Key Takeaways
- Magnolia, Arkansas, is preparing to take its first formal step toward regulating Airbnb and other short-term rental properties
- The proposed ordinance is expected to receive a reading at Monday’s city Council meeting
- The area doesn’t currently have a detailed framework for short-term rentals
Another city in Arkansas is getting ready to take its first formal step toward putting short-term rental regulations on the books.
The Magnolia, Arkansas City Council is expected to read an ordinance during its Monday, June 22 meeting that would establish rules for short-term rental properties operating within the city,
The ordinance is tied to a broader conversation about tourism and city funding, according to a Magnolia Banner News report.
Magnolia begins its short-term rental rule-making process
The short-term rental ordinance would move the city, which is located 135 miles south of Little Rock, toward a formal regulatory framework, similar to the licensing and registration systems being adopted in other communities.
Related: Japan moves to let cities ban short-term rentals
An ordinance reading is an early procedural step, not a final vote.
It does, however, signal that city leaders are ready to move the issue from discussion to a formal rulemaking process.
Magnolia currently does not have a detailed oversight framework for properties listed through platforms such as Airbnb or Vrbo.
The proposed ordinance could introduce new licensing requirements, operating standards or other restrictions, although the final language has not yet been made public.
In March 2025, a bill (HB 1790) was introduced by two republicans during the 95th General Assembly to amend the law concerning the regulation of short-term rentals.
The bill died two months later and never went anywhere.
However, if it had passed, the legislation would’ve prevented “local governments from effectively prohibiting or imposing jurisdiction-wide bans or numerical limits on short-term rentals.”
