By Jas Albatana in ordinance — 10 Nov 2026

Bulletin - Westfield, IN News Today

Ordinance 26-56 requires a permit for every rental property with free annual renewals, state-authorized limits on how homes can be used and revocation possible after three code citations in a year

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Westfield, Indiana Approves $150 Short-Term Rental Permit Starting January 2027

Ordinance 26-56 requires a permit for every rental property with free annual renewals, state-authorized limits on how homes can be used and revocation possible after three code citations in a year

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Every short-term rental property in Westfield, Indiana will need a city permit carrying a one-time $150 fee from January 1, 2027 after the City Council approved a new short-term rental ordinance at its November 9 meeting which also bars rentals from being used to house sex offenders, run structured sober living homes or operate adult entertainment businesses.

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What the Ordinance Requires

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The ordinance requires a separate permit for each property rented for less than 30 days at a time through a booking platform and one permit covers every unit and guest house on that property.

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Applicants must list each owner's contact details, any property manager and how the rental is marketed including its advertised occupancy limit. The city must also issue the permit within 30 days of a complete application.

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Owners must also name an emergency contact and follow existing city rules on parking, debris, nuisance, noise and maximum occupancy.

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Permits expire after one year and renew at no cost which reflects Indiana's limit on local permit fees that caps a first permit at $150 and bars any renewal charge.

Prohibited Uses and Exemptions

Rentals may not be used to house sex offenders, operate structured sober living homes, make, exhibit, distribute or sell illegal drugs, liquor, pornography or obscenity, or run adult entertainment establishments, a list that copies the uses Indiana law lets cities restrict.

Family occupancy, unpaid house-sitting, a seller staying up to 90 days after closing and occupancy by an estate representative do not count as short-term rentals.

The first three pages of Westfield Ordinance 26-56 set out the city’s short-term rental definitions, exemptions, use restrictions and $150 permit requirement which take effect January 1, 2027. | Source: City of Westfield, Ordinance 26-56, City Council Agenda Packet, pp. 212–219

Enforcement, Revocation and Appeals

Each rental completed without a permit is a separate Class C infraction carrying a judgment of up to $500. The city may revoke a permit for up to one year when an owner receives three or more citations at one property in a calendar year which follows the state revocation rule. A replacement permit costs another $150 and will not be issued until outstanding fines are paid.

Owners can request a hearing within 20 days of a denial or revocation and the Board of Public Works and Safety must hear the appeal within 30 days. Permits cannot be transferred so a buyer must apply within 30 days of a sale.

Westfield residents asked the City Council how short-term rental violations would be tracked and who would be held accountable, according to the official meeting minutes. | Source: City of Westfield, City Council Agenda Packet, November 9, 2026

Why Westfield Acted

The ordinance follows a May police investigation into an alleged prostitution operation at a rented home on Beechwood Drive where police arrested two people and charged a visitor with a misdemeanor as well as neighbor complaints about late-night noise and trespassing guests.

Councilors tabled the measure 5-0 on October 12 after Councilor Joe Duepner asked for the definition of "owner" to clearly cover companies and properties with several owners.

The new ordinance will require owners of short-term rental properties to get a permit with the city in order to regulate and limit the number of rentals. https://t.co/KcAg5ygp5T
— WTHR.com (@WTHRcom) November 10, 2026

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Compliance Snapshot

⦾ Effective date: January 1, 2027
⦾ Permit required: Yes, one per propertycovering all rental units on it
⦾ Fee: $150 one-time; annual renewals free
⦾ Application details: Owner and property manager contacts, marketing description and advertised occupancy limit; emergency contact required
⦾ Prohibited uses: Housing sex offenders, structured sober living homes, illegal drugs, liquor, pornography or obscenity, and adult entertainment establishments
⦾ Exemptions: Family occupancy, unpaid house-sitting, post-sale stays up to 90 days, estate representatives
⦾ Penalty: Class C infraction per unpermitted rental transaction (up to $500 each); revocation for up to one year after three citations in a calendar year
⦾ Appeals: Written request within 20 days; Board of Public Works and Safety hearing within 30 days

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What to watch: The rules take effect January 1, 2027 but the city has not announced when permit applications will open or published the application form. City Attorney Kaitlin Glazier told councilors in October that the city needs an administrative process and possibly a central system to track violations across departments before then.

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