Loudoun residents operating Airbnb-type establishments out of their homes could soon be required to register with the county as part of an ongoing effort to locally regulate the new rental industry.
Loudoun supervisors last week directed county staff to begin crafting the registration process, which will be free for short-term rental owners should it get final approval.
The purpose of the registry, according to county staff, is to allow county officials to educate short-term rental operators about tax obligations, current zoning requirements and possible changes in public safety requirements.
The board will hold a public hearing on the issue and decide later whether to give the process the final green light once the registration process is established.
The registration process is the first step in an ongoing debate about how to level the playing field in regards to zoning and taxes among hotels, bed and breakfasts and Airbnbs. The next step will include debate on whether to raise taxes on short-term rental operators, zoning requirements and a possible change in the threshold on the amount of unrelated people allowed to rent a room at one time.
