Athens Short-Term Rental Regulations

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Permit & Licensing

Home Occupation Permit (Short-Term Rental)

The property must be your primary residence. This means investment properties are not eligible for this permit type.

Commercial Short-Term Rental — reviewed through the Construction Plans Review process (not a Home Occupation permit); non-owner-occupied STRs in residential zones that pre-date the ordinance are legal non-conforming and must come into compliance or cease within a 24-month phase-out.

This permit type does not require primary residence. Zoning restriction: Non-owner-occupied (commercial) STRs that were operating in a zoning district before the ordinance and are not otherwise permitted outright or by special use permit are classified 'legal non-conforming.' Those properties must come into compliance with the STR Ordinance within 24 months, measured from March 1, 2025 (the date the final Legal Non-Conforming STR List was published), after which the non-conforming commercial STR use becomes null and void.

Application Process

Submit a Home Occupation Application (Short-Term Rental) to the Planning Department with two forms of government-issued identification establishing primary residency and a notarized affidavit; the application is reviewed and issued by Planning Department staff.

Note: Document requirements vary by permit type. See individual permit sections above for eligibility details.

Tax Obligations

Combined rate: 7% of gross rental income.

Collection: Collected either by the online lodging platform (if the stay is booked and paid for through the platform) or by the STR operator directly (if the guest pays the operator directly); operators must also hold an Athens-Clarke County Business Occupation Tax Certificate.

Filing: Monthly — due by the 20th day of the month following the month lodging occurred.

Rental Limits

Athens does not impose an annual cap on the number of nights you can rent.

Occupancy & Density Limits

Maximum guest occupancy is set per-property by the Fire Marshal or Chief Building Official (no fixed county-wide numeric cap); commercial STR operators must disclose this limit in writing to renters.

Zoning & Restrictions

Owner-occupied: Home Occupation STRs may operate in any zoning district where home occupations are permitted, provided the applicant is the owner-occupant (or a long-term tenant of the owner) and obtains a home occupation permit; only one structure per parcel may be used as an STR at a given time. Commercial Short-Term Rental — reviewed through the Construction Plans Review process (not a Home Occupation permit); non-owner-occupied STRs in residential zones that pre-date the ordinance are legal non-conforming and must come into compliance or cease within a 24-month phase-out.: Non-owner-occupied (commercial) STRs that were operating in a zoning district before the ordinance and are not otherwise permitted outright or by special use permit are classified 'legal non-conforming.' Those properties must come into compliance with the STR Ordinance within 24 months, measured from March 1, 2025 (the date the final Legal Non-Conforming STR List was published), after which the non-conforming commercial STR use becomes null and void

Insurance & Safety

Insurance

Athens does not require short-term rental operators to carry specific insurance. Standard homeowner policies often exclude short-term rental activity, so many hosts obtain dedicated short-term rental or landlord liability coverage.

Safety & Operating Requirements

• Post emergency contact information (police, fire, hospital) in the short-term rental.
• Show renters the location of fire extinguishers in the short-term rental.

Platform Requirements

If a booking is made and paid for through an online lodging platform (e.g., Airbnb, Vrbo), the platform is responsible for collecting and remitting the 7% Athens-Clarke County hotel-motel excise tax directly to the county, per Georgia House Bill 317 (2021, effective July 1, 2021). If the guest pays the operator directly instead, the operator is responsible for collecting and remitting the tax.

Compliance Checklist

Follow these steps to legally operate a short-term rental in Athens:

1. Determine your permit type. Athens has 2 permit types. Identify which applies to your property (Home Occupation Permit (Short-Term Rental), Commercial Short-Term Rental — reviewed through the Construction Plans Review process (not a Home Occupation permit); non-owner-occupied STRs in residential zones that pre-date the ordinance are legal non-conforming and must come into compliance or cease within a 24-month phase-out.).
2. Meet safety requirements. Post emergency contact information (police, fire, hospital) in the short-term rental. Show renters the location of fire extinguishers in the short-term rental.
3. Apply for your STR permit. Submit application + $20 fee. See permit types above to determine which applies.
4. Register for tax accounts. Set up lodging tax accounts with Athens-Clarke County Finance Department.
5. Collect and remit taxes. 7% on all bookings.
6. Renew annually. Contact city for renewal fee details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need a permit to run an Airbnb in Athens?

Yes. Athens requires a short-term rental permit to operate an Airbnb or Vrbo, and there are 2 permit types — one requires the property to be your primary residence, and another allows non-owner-occupied (investment) use. See the permit types above to find which applies to your property.

How much does a short-term rental permit cost in Athens?

A short-term rental permit in Athens costs $20.

Does Athens require a short-term rental to be your primary residence?

It depends on the permit type. At least one Athens permit requires the property to be your primary residence, while another allows non-owner-occupied (investment) use — see the permit types above.

How many days a year can you short-term rent in Athens?

Athens does not cap the number of nights per year you can short-term rent, though permitting, zoning, and occupancy rules still apply.

What taxes do you pay on a short-term rental in Athens?

Short-term rental stays in Athens are subject to a combined 7% in lodging taxes. This combines 7% Athens-Clarke County Hotel-Motel Excise Tax + $5.00 per night Georgia State Hotel-Motel Fee. The host is responsible for collecting and remitting them.