Short-term rentals in Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge, TN: rules, lenders and rates
The local STR rule from City of Gatlinburg, TN's own page, the DSCR lenders that publish coverage in Tennessee, and what investors paid in Sevier County in 2025.
- STR status
- Permit required
- Lenders in TN
- 22
- Median note rate, 2025
- 7.25%
City of Gatlinburg, TN
16 list TN · 6 licensed
188 DSCR-style loans
Short-term rental rules Permit required
City of Gatlinburg, TN. An annual Tourist Residency Permit is required. The fee is $200 for up to 2 bedrooms plus $75 per extra bedroom, with a building-code inspection. Units over 3 stories, 5,000 sq ft or 12 occupants need an approved sprinkler system.
Source: cms9files1.revize.com · checked Oct 19, 2026
This covers only City of Gatlinburg, TN, not every town in Sevier County or the wider Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge area. Neighboring cities, the county, HOAs and condo associations can have their own rules. Check with the jurisdiction for the exact address before you go under contract.
What investors paid in Sevier County, 2025
- Median note rate7.25%
- Middle 50% paid (25th–75th pct)6.875%–7.5%
- DSCR-style loans188
Public HMDA records for all of Sevier County, including long-term rentals. Note rates at closing, not today's quotes.
DSCR math Example only
An illustrative loan, not a quote and not a typical price for Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge, TN: $400,000 at 75% LTV (an implied $533,333 price), 30-year amortization at the Sevier County 2025 median of 7.25%.
- Monthly principal & interest$2,729
- Gross monthly rent for DSCR 1.00$2,729
- Gross monthly rent for DSCR 1.25$3,411
DSCR here is rent ÷ P&I only. Taxes, insurance and HOA dues are excluded; most lenders include them, which raises the rent you need. Many lenders also discount STR income.
DSCR lenders that lend in Tennessee
16 lenders list Tennessee in their published coverage; 6 more publish only their license list, which includes TN. Coverage is statewide; whether a lender will finance a short-term rental at a specific address is up to the lender. “Not published” means the lender doesn't publish that figure.
| Lender | TN coverage | STR income method | Min DSCR | Max LTV (purchase) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Nationwide Mortgage | Yes | Either | 1.00 | 80% |
| Acra Lending | Yes | 12-month history | Not published | 75% |
| America Mortgages | Yes | Either | Not published | 80% |
| Certain Lending | Yes | Either | Not published | 75% |
| CoreVest Finance | Yes | Not published | Not published | 70% |
| Defy Mortgage | Yes | Either | 0.75 | 85% |
| Dominion Financial | Yes | Not published | Not published | 80% |
| Easy Lending USA | Yes | Either | 1.00 | 85% |
| Easy Street Capital | Yes | Either | Not published | 80% |
| Griffin Funding | Yes | Either | Not published | 85% |
| Kiavi | Yes | Not published | 0.80 | 80% |
| LendingOne | Yes | Not published | 0.75 | 80% |
| Lima One Capital | Yes | Projection | 1.30 | 75% |
| New Silver | Yes | Either | 1.15 | 80% |
| Quickline Capital | Yes | Projection | 0.75 | 80% |
| Visio Lending | Yes | Either | Not published | 85% |
| A&D Mortgage | Licensed there | Either | Not published | 80% |
| Angel Oak Mortgage Solutions | Licensed there | Projection | Not published | 85% |
| LendSure Mortgage | Licensed there | Either | 0.75 | 85% |
| Newfi Wholesale | Licensed there | Either | 1.00 | 80% |
| NQM Funding | Licensed there | 12-month history | Not published | Not published |
| theLender | Licensed there | Projection | Not published | 85% |
Figures come from each lender's own pages, with a source and check date on the lender's page. Compare more terms on the lender matcher.
More markets: all 24 STR markets · real rates by county · STR DSCR loans by state
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Lender lists
- Where the 10-year Treasury moved and what it means for STR loan pricing
- Lender term changes flagged on the lenders' own pages
- A short, plain-English STR financing explainer
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Not a lender or broker. No referral fees. For education only. Figures come from each lender's public pages on the date shown and can change without notice, so verify them with the lender. Rates are estimates, not quotes. How we source data.