2018 Tennessee Code
Title 13 - Public Planning and Housing
Chapter 7 - Zoning
Part 6 - Short-Term Rental Unit Act
§ 13-7-602. Part definitions.

(1) "Effectively prohibit" means a local governing body acts or fails to act in a manner that prevents a property owner from using the owner's property as a short-term rental unit after reasonable compliance with generally applicable local laws;

(2) "Generally applicable local law" means an ordinance, resolution, regulation, rule, or other requirement of any type other than zoning enacted, maintained, or enforced by a local governing body that applies to all property or use of all property and does not apply only to property used as a short-term rental unit;

(3) "Used as a short-term rental unit" means the property was held out to the public for use as a short-term rental unit, and:

• (A) For property that began being held out to the public for use as a short-term rental unit within the jurisdiction of a local governing body that required a permit to be issued or an application to be approved pursuant to an ordinance specifically governing short-term rental units prior to using the property as a short-term rental unit, a permit was issued or an application was approved by the local governing body for the property; or

• (B) For property that began being held out to the public for use as a short-term rental unit within the jurisdiction of a local governing body that did not require a permit to be issued or an application to be approved pursuant to an ordinance specifically governing short-term rental units, the provider remitted taxes due on renting the unit pursuant to title 67, chapter 6, part 5 for filing periods that cover at least six (6) months within the twelve-month period immediately preceding the later of:

  • (i) May 17, 2018; or

  • (ii) The effective date of an ordinance, resolution, regulation, rule, or other requirement by a local governing body having jurisdiction over the property requiring a permit or an application to be approved pursuant to an ordinance specifically governing short-term rental units;

(4) "Local governing body" means the legislative body of a city, municipality, county, or other political subdivision of this state that has authority to enact a zoning ordinance, resolution, regulation, rule, or other requirement of any type regarding land use in its jurisdiction;

(5) "Prohibit" means to forbid or ban the operation of short-term rental units, either permanently or temporarily, within a local governing body's jurisdiction, portion of the local governing body's jurisdiction, or a portion of an owner's property;

(6) "Property" means a tract of land as recorded with the register of deeds office of the county where the property is located;

(7) "Provider" means any person engaged in renting a short-term rental unit and includes an owner of a residential unit that is made available through a vacation lodging service as that term is defined in § 62-13-104;

(8) "Residential dwelling" means a cabin, house, or structure used or designed to be used as an abode or home of a person, family, or household, and includes a single-family dwelling, a portion of a single-family dwelling, or an individual residential dwelling in a multi-dwelling building, such as an apartment building, condominium, cooperative, or timeshare; and

(9) "Short-term rental unit" or "unit" means a residential dwelling that is rented wholly or partially for a fee for a period of less than thirty (30) continuous days and does not include a hotel as defined in § 68-14-302 or a bed and breakfast establishment or a bed and breakfast homestay as those terms are defined in § 68-14-502.