Chatham County, Georgia Short-Term Rental Rules 2026

LawfulStay tracks short-term rental rules for 3 places in Chatham County, Georgia. Each city and town sets its own rules, so select a place below for its permit, tax and other rules, or see all of Georgia.

3 Restricted

Chatham County at a glance

Places tracked
3 places: 3 restricted
License or registration
Required in all 2 local places
Tax on stays
Applies in all 2 local places
County law
Unincorporated Chatham County only. County rules ›

Chatham County short-term rental questions

Are short-term rentals legal in Chatham County?

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

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

All 2 local places we track in Chatham County require a license, permit or registration. Check your city's page for its rules.

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

Unincorporated Chatham County only.

Which places in Chatham County have the strictest rules?

On our records: Savannah, Tybee Island.

Chatham County Airbnb & Vacation Rental Regulation Overview

The short-term rental regulatory landscape in Chatham County encompasses 3 tracked jurisdictions: 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.

All 3 tracked jurisdictions in Chatham 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 3 of 3 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 Savannah, Tybee Island, Chatham County (unincorporated). These jurisdictions typically impose permit caps, zoning limitations, or primary residence requirements.

LawfulStay monitors Chatham 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.

Chatham County (unincorporated)
Unincorporated Chatham County only
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Savannah
Among Georgia's most comprehensive STR regimes; per-ward cap creates scarcity
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Tybee Island
In August 2026 the City of Tybee Island revised its short-term rental ordinances and will run a new permit process in 2027; the city says it will post the application details on its STR page and hold public information…
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