Portland allows an accessory dwelling unit to be used as a Type A or Type B accessory short-term rental, subject to the City’s zoning code and permitting requirements. The City defines the short-stay pathway by bedroom count and applies an additional property-wide restriction when an ADU system development charge (SDC) waiver was approved. An ADU permit alone does not authorize short-term rental use.

Compare Type A and Type B

The City’s ADU guidance lists Type A rentals for up to two bedrooms rented for stays under 30 consecutive days. It says an ADU needs the proper Type A permit before it is listed. Type B covers three to five bedrooms and follows a separate conditional-use pathway. Check the current requirements in Portland Zoning Code Chapters 33.207 and 33.815; the City’s summary is not the complete permit test.

Do not assume that a Type A or Type B label settles every condition. Confirm the property’s zoning and ADU approval, the current rental application requirements, and whether the proposed number of guest bedrooms fits the chosen pathway. A city permit is separate from building, fire, occupancy, tax, insurance, and private-document requirements.

Check whether an SDC waiver affects the property

If Portland approved an ADU SDC waiver for the property, the City says the owners sign a binding ten-year covenant. During that period, no structure on the property may be used as a short-term rental. The restriction therefore can cover rooms in the main house as well as bedrooms in the ADU. The City says the ten-year period begins on final inspection approval.

Check the permit record and recorded covenant rather than relying on memory or a listing. Portland Maps can show whether the Revenue Division reviewed the ADU permit and whether a covenant was recorded. Confirm the current status with the City before applying for a short-term-rental permit.

These are Portland rules, not a general Oregon or North American rule. The statewide treatment of defined vacation occupancies is a separate question; see the Oregon owner-occupancy and vacation-use guide.