10 Steps to Get Your Bend Short Term Rental (STR) Permit

Here’s the 10 steps to get your Bend vacation rental permit!

10 Steps to get your Bend STR Permit

So you found a needle in a haystack and swooped one of Bend’s elusive Short Term Rental (STR) eligible properties - congratulations!

Now comes the fun part: applying for your Bend STR permit so you can have a legit vacation rental in Bend.

There are lots of steps in the process and we’ve been through ALL of them as we’ve helped our clients navigate the STR permitting process.

Does your realtor do that for you? 

If not, you know who does - call us!

And because we’re awesome, we’ll give you the step-by-step now to get you started.

1. Create an account: For new users, this link will take you directly to the City of Bend's Online Permit Center Portal where you can create a new account and apply for the permit. 

2. Fill authorization form here.

3. Determine what type of STR you are applying for here.

4. Submit a Land Use Permit Application via the Online Permit Center. Instructions can be found at bendoregon.gov/shorttermrentals under the tab titled “STR Permit Application and Permit Eligibility Tool” fee of $2,126.80.

5. Within 60 days of notification of approval of Land Use Permit, submit a Short Term Rental Operating License via the online permit center. Instructions can be found at bendoregon.gov/shorttermrentals under the tab titled “Initial STR Operating License Instructions”.

6. Pay the initial application fee for a Short Term Rental Operating License application of $280. Processing time is approximately 2 - 3 weeks. Annual renewals of the license are required and cost $205.

7. Apply through the Online Permit Center using these instructions.

8. Operators of Short Term Rentals for more than 30 days per year must collect a transient room tax of 10.4% at the time the rent is paid.

   1. Apply for a room tax registration and submit tax reporting and remittance of all tax collected, less a 5% administration fee, by the 15th of every month via the Online Permit Center.

   2. If monthly tax is less than $100, operator may file returns and and remit taxes on a quarterly basis (4/15, 7/15, 10/15, 1/15)

9. To maintain an operating license, operators shall submit a proof of use on an annual basis. For Type II STRs, the transient room tax remittance will suffice as proof of use. For Type I STRs an alternative documentation of proof, such as a rental receipt or contract is required.

10. To renew an operating license, submit a renewal application via the Online Permit Center by the date indicated by the City. Notice of license expiration will be delivered by the City to the operator 60 days prior to the expiration of the operating license.

NOTE: costs and taxes are as of January 1, 2023 and are subject to change.

Now that you’ve got your Bend vacation rental permitted, you can focus on adding to your Central Oregon real estate investment portfolio.

We’ll be here to help you buy and navigate all the red tape when you’re ready!

Fill out our Contact Form and let’s talk about your next goal!