Application Process and Requirements
Getting Started
Before you open the application portal, please review the list of supporting documentation below to ensure you have everything.
A Rental Housing Permit from Centre Region Code Administration (CRCA) is required as part of the Short-Term Rental License. If you do not currently have an active Rental Housing Permit, you must complete that process before you submit a Short-Term Rental License. This includes property owners who were approved for a Short-Term Rental License prior to the ordinance update in 2023 that added the requirement for the Rental Housing Permit. Please visit the Rental Housing Permit page for information on submitting the permit application.
If you have all supporting documentation below, including the Rental Housing Permit from CRCA, you may proceed directly to the application portal.
All applications must be submitted directly through the online Rentalscape portal.
VIEW THE RENTALSCAPE PORTAL HERE
Navigating Rentalscape
Click on the portal link above to access the application. Please follow the instructions for creating a new account. A full guide to the Rentalscape system is available from Deckard Technologies.
Supporting Documentation
The following documentation is required with all applications. Some of these requirements were added or updated with the most recent ordinance 2242 (or previous amendments to the original ordinance).
Deed | The owner(s) listed in the deed must match that of the applicant/owner. If the property is owned by an LLC, a list of the LLC membership must be provided in conjunction with the deed, identifying which of the members if the applicant/owner. If you do not have a copy of your deed, please contact the Centre County Register of Deeds. | |
Proof of Principal Place of Residence | The applicant must provide two (2) documents, one (1) from each of the following lists, proving that they or a long-term tenant consider the property their principal place of residence for at least 8 months of the year. Acceptable documentation includes: | |
List A Government-issued identification with a photo, e.g. Driver’s License. A Passport does not fulfill this requirement as it does not include the owner’s address. | List B Vehicle registration Voter registration confirmation Most recent paystub
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Parking Plan | Drawing or image with dimensions of off-street (private property) parking area. Each individual parking space must be at least 8’x15’ and the total number of parking spaces available must be equal to or greater than the number of bedrooms being rented on a short-term basis. A sample parking plan is available for reference. | |
Proof of Liability Insurance | Copies of documents that prove the property has liability insurance in an amount at least $100,000. | |
Rental Housing Permit | This is a separate application and approval process that involves Centre Region Code Administration (CRCA). You cannot submit your Short-Term Rental License application until you have obtained your Rental Housing Permit from CRCA. Please visit our Rental Housing Permit page for more information on this application submission process. | |
Lease Agreement (Tenant Only) | This is only required if the principal resident requirement is being met by a rental tenant instead of the owner. The lease must be current at the time of application submission. | |
Application Review
All applications are reviewed by Planning Department staff for compliance with the ordinance. You will be contacted by email if the application is incomplete or requires revisions prior to approval. Please ensure the email address included with the application is checked frequently to avoid missed communications about your application.
Short-Term Rental Licenses are valid for one year from the date of issuance with an opportunity to renew. Please visit the renewal page for additional information.
Fees
The Short-Term Rental License fee is $450. Fees are due at application submission (including subsequent renewals). The fee is set by Borough Council in the fee schedule.
Important Information on Short-Term Rental Activity Documentation
An operator of a property with a short-term rental license must maintain an activity log of all short-term rental activity occurring at the property for the full term of the license period. This activity log must include the number of nights rented for short-term rental activity, the number of individuals occupying the property, and the number of cars parked at the property by the short-term rental tenants for reach rental booking. The activity log for the previous license period must be submitted with the renewal application. A renewal application will be automatically denied if number of days of short-term rental stays exceeds the maximum allowable as permitted by the ordinance. The activity log, including logs from all listing platforms, must be made available to Borough representatives upon request.