Is Bend, Oregon Good for Airbnb Investment?

Only after City jurisdiction, parcel zoning, permit type, separation, license costs, taxes, and private restrictions are confirmed for the address.

• Start with the parcel instead of a neighborhood label or listing-platform boundary.
• Confirm the property is inside Bend city limits before applying City rules.
• Ask Planning which STR type applies and whether the proposed use needs a Type I or Type II land use permit.
• Check the City eligibility map, then obtain an address-specific answer because the map is only a guide.
• Document permit and license eligibility before making rental income part of the acquisition decision.

Bend distinguishes infrequent whole-house rentals, owner-occupied room rentals, and whole-house rentals by zoning and use pattern.

• An infrequent Type I whole-house STR is limited to no more than four rental periods and fewer than 30 rental days per calendar year.
• An owner-occupied Type I STR may rent up to two bedrooms while the owner is present.
• A Type II whole-house STR applies in residential and Mixed-Use Riverfront areas when use exceeds the Type I limits.
• Whole-house rentals in commercial or qualifying mixed-use zones follow the applicable Type I path.
• Permit-exempt developments still require an operating license, so confirm the exact property status with Planning.

New Type II whole-house STRs in residential and applicable Mixed-Use Riverfront districts generally require 500 feet of separation from another approved whole-house STR.

• The measurement is radial from the property boundary and includes properties wholly or partly within the radius.
• Accessory dwelling units used as Type II STRs are included in the concentration rule.
• Only one unit on a property with multiple dwellings may receive the applicable new Type II approval.
• The separation rule does not apply to the Type I categories identified by the City.
• Review CC&Rs, HOA rules, leases, lender terms, and title restrictions separately from City approval.

Most applicants obtain the land use permit first and then apply for an operating license within 60 days.

• Use the City Online Permit Center and select Short Term Rental as the project type.
• Current City guidance lists Type I and Type II land use fees plus a 4% long-range-planning surcharge.
• Prepare proof of neighbor notice, the fire-safety self-inspection, acknowledgement, parking diagram, and Good Neighbor Guidelines posting.
• Maintain an active City business registration before the operating-license filing.
• A missing or late operating-license application can void the land use permit and require a new application under current rules.

Every Bend STR requires an active operating license, including properties exempt from a land use permit.

• Current City guidance lists a $360 initial license fee and a $260 annual renewal fee.
• A yearly transportation-fee supplement applies, with separate amounts for whole-house rental use and other STRs.
• Renewal notices are sent 60 days before expiration through the Online Permit Center account preferences.
• A renewal submitted within 30 days after expiration carries a late fee; later nonrenewal voids the license and land use permit.
• Verify current fees and deadlines directly with Licensing before relying on a budget.

The application requires neighbor notice, a 24/7 emergency contact, safety documentation, guest parking information, and Good Neighbor Guidelines.

• Notify property owners within 250 feet by letter or hand delivery, or use the qualifying on-property sign while the STR operates.
• The sign must identify the STR and 24/7 contact, remain no larger than two square feet, and be readable from the property edge.
• Keep the parking diagram and Good Neighbor Guidelines prominently available to guests.
• Submit a dated garage photo when a garage is offered for guest parking.
• Keep the owner, authorized agent, and emergency-contact information current in the City record.

A licensed STR generally must document at least one rental night during the 12-month license period to renew.

• Room-tax reports provide proof of use for unlimited whole-house and owner-occupied room rentals.
• Infrequent whole-house operators provide receipts, bookings, contracts, or similar proof because that category does not pay City room tax.
• A qualifying 12-month residential lease may support the City long-term-rental exemption for up to three renewals.
• Post-April 15, 2015 STR land use permits are owner-specific and generally become void when the property transfers.
• Pre-2015 vacation-home approvals and documented legal nonconforming uses require separate City confirmation.

Bend imposes 10.4% room tax on gross STR revenue except for the City categories identified as exempt, and Oregon separately imposes state transient lodging tax.

• File Bend room-tax reports even when no rent was collected.
• Platform remittance does not remove the City reporting requirement needed for annual license renewal.
• Monthly reports and payments are due through the City process; qualifying low-volume accounts may request quarterly filing.
• Oregon applies 1.5% state lodging tax to stays ending by December 31, 2026 and 2.75% to stays ending on or after January 1, 2027.
• Reconcile direct bookings, platform reports, taxable fees, exemptions, and payment timing with City Finance and Oregon Revenue.

Use the office responsible for each decision and keep written answers with the property file.

• Planning and land use: planning@bendoregon.gov or (541) 388-5580 ext. 3.
• Operating licenses: licensing@bendoregon.gov or (541) 388-5580 ext. 8.
• City room tax: roomtax@bendoregon.gov or (541) 385-6682.
• Active noise, parking, or disorderly-conduct concern: Bend Police non-emergency dispatch at (541) 693-6911; emergencies: 911.
• Code, occupancy, trash, snow-removal, and suspected unlicensed-operation reports use the City Code Enforcement process.