Baldwin County, Alabama Short-Term Rental Rules 2026

LawfulStay tracks short-term rental rules for 4 places in Baldwin County, Alabama. Each city and town sets its own rules, so select a place below for its permit, tax and other rules, or see all of Alabama.

1 Active 3 Restricted

Baldwin County at a glance

Places tracked
4 places: 1 active, 3 restricted
License or registration
Required in all 3 local places
Tax on stays
Applies in all 3 local places
County law
Unincorporated Baldwin County has no short-term rental permit or ordinance. County rules ›

Baldwin County short-term rental questions

Are short-term rentals legal in Baldwin County?

In all 4 places we track in Baldwin County, short-term rentals are allowed, 3 of them with permit conditions or limits.

Do I need a license for a short-term rental in Baldwin County?

All 3 local places we track in Baldwin County require a license, permit or registration. Check your city's page for its rules.

Is there a countywide short-term rental law in Baldwin County?

Unincorporated Baldwin County has no short-term rental permit or ordinance.

Which places in Baldwin County have the strictest rules?

On our records: Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Fairhope.

Baldwin County Airbnb & Vacation Rental Regulation Overview

The short-term rental regulatory landscape in Baldwin County encompasses 4 tracked jurisdictions: 1 with active regulations, 3 with restrictions. Hosts operating on platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com should verify local requirements before listing, as rules vary significantly between cities and regions.

3 of 4 tracked jurisdictions in Baldwin County require some form of permit, license, or registration for short-term rental operations. Requirements range from simple online registration to comprehensive permit applications with inspections.

Tax obligations apply in 4 of 4 jurisdictions. Common taxes include occupancy taxes, tourist levies, and sales taxes. Many jurisdictions require hosts to register for tax collection, and some platforms like Airbnb collect and remit taxes automatically in select locations.

Cities with significant restrictions on vacation rentals include Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Fairhope. These jurisdictions typically impose permit caps, zoning limitations, or primary residence requirements.

LawfulStay monitors Baldwin County STR regulations daily and updates this page as rules change. Each city page includes detailed permit requirements, fee schedules, tax rates, zoning rules, and penalty information sourced from official government websites.

Fairhope
Fairhope strictly limits STRs to multi-family and commercial/tourism zoning districts (R-4, R-5, B-1, B-2, B-3a, B-3b)
Restricted
Gulf Shores
Vacation rentals are banned in Gulf Shores' residential districts (R-1 to R-5) and allowed only in the rental overlay, certain business districts and designated rental developments
Restricted
Orange Beach
A major resort destination on the Gulf
Restricted
Baldwin County (unincorporated)
Unincorporated Baldwin County has no short-term rental permit or ordinance
Active