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Georgia Airbnb & Short-Term Rental Laws 2026

LawfulStay tracks short-term rental (STR / Airbnb / Vrbo / holiday let / vacation rental) regulations for 16 jurisdictions across Georgia. Select a city below for current permit requirements, tax rates, and compliance details.

12 Active 4 Restricted

Georgia Airbnb & Vacation Rental Regulation Overview

The short-term rental regulatory landscape in Georgia encompasses 16 tracked jurisdictions: 12 with active regulations, 4 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.

Approximately 81% of tracked jurisdictions in Georgia 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 11 of 16 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, Chatham County, Georgia. These jurisdictions typically impose permit caps, zoning limitations, or primary residence requirements.

LawfulStay monitors Georgia 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
Chatham County has imposed a temporary moratorium on new short-term vacation rental licenses in unincorporated areas only. Existing license renewals and applica…
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Georgia
Chatham County (unincorporated areas) has imposed a temporary moratorium on new STR license applications while the county develops comprehensive long-term regul…
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Savannah
Designated rental agent must be available 24/7 and respond within ~2 hours. New applicants must notify adjacent property owners. Condos must show declaration pe…
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Unincorporated Chatham County
Chatham County (unincorporated areas only) has imposed a temporary moratorium on new short-term vacation rental licenses to allow time for developing comprehens…
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Atlanta
Ordinance 20-O-1656 adopted March 15, 2021; rules effective March 1, 2022; enforcement effective March 5, 2023. A 24/7 contact (STR agent) responsive within ~2 …
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Augusta
Augusta-Richmond County has no dedicated short-term rental ordinance or STR-specific permit as of July 2026. Hosts must: (1) obtain a general Occupational Tax C…
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Blue Ridge
Two overlapping frameworks: (1) City of Blue Ridge: has its own STR Ordinance (Article V of Ch. 10 Business Regulations, codified in Municode; Ordinance No. BR2…
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Conyers
Page exists; detailed research pending.
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Dahlonega
Two overlapping regulatory frameworks exist depending on property location: (1) City of Dahlonega limits: governed by Article VIII of the City of Dahlonega Zoni…
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Decatur
Decatur requires short-term rental registration/licensing. A three-month grace period ended July 1, 2026, and the city is now actively enforcing licensing requi…
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Georgia (Statewide)
SB 570 (effective July 1, 2026): All Georgia STR operators must complete state-approved human trafficking recognition training. Properties must post required aw…
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Gwinnett County
Ordinance confirmed effective April 14, 2027 (adopted April 14, 2026, 5-0 vote). Annual STR license required for all rentals under 30 days in unincorporated Gwi…
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Jekyll Island
Jekyll Island has a unique governance structure: all land is owned by the State of Georgia and vested in the Jekyll Island-State Park Authority (JIA) per O.C.G.…
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Nahunta
Page exists; detailed research pending.
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St. Simons Island
St. Simons Island is unincorporated Glynn County; the Glynn County STR ordinance (effective July 1, 2021) applies. Owners must: (1) register and obtain a Glynn …
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Tybee Island
Tybee Island's short-term rental regulations remain in effect following judicial review. Property owners must comply with the city's existing STR rules, which h…
Active