What It Costs to Start a Legal Providence STR Stay 2026

Thomas Garner
14 hours ago
11 min read

Empty Providence civic hallway interior, no people

Typical Providence listings earned about $28,699 last year from 843 active rentals, AirROI trailing twelve months from August 2025 through July 2026. The average night was $249. Occupancy was 43.2 percent. Revenue per available night was $102. Year over year is minus 1.6 percent. Active supply moved plus 12.1 percent. A prior hub brief printed $29,368 on about 851 listings in an older window. This pass uses the current extract.

The three strongest city months are June, August, and May. June is the busiest. February is the slowest. Occupancy is weakest in July. Most guests arrive from New York, then Providence. Stay is 5.5 nights, booked about 50 days ahead. Call City of Providence Department of Inspection and Standards at 401-680-5000. City Hall, 25 Dorrance Street. Entire dwelling units need a Temporary Use Permit. The city's apply page lists a $50 fee after approval. Owner-occupancy applies in R-1, R-1A, R-3, and R-4. Rhode Island DBR registration is $25 a year. Confirm 2026. AirROI's high-regulation label is a scrape of listings, not the town file.

Call the Desk Before You Buy Furniture

Call City of Providence Department of Inspection and Standards at 401-680-5000. City Hall, 25 Dorrance Street. Entire dwelling units need a Temporary Use Permit. The city's apply page lists a $50 fee after approval. Owner-occupancy applies in R-1, R-1A, R-3, and R-4. Rhode Island DBR registration is $25 a year. Confirm 2026. AirROI's high-regulation label is a scrape of listings, not the town file. Call the desk before you buy furniture. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. WaterFire to College Hill is already live on Crest and Cove. Use it. Do not paste a satellite year into a city tile. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit. East Providence is not WaterFire. Newport is not Federal Hill. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit.

The Apply Page Lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit

The apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit after approval. Confirm 2026. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. Market a Providence Stay is already live on Crest and Cove. Use it. Do not paste a satellite year into a city tile. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit. East Providence is not WaterFire. Newport is not Federal Hill. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit. East Providence is not WaterFire. Newport is not Federal Hill. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit.

Owner-Occupancy Rules Sit on Named Zones

Owner-occupancy rules sit on R-1, R-1A, R-3, and R-4. Confirm the zone. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Providence STR Rules is already live on Crest and Cove. Use it. Do not paste a satellite year into a city tile. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit. East Providence is not WaterFire. Newport is not Federal Hill. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit. East Providence is not WaterFire. Newport is not Federal Hill. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit.

Statewide DBR Registration Is $25 a Year

Statewide DBR registration is $25 a year. Confirm current tax at the state desk. Do not invent a missing millage. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. Providence Shoulder is already live on Crest and Cove. Use it. Do not paste a satellite year into a city tile. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit. East Providence is not WaterFire. Newport is not Federal Hill. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit. East Providence is not WaterFire. Newport is not Federal Hill. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay.

A Listing Scrape Is Not the Startup Budget

A listing scrape is not the startup budget. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit. Providence Remote Stays is already live on Crest and Cove. Use it. Do not paste a satellite year into a city tile. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit. East Providence is not WaterFire. Newport is not Federal Hill. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit. East Providence is not WaterFire. Newport is not Federal Hill. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit. East Providence is not WaterFire.

East Providence and Newport Have Other Halls

East Providence and Newport have other halls. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. East Providence is not WaterFire. DIY vs Hire in Providence is already live on Crest and Cove. Use it. Do not paste a satellite year into a city tile. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit. East Providence is not WaterFire. Newport is not Federal Hill. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit. East Providence is not WaterFire. Newport is not Federal Hill. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit. East Providence is not WaterFire.

Do Not Invent a Missing Fee

Do not invent a missing fee. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. Newport is not Federal Hill. Who Books Providence is already live on Crest and Cove. Use it. Do not paste a satellite year into a city tile. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit. East Providence is not WaterFire. Newport is not Federal Hill. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit. East Providence is not WaterFire. Newport is not Federal Hill. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit. East Providence is not WaterFire. Newport is not Federal Hill.

What a Startup Packet Should Carry

What a startup packet should carry is the parcel, the zone, the $50 line, and the $25 DBR line. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. We market. We do not take the lock. Buying a Providence Rental is already live on Crest and Cove. Use it. Do not paste a satellite year into a city tile. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit. East Providence is not WaterFire. Newport is not Federal Hill. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit. East Providence is not WaterFire. Newport is not Federal Hill. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit.

Hosts who underwrite capital-city stays should keep $28,699 on 843 city listings, call 401-680-5000, and leave East Providence and Newport on their own lines. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $28,699 on 843 city listings on its own line. June is the city peak. February is the city hole. Call 401-680-5000 before you advertise a Providence stay. The city's apply page lists a $50 Temporary Use Permit.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much did typical Providence listings earn last year?

Typical Providence listings earned about $28,699 last year across 843 active rentals, per AirROI's trailing twelve months from August 2025 through July 2026. The average night ran $249, occupancy sat at 43.2 percent, and revenue per available night landed at $102. Year over year is down 1.6 percent even as active supply grew 12.1 percent. A prior hub brief printed $29,368 on about 851 listings from an older window -- this pass uses the current extract, so use $28,699 going forward. Keep East Providence and Newport figures on their own lines.

When is Providence's strongest month?

June is the busiest revenue month, with August and May close behind. February is the slowest month on the calendar, and occupancy itself is actually weakest in July -- worth building into a marketing calendar rather than assuming a flat year.

Do I need a permit to run a short-term rental in Providence in 2026?

Yes. Entire dwelling units need a Temporary Use Permit, which the city's apply page lists at $50 after approval. Owner-occupancy rules apply specifically in R-1, R-1A, R-3, and R-4 zones -- confirm your parcel's zone before assuming the rule applies. Call City of Providence Department of Inspection and Standards at 401-680-5000, City Hall, 25 Dorrance Street.

What does Rhode Island state registration cost on top of the city permit?

Rhode Island DBR (Department of Business Regulation) registration runs $25 a year, separate from the city's $50 Temporary Use Permit. Confirm both figures are current at 401-680-5000 before budgeting, since fees can change.

Is a 30-night minimum the same as occupancy?

No -- a 30-night minimum-stay policy and occupancy are two different things. About 260 Providence listings, or 30.8 percent of the 843 active rentals, run a 30-night minimum, yet the citywide average stay is still 5.5 nights with a roughly 50-day booking lead. February remains the slow month regardless of minimum-stay policy.

Should I hire a property manager in Providence?

It depends on the listing, but market context helps: only about 2.3 percent of Providence listings are professionally managed, with one manager, Jennifer, holding 23 listings -- independent hosts dominate this market. East Providence and Newport are separate markets with their own economics, so a manager pitch built for Providence shouldn't be recycled for either satellite without adjusting the numbers.

Who is booking Providence stays right now?

Most Providence guests travel from New York, followed by Providence-area travelers themselves. The average stay runs 5.5 nights, booked roughly 50 days ahead of arrival. Urban-core guests tend to want WaterFire and Federal Hill, while East Providence and Newport each draw their own separate booking pattern worth reflecting in listing copy.

Does East Providence share Providence's numbers?

No. East Providence is a distinct market -- it earned roughly $25,005 per listing, a different figure from Providence's $28,699 across 843 listings. Keep each city's revenue, occupancy, and season figures on their own line rather than presenting one city's data as another's.

What should go into a Providence buyer or startup packet?

A Providence startup or buyer packet should cite the actual city figures -- $28,699 average revenue across 843 active listings, supply up 12.1 percent year over year, and the June-heavy peak season -- alongside the parcel's zone, the $50 Temporary Use Permit line, and the $25 DBR registration line. Keep Newport unlabeled rather than inventing a figure the city hasn't published.

Where do I confirm current Providence STR licensing and fees?

Call City of Providence Department of Inspection and Standards at 401-680-5000, City Hall, 25 Dorrance Street, or apply online through Inspection and Standards directly. That's the source for the current $50 Temporary Use Permit fee and zone-specific owner-occupancy rules -- don't rely on a scraped high-regulation label as a substitute for confirming directly.

Work with Crest & Cove Creative

Providence hosts often market off a scraped citywide average instead of the guest who's actually booking. Copy that blends East Providence and Newport into one caption loses the guest who wanted WaterFire or Federal Hill specifically.

Crest & Cove Creative builds STR marketing around what a market's real data shows, not a copy-paste factory closer. Let's turn Providence's actual booking pattern into a listing that converts WaterFire and Federal Hill searchers.

Reach out at crestcove.co or (256) 998-7502.