Airbnb’s Missouri tax deal totals $306K in first month

Airbnb remitted more than $306,000 in sales tax revenue during February, the first month of an agreement signed in January with Missouri officials.

The San Francisco-based online short-term housing rental company agreed to establish a 4.2 percent statewide sales tax rate on Airbnb bookings. The agreement also included individual county and municipal sales tax rates. Greene County maintains a 1.25 percent general sales tax rate, according to county documents, and the city of Springfield has a 2.1 percent general sales tax rate, according to city documents.

The amount Springfield contributed to the $306,000 total was not included in a news release, and a spokesman could not be reached for comment by deadline. Airbnb officials say if bookings replicated those of the previous 12 months, it would mean $1.1 million delivered to the state.

Airbnb previously announced Springfield ranked fifth statewide, with local hosts collecting about $749,000 via 8,140 arrivals in 2017. Branson placed third, with $2.24 million from 23,950 bookings.

In Springfield, City Council on March 12 sent a proposal on short-term rental regulations to the city’s Planning & Zoning Commission. The proposal would reduce fees for property owners compared with a previous version, according to Springfield Business Journal reporting.