Bed and Breakfast and Rooming House Regulations in Charlotte

In the City of Charlotte, short-term rentals (stays of seven days or less) are primarily regulated as "Bed and Breakfasts" and are permitted only within single-family detached dwellings in Neighborhood 1 and select Neighborhood 2 Zoning Districts. Longer-term rentals of seven days or more are classified as "Rooming Houses," which are allowed as accessory uses in Neighborhood 1, Neighborhood 2, and specific Institutional and Office districts. Both uses require the property to be the permanent residence of the owner or operator and are subject to a mandatory zoning use permit [Section 15.4.L, Section 15.6.M].

Permitted Zoning Districts

The City of Charlotte Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) identifies where rentals are permitted based on the length of stay and the nature of the use (principal vs. accessory).

Principal Use: Bed and Breakfast

A Bed and Breakfast is defined as a single-family detached dwelling where the property owner provides lodging for a daily fee and a maximum stay of seven consecutive days. These are permitted as a principal use with prescribed conditions (PC) in the following districts:

Neighborhood 1 Zoning Districts: N1-A, N1-B, N1-C, N1-D, N1-E, and N1-F.
Neighborhood 2 Zoning Districts: N2-A and N2-B [Table 15-1].

Accessory Use: Rooming House

A Rooming House is defined as a single-family detached dwelling where rooms are made available for compensation for a minimum of seven consecutive days. These are permitted as an accessory use with prescribed conditions (PC) in the following districts:

Neighborhood 1 Zoning Districts: N1-A, N1-B, N1-C, N1-D, N1-E, and N1-F.
Neighborhood 2 Zoning Districts: N2-A and N2-B.
Campus Zoning Districts: IC-1 and IC-2.
Employment Zoning Districts: OFC (Office Flex Campus) [Table 15-1].

Operational Standards and Limitations

Both rental types in the City of Charlotte are restricted to ensure they maintain the residential character of their neighborhoods.

Key Requirements for Bed and Breakfasts

Dwelling Type: Must be located within a residential single-family detached structure. Accessory structures or garages cannot be used as guest rooms.
Occupancy: The property owner must reside on the premises.
Cooking Facilities: Guest rooms may not contain in-room cooking facilities.
Stay Duration: Stays are limited to a maximum of seven consecutive days.
Exclusivity: A property cannot be used as both a Bed and Breakfast and a Rooming House simultaneously [Section 15.4.L].

Key Requirements for Rooming Houses

Boarder Limits: A maximum of five boarders is permitted at any one time.
Occupancy: The property owner must reside within the dwelling.
Stay Duration: Stays must be for a minimum of seven consecutive days.
Entrances: There shall be no separate private entrances for any individual rooming units [Section 15.6.M].

Standard	Bed and Breakfast (Short-Term)	Rooming House (Long-Term)
Minimum Stay	None	7 Days
Maximum Stay	7 Days	None
Max Guest Rooms/Boarders	4 (N1 Districts) or 8 (Other Districts)	5 Boarders
Owner-Occupancy	Required	Required
Zoning Use Permit	Required	Required

Parking Requirements

The City of Charlotte implements a tier-based parking system for these uses. Most residential areas fall under Tier 1, while higher-intensity transit or activity centers fall under Tiers 2 or 3.

Use	Tier 1 Districts (N1, N2-A)	Tier 2 Districts (N2-B, N2-C, etc.)	Tier 3 Districts (RAC, UC, TOD, etc.)
Bed and Breakfast	1 space + 0.5 per guest room	1 space + 0.5 per guest room	1 space + 1 per guest room
Rooming House	1 space per 2 rooming units	1 space per 4 rooming units	1 space per rooming unit

Note: Parking requirements are additive to the base requirements for the principal single-family use of the lot [Section 19.2.B].

Sections Cited

Section 15.2 (Table 15-1: Use Matrix)
Section 15.3 (Use Definitions)
Section 15.4.L (Principal Uses: Bed and Breakfast)
Section 15.6.M (Accessory Uses: Rooming House)
Section 19.2 (Table 19-1: Vehicle Parking Requirements)