What Nashville STR Owners Need to Know About BL2022-1144

What Is BL2022-1144?

BL2022-1144 is Nashville's short-term rental ordinance that placed significant restrictions on non-owner-occupied STR permits in residential zones. Passed in 2022, the law created a tiered permit system and imposed strict limits on where and how STRs can operate within Metro Nashville.

Who Is Affected?

If you own a short-term rental property in Nashville that is not your primary residence, you are likely operating under a Non-Owner-Occupied (NOO) permit — and those permits are the most heavily regulated under this ordinance. Owner-occupied permits are less impacted, but still subject to new compliance requirements.

The Key Restrictions

No new NOO permits in R zones: Residential-zoned properties can no longer receive new non-owner-occupied STR permits.
Existing permits are non-transferable: If you sell your property, the STR permit does not pass to the new owner.
Renewal requirements have tightened: Metro Codes now enforces stricter compliance checks at renewal time, including neighbor complaint history and property condition reviews.

What Are Your Options?

Nashville STR owners facing permit uncertainty have three realistic paths forward:

Retain and comply: If you hold a valid permit and can meet all renewal requirements, continuing operations may still be viable — but you need to be proactive.
Pivot to mid-term rentals: Properties furnished for 30+ day stays are not subject to STR permit rules, and demand from traveling professionals and corporate clients is surging in Nashville.
Exit strategically: In some cases, selling while STR-permitted properties still carry a premium makes sense — but timing matters.

Next Steps

The most important thing you can do right now is understand your specific permit status and risk level before Metro Codes does. A proactive audit of your property's compliance position puts you in control of the outcome rather than reacting to a notice.