Cuyahoga County
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Short-Term Rental?
A Short-Term Rental is the rental of a legally-licensed dwelling unit for periods of less than 30 consecutive days per occurrence. In Ohio, establishments with less than 5 rooms are not required to have a license; but, in Cuyahoga County they MUST “Register”.
Who needs to register for a Short-Term Rental Certificate?
Any owner renting a property for a period of 30 consecutive days or less is required to apply for a Short-Term Rental Permit. Any short-term rental with more than 5 rooms must obtain a Vendor license. It is the owner(s)’ responsibility to know and comply with all ordinances, resolutions and regulations that apply to short term rentals within Cuyahoga County.
What if I do not register a Short-Term Rental?
Renting or advertising your home for rent on a short-term basis without being registered is a violation of the ORC 5739.17 and Cuyahoga County’s Lodging Tax Code of Regulations and subject to enforcement processes. The County Code is pursuant to ORC 5739.024 amended and renumbered as ORC 5739.09.
What is the Lodging Tax?
This is a 6.5% tax on your gross short-term rents not already remitted by an intermediary. Hotels also pay this tax. Gross short-term rent includes all consideration received for occupancy including all non-optional fees (other than taxes) such as: cleaning fees, pet charges, people or beds, etc.; and any amounts received from Lodging intermediaries.
When is the Lodging Tax due?
Lodging Tax payments are due monthly no later than the 21st of the month following the end of the prior month. If there was no rental activity for the entire month, you are still required to submit the completed Lodging Tax form.
How is penalty and interest calculated on late payments?
PENALTIES: 10% of the tax due assessed immediately after due date
INTEREST: 3% of taxes due per month or portion of month beginning the first day of delinquency
Does my short-term rental registration apply to multiple properties?
No. You are only allowed to short-term rent one dwelling unit per registration in Cuyahoga County.
Do I have to display my certificate?
Yes. The STR Certificate, visitor emergency information, must all be posted in a conspicuous place within the short-term rental unit at all times. Your STR Certificate PDF can be found in the Business Center by clicking your account name under "Manage Your Account(s)".
Is the County working with Airbnb?
Airbnb does collect and remit some lodgers’ tax to Cuyahoga County on behalf of property owners and/or authorized agents. It is the responsibility of all Airbnb “Hosts/Owners” to register with the County and submit their Monthly Returns.
Is the County working with Vrbo?
No. Vrbo does not collect or remit lodgers’ tax to Cuyahoga County on behalf of property owners and/or authorized agents. It is the responsibility of all Vrbo “Hosts/Owners” to register with the County and submit their Monthly Returns along with payments of all bed tax collections.
Can I pay by credit card?
No
Can I pay by e-check ?
Yes! You can select your e-check during checkout. In doing so, you authorize you bank to send the payment electronically to the Cuyahoga County. The County does not pull the money from your account, ever.
I need to close my account. What do I do?
Please email the Cuyahoga County at mrude@cuyahogacounty.us. Please include the closure date and the reason you are closing the account.
How do I amend a return?
Please email mrude@cuyahogacounty.us letting us know you need to file an amended return. In the email please include:
1) )What property the amendment is for along with your six digit license/account number, and owner name
2) Period you need to amend (i.e. Q1 2021 form due April 30th)
3) If you overpaid or underpaid your original form
4) Brief explanation as to why the form needs to be amended
Once we receive this email we will review your account and send you further instructions.
Where are my tax forms? My Action Center is empty.
Your tax forms will be available on the 1st day of the month following the last day of the tax period. For example, the Monthly (November) tax forms will be available in your Action Center on December 1st. If you do not see the forms you expected, simply contact GovOS support for assistance.
Can I manage multiple properties with one login?
Yes - to do so, click Add accounts from your user login under Manage Your Account(s). You will need your 6 digit Account Number and the GovOS Activation Code to connect to an existing property record.
Can a property have more than one user?
Yes, each property can have an unlimited number of users. Each user is required to provide the 6 digit Account Number and the GovOS Activation code to be authorized to connect to an existing property record.
I did not receive or I misplaced the letter with my activation code. What do I do?
Contact GovOS blt.str.support@govos.com or by phone at (888) 751-1911 for assistance. You will need to confirm account details to be verified for the account. To protect the security on property accounts, you will need written (e-mail) permission from a registered owner or officer of the property for us to provide you with a new activation code.
Can I file a Zero File tax return through GovOS?
To file a zero file tax form, select your tax form from your Action Center. Then, complete the required information on the remittance, including Gross Rents and any deductions. You will be prompted to confirm your desire to complete the return as a Zero File return.
What payment types are accepted by the County through GovOS?
The County only accepts e-check payments.
Can I schedule a payment in GovOS?
For your security, GovOS does not store any payment information in the system. You will need to enter your desired payment information each time you check out.
How do I change the User on a Property?
All users need to register, just as you did, by going to the home page for that jurisdiction (i.e. https://cuyahogacounty.munirevs.com). They will click on the "Go" button under "New Users". They will also need the 6 digit account number and Activation Code for the property.
I forgot my password. What do I do?
From the Log In page, click the “Forgot your password” link and follow the instructions that will be e-mailed to the User’s registered e-mail address.
Do I have to login to GovOS to see my alerts and reminders?
No. All alerts are e-mailed to your authenticated e-mail address. When you login to the system, you will also see any open alerts that need to be addressed in your Action Center.
For Assistance, Contact GovOS Support
blt.str.support@govos.com
(888) 751-1911
When contacting support, be sure to include the jurisdiction (Cuyahoga County) and your account number in all emails or voicemails. This will help us assist you as promptly as possible. Thanks!
