Rental Rules by City / Georgia / Atlanta
Atlanta short-term rental rules & tax calculator
📋 The Basics
- Can I rent my place short-term here?
- Yes, with a license or tax registration
- Do I need a permit?
- Yes. You need a yearly city STR license for each unit ($150).
- What taxes do I pay?
- Total about 12% plus $5.00 per night. Check your Airbnb payout report to see which ones Airbnb collects; you pay the rest yourself.
Your 3 steps to be legal
- Apply for the city license.
- Check current limits with City Planning.
- Renew every year.
⚠️ Biggest risk: Renting without a license.
Words confusing? See the glossary. Details and official sources are below.
Tax calculator
Rates used: GA state sales tax 4% + City of Atlanta hotel-motel tax 8% = 12%, plus $5.00 per night. Mandatory cleaning fees are included in the taxable total. City hotel-motel tax 8% plus Georgia's $5 per night state fee (stays under 31 days). Fulton/DeKalb and city local sales taxes not included: verify with GA DOR.
What Airbnb collects: What Airbnb collects here: verify on Airbnb's local tax help pages and in your payout reports; you remain responsible for any tax it does not collect.
Advanced details (laws, fees, sources)
Rules
| License | A City of Atlanta short-term rental license is required per dwelling unit, renewed annually. |
|---|---|
| Fees | $150 non-refundable license fee. |
| Ordinance | Rules are in Ordinance 20-O-1656 and the 2024 license amendments (24-O-1687): verify current limits with City Planning. |
| State fee | Marketplace platforms generally collect the $5/night state fee; confirm for direct bookings. |
Items marked "Verify with the city" could not be confirmed from an official source; call the office listed before relying on them.
Sources
Free tools
Free "Is my rental legal?" checklist · Free tourist tax calculator
Rules can change
Atlanta's rules, its tax rates and platform policies can change through a council vote, a new state law or a court ruling, often with little notice to hosts. We re-check this page monthly; subscribers get notified. Stay Compliant for $4.99/mo.
Want it done for you?
Get a personalized STR Compliance Check ($49) for your exact address in any US city: the permits, registrations and tax accounts you need, with official sources, delivered by email in 48 business hours. Not legal advice.
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Stay Compliant: $4.99/month
Rules, tax rates and Airbnb/Vrbo policies can change without warning, and hosts who miss a change can be fined. Get alerts when your city, county or state changes, deadline reminders, a pending-bill watch list and a monthly host brief (even in quiet months: "we checked on [date]; no changes"). Compare plans.
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Not legal or tax advice. Last verified Oct 24, 2026. Rules and rates change: confirm with the official sources linked before you rent or file.