your apartment without permission can put you at risk of accidentally breaking your lease and jeopardizing your tenancy. Some leases differentiate between subletting and short-term rentals, so read the terms carefully.

Talk to your landlord and get written permission

Even if your lease allows short-term subletting, talk to your landlord before moving forward. Verify the policy, get written permission, and ask about any required steps, rules, fees, or forms.

Review Local Short-Term Rental Laws

Check your state's and city’s short-term rental laws as these rules dictate whether short-term rentals are allowed and how they are operated. Requirements vary by location, but common rules may cover:

• Who can operate a short-term rental, such as the property owner, a designated agent, or a long-term tenant
• Whether the rental must be your primary residence
• Whether the landlord must be present during stays
• Whether you need to register the rental and/or get a license
• Whether short-term rentals are allowed under local zoning or building rules
• Whether occupancy limits, safety rules, or other operating requirements apply

Read local subleasing laws

Subleasing is a different ball game than short-term rentals, so you need to review sublease laws. Some cities or states allow landlords to decide whether they want to allow subleasing while others require landlords to at least consider sublease requests. Furthermore, written landlord approval or specific sublease forms may be required.

What to Consider About Short-Term Renting

Renting out a room or your apartment can help you earn some extra income. Before getting started, think about whether hosting a short-term rental fits your lifestyle. You may enjoy sharing your space with travelers, or you might prefer renting out your full apartment while you’re away. Consider your privacy, building, financial situation, hosting responsibilities, and obligations before deciding what works best for you.

Create a contract

Regardless of the length of the stay, a sublease contract or short-term rental agreement is a must. This agreement outlines the arrangement between you and the person renting your space, including the rental dates, rent amount, payment schedule, house rules, utilities, and any landlord approval requirements. Putting these details in writing helps protect you and gives the renter clear expectations before they move in.

Be considerate of neighbors

Even if short-term renting is allowed, your neighbors may have concerns about noise, parking, shared spaces, or unfamiliar guests. Talk to them before hosting, especially if guests may use common areas. Let them know how you plan to prevent disruptions, share any rules guests need to follow, and how they can raise concerns or problems with you. Some cities may also require you to notify neighbors before operating a short-term rental, so check your local requirements.

Set guest rules

Clear rules help protect your apartment, prevent misunderstandings, and create a better experience for everyone. Include expectations for noise, parking, parties, trash, shared spaces, smoking, pets, and anything else that guests need to know.

Insurance

Renters insurance may not cover short-term rentals or subtenants. Review your policy and discuss with your insurance provider whether you need additional coverage. As the leaseholder, you will be responsible for damage to your apartment or any other issues that arise.

Taxes

Your short-term rental income is likely taxable. Depending on where you live, you may also be liable for additional lodging, occupancy, or rental taxes. Review your state and local tax requirements so you know how to file your taxes as a landlord when it rolls around.

Consult roommates

Roommates should be included in the conversation before subleasing or hosting short-term renters. Decide whether it is even an option and then talk about the exact specifics, including timing, shared spaces, house rules, cleaning, security, utilities, rent payments, and short-term rental income.

Airbnb vs. Short-Term Renting

The difference between Airbnb and short-term renting is a matter of platform rather than method. Airbnbs are short-term rentals; they are just on the specific platform of Airbnb and are typically more vacation rentals for short periods of time, like a couple of days to a month at most. So, while short-term rentals is the general term, Airbnb is platform specific, although they are often used interchangeably.

Short-term rentals include a wide variety of housing types, including rooms, entire homes, shared spaces, and more. They also have a large breadth of lease terms ranging from a couple of days to six months.

Search for a Lease That Works for You on Apartments.com

Before renting out your current apartment, make sure your next place gives you the flexibility you need. On Apartments.com, you can search apartments by lease type, amenities, location, and price, so it’s easier to find a home that works for your schedule, budget, and long-term plans. Start your search on Apartments.com today and find an apartment that feels like the right fit from day one.