Best Areas for Short-Term Rentals in Las Vegas 2026

Corrected November 1, 2026. Earlier versions ranked Mt. Charleston, Lake Las Vegas, unincorporated Clark County and Boulder City as the top short-term rental areas, with nightly rates, occupancy and revenue figures attributed to our files. Those rankings were wrong: Boulder City prohibits short-term rentals, and unincorporated Clark County, which includes Mt. Charleston, hasn't taken applications since August 2023. We found no records behind the revenue, occupancy, renovation and resale figures, so we removed them.

"Best" means something specific for a short-term rental in Southern Nevada. A great location you can't legally license isn't an investment, so this guide ranks areas by whether a new owner can get a permit first, and by market data second. For the full rule book, read our Las Vegas short-term rental rules guide.

As of November 1, 2026, the best Las Vegas-area places to start an investor-owned short-term rental are Henderson and North Las Vegas, the only valley cities we found still licensing owners who don't live on site. The City of Las Vegas licenses only owner-occupied homes, Boulder City bans rentals under 30 days, and unincorporated Clark County has no open application window. County commissioners hold a hearing on proposed changes November 3.

• Henderson registers investor-owned rentals for $848 a year, but HOA documents must expressly allow them.
• North Las Vegas required a Conditional Use Permit, then a $900 license, when we read its code September 28.
• The City of Las Vegas licenses only owner-occupied homes with three bedrooms or fewer.
• Boulder City prohibits rentals under 30 days, with fines of up to $500 a day.
• Clark County's application window remains closed until a court or ordinance change reopens it.

Which Las Vegas Areas Allow New Short-Term Rentals in 2026?

Two of the valley's five main jurisdictions are open to an owner who won't live in the home. The table is the short version, and every row depends on the exact address, so run Clark County's jurisdiction lookup before anything else. A Las Vegas mailing address doesn't tell you which government controls a parcel.

The 2,500-foot buffer from resort hotels applies in every jurisdiction that licenses them, so the closest homes to the Strip are generally the ones you can't use. In every valley jurisdiction, state law also blocks STRs in common-interest communities unless the governing documents expressly allow transient lodging.

Why Is Henderson the First Place to Look?

Henderson is the valley's main registration path for owners who won't live in the home. According to Henderson's registration FAQ, the fee is $848 a year and owners complete a certification class. Under Henderson Development Code 19.9.4.F, a rental must sit at least 1,000 feet from another registered rental and 2,500 feet from a resort hotel, carry $1 million in general liability coverage, and hold a two-night minimum unless owner-occupied. A recorded change in ownership ends the registration, so a buyer can't inherit a seller's status.

The HOA rule shapes the whole market. Common-interest communities are out unless their documents expressly authorize transient lodging. Our Henderson short-term rental guide found that only 289 of 2,482 active Henderson listings, about 11.6%, carried no HOA on July 12, 2026. Most realistic candidates sit in that slice, and our no-HOA Henderson guide shows where to look.

Those are all homes in each market, not STR-eligible homes, and we didn't filter for HOA status. Use them for price context only. Henderson's 61.7% below-list share suggests room to negotiate, which helps because the eligible pool is small.

Why Is North Las Vegas the Other Investor Path?

North Las Vegas is the lower-priced of the two open cities, with a $415,000 median in the third quarter, but its approval is discretionary. When we read the City of North Las Vegas page on September 28, 2026, a Conditional Use Permit had to come before a business license. The application called for a site plan with noise-monitoring equipment, 660 feet from other rentals, 2,500 feet from resort hotels, a security plan, and a notarized HOA letter. We couldn't reopen that page for this update, so confirm the current terms with the city.

The annual license was $900 in that same review, which also found a $500,000 liability minimum and a two-night minimum for homes that aren't owner-occupied. A permit can be denied, so don't assume income from month one, and don't close on a home that fails without it. See our North Las Vegas hub for neighborhoods.

Is Lake Las Vegas a Good Short-Term Rental Area?

It's possible in principle and unproven at any specific address. Lake Las Vegas is inside Henderson, so Henderson's rules apply, and the deciding document is the community's own. Earlier versions said certain buildings and plats around MonteLago Village allow short-term stays. We couldn't find a primary source naming any such building, so we withdrew that claim.

If you're interested in Lake Las Vegas, ask for the recorded declaration, any amendments, and the association's written position before your due-diligence period ends. Silence counts as a no. ZIP 89011, which includes the lake and other neighborhoods, closed 332 homes at a $483,500 median in the third quarter.

Can You Still Buy for an STR in Unincorporated Clark County?

Not with a license you can apply for today. The county covers Paradise, Spring Valley, Enterprise and Mt. Charleston, and its licensing page still says the application period is closed. Complete applications were due August 21, 2023.

The legal picture moved in October. In an October 7, 2026 memorandum, the Ninth Circuit upheld the plaintiffs' right to a preliminary injunction and found the county likely violated due process by enforcing a license requirement without a functioning way to get a license. It also called the injunction "unnecessarily broad" because it effectively let anyone operate unlicensed, and it sent the case back to narrow the order. The panel suggested the lower court could order the portal reopened with a processing deadline, and it noted the county had said it would reopen if the order were narrowed. As of November 1 we found no narrowed order.

The county has also moved. According to its draft ordinance, introduced October 20, applications would be taken in the order received instead of by lottery, with a 45-business-day review clock that pauses for inspections, information requests and zoning review. The draft also makes short-term rentals a conditional commercial use under Title 30 zoning, keeps the 1,000-foot and 2,500-foot limits, and caps licenses at 1% of housing units in the unincorporated areas. News 3 reported a public hearing on November 3 at 10 a.m., and FOX5 reported no reopening date.

This could change quickly, in either direction. Treat a county purchase as a long-term rental with a possible STR option, and don't pay extra for a license that the code makes non-transferable. A home in Mt. Charleston needs the same check, plus the rest of our Mt. Charleston due diligence. Homes near the Strip, in Paradise, Spring Valley or Enterprise, also face the 2,500-foot resort buffer.

Why Did Boulder City Come Off This List?

Because short-term rentals are illegal there. According to the City of Boulder City, the council voted 4-1 on March 26, 2024 for an ordinance clarifying the ban. It covers renting a dwelling, or part of one, for fewer than 30 consecutive days, and fines run up to $500 a day. The city says its code never allowed them as a permitted or conditional use, and the Boulder City Review reported the same in 2023.

A home in Boulder City can still work as a monthly furnished rental of 30 days or more, which is a different business with a different guest.

Can an Owner-Occupant Host in the City of Las Vegas?

Yes, if it's your primary residence and you stay there during every rental. Under the city rules reviewed in our rules guide, the home can have no more than three bedrooms, must sit 660 feet from another licensed rental and 2,500 feet from a resort hotel, and pays $500 a year. The city's information sheet lists prohibited areas, including Summerlin, Sun City Summerlin, Town Center, Skye Canyon, Cliff's Edge and Symphony Park. The city's short-term rental page also bars weddings, parties and other special events.

This works for a resident who wants extra income from a spare room. It doesn't work as a hands-off investment.

How Much Can a Las Vegas Short-Term Rental Earn?

We can't give you a reliable number, and we won't invent one. We found no public, verifiable nightly rate or occupancy figure for Henderson or North Las Vegas STRs that we could open and check. Commercial dashboards sell this data, and their figures should be dated and checked against real calendars for comparable homes.

Citywide demand is public, and it's softer than the old pitch implied. According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority's historical statistics, Las Vegas drew 38,545,700 visitors in 2025, down from 41,676,300 in 2024. FOX5's report on the LVCVA's July data shows 22,754,200 visitors from January through July 2026, up 0.5%, with hotel occupancy at 81.3% and an average room rate of $188.04. Hotels are the competition, and those are their numbers, not an STR's.

To underwrite a real address, get 12 months of booked calendars for comparable licensed homes, not asking rates, and test the deal at a lower occupancy than you expect. Then build the same model as a long-term rental. Our cash-flow rental guide covers that side, and our operating Airbnb guide covers buying a running one.

What Taxes and Fees Apply?

Short-term rentals are taxed like lodging. The rates below come from our rules guide, which read each local code on September 28, 2026.

Each operator also needs a Nevada state business license, at $200 a year for most owners under NRS 76.130. At 13%, every $10,000 of room revenue carries $1,300 of tax, and Henderson holds the owner responsible whether or not the tax was collected.

Nevada has no state income tax, but federal rules apply. According to IRS Publication 527, substantial services for a tenant's convenience, such as regular cleaning, changing linen or maid service, move the rental to Schedule C, where self-employment tax can apply. According to IRS Topic 415, a home you also use as a residence and rent for fewer than 15 days a year isn't reported as rental income. Talk to a CPA before choosing how to hold the property.

How Do Mortgage Rates Change the Math?

They raise the bar. Freddie Mac's 30-year average was 7.24% on October 29, 2026, up from 6.71% on September 3. On a $500,000 purchase with 25% down, that rate means about $2,556 a month in principal and interest on a $375,000 loan. Treat that as a floor, because Freddie Mac's average covers primary-residence loans, and investment-property loans usually cost more. Get a written quote before you run the numbers. Add tax, STR insurance, dues, furnishing, cleaning and management, and the income has to clear a much higher line than a long-term lease.

Standard homeowners policies may not cover paid short-term stays, so get an STR quote during due diligence. Henderson's $1 million minimum and the $500,000 minimum in North Las Vegas and the City of Las Vegas are floors, not recommendations.

What Should You Check Before Making an Offer?

Run four checks in order, and stop at the first failure:

1. Jurisdiction. Use the county lookup, not the mailing address.
2. Local rule. Confirm owner-occupancy, bedroom, permit and registration terms with that jurisdiction.
3. Distance. Measure 2,500 feet from resort hotels and 660 to 1,000 feet from other rentals.
4. Documents. Read the HOA or condo documents for express authorization of transient lodging.

Strip high-rises usually fail the last check. Veer Towers' published guide, for example, says no unit may be leased for less than six months. Our condo-hotel guide covers the casino-operated exception. Our guide to hiring an STR specialist lists what to ask an agent.

Then ask a Nevada attorney to review the plan, and keep a fallback. The home should still work as a long-term rental or a place to live if the permit never comes.

How Can Nevada Real Estate Group Help?

Nevada Real Estate Group is the #1 real estate team in Nevada and #44 in the nation, with 9,600+ closings, $4.85 billion+ in total sales volume, 150+ agents, and 9,097+ verified five-star reviews; in 2025 the team closed 789 transactions and $361.5 million+ in volume.

Call (702) 637-1759, email info@nevadagroup.com, or use the contact page. We'll start with the address and the documents, not the projected revenue. You can also browse Henderson homes for sale, the buyer resources hub, or a property search. Northern Nevada investors can reach the Reno office at (775) 277-2120.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best area for a short-term rental in Las Vegas?

For an owner who won't live in the home, Henderson and North Las Vegas are the two open paths as of November 1, 2026. Henderson registers rentals for $848 a year if the spacing and HOA rules are met. North Las Vegas required a Conditional Use Permit and a $900 license when we read its rules on September 28. Neither guarantees an approval for a specific address.

Can I still get a short-term rental license in unincorporated Clark County?

Not today. The application window closed August 21, 2023, and the county's page still says so. An October 7, 2026 Ninth Circuit memorandum suggested reopening the portal under a narrower injunction, and commissioners hold a hearing on proposed changes November 3. Check the current status before you buy.

Are short-term rentals allowed in Boulder City?

No. Boulder City prohibits renting a dwelling for fewer than 30 consecutive days, and the city says fines run up to $500 a day. Rentals of 30 days or longer fall outside that ban.

Can I run an Airbnb in Mt. Charleston?

Mt. Charleston falls under Clark County, so the same closed application window applies. Confirm the parcel with the county's jurisdiction lookup, and check any community documents, before you buy with short-term rental income in mind.

Do Lake Las Vegas condos allow short-term rentals?

Only if the community's governing documents expressly allow transient lodging, and Henderson's registration rules are met. We couldn't find a primary source naming a building that qualifies, so ask for the recorded documents and the association's written position for the specific unit.

How much does a Las Vegas short-term rental earn?

We don't publish a figure because we found no public local nightly rate or occupancy number we could verify. Get 12 months of booked calendars for comparable licensed homes, and compare the result with a long-term rental on the same property.

Are Strip high-rise condos good short-term rentals?

Usually not. State law bars STRs in common-interest communities unless the documents expressly allow them, and tower documents can set long lease minimums. Veer Towers' published guide says no unit may be leased for less than six months. Casino-operated condo-hotels work under their own rental programs.

Which Sources Inform This Las Vegas STR Guide?

Rule details come from our Las Vegas short-term rental rules guide, which read the state and local codes on September 28, 2026. Updates since then come from the Ninth Circuit memorandum, the county's draft ordinance, FOX5, News 3 and the Clark County licensing page. Boulder City's ban comes from the city and the Boulder City Review.

City rules come from Henderson's registration FAQ and code, North Las Vegas as read September 28, and the City of Las Vegas and its information sheet. Tax references are IRS Publication 527, IRS Topic 415 and NRS 76.130. Demand figures come from the LVCVA and FOX5. Rates come from the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey. Home sales are our analysis of Las Vegas REALTORS MLS data through the Repliers API, read November 1, 2026, by closing date with land excluded.

Real estate, tax and licensing information is point-in-time and subject to change, and short-term rental rules here are in active litigation. This article is informational and is not legal, financial or tax advice. Review any purchase with licensed legal, tax and real estate professionals. Last reviewed November 1, 2026.