Rental Rules by City / Georgia / Savannah

Savannah short-term rental rules & tax calculator

Chatham County, Georgia · Verified against official sources Oct 24, 2026

📋 The Basics

Can I rent my place short-term here?: Yes, with a permit
Do I need a permit?: Yes. You need a Short-Term Vacation Rental certificate before you rent.
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 STVR certificate.
Get a Business Tax Certificate.
File the hotel/motel tax by the 20th of each month.

⚠️ Biggest risk: Buying a rental and not applying within 6 months.

Words confusing? See the glossary. Details and official sources are below.

Tax calculator

Nightly rate ($) Nights Cleaning fee ($)

Rates used: GA state sales tax 4% + City of Savannah hotel/motel tax 8% = 12%, plus $5.00 per night. Mandatory cleaning fees are included in the taxable total. City hotel/motel tax 8% since Sep 1, 2023 (2026 Revenue Ordinance), plus Georgia's $5 per night state hotel-motel fee. Chatham County 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.

This is the general rule for Savannah. Does your address qualify?

The free info covers the city as a whole. Your property can still be different: zoning can change from one street to the next, and an HOA or condo ban can stop rentals even where the city allows them.

Your $49 Compliance Check looks at your exact property:

Whether your exact address and zone allow short-term rentals
A check of HOA / condo rental restrictions to look for
Which permits and tax accounts you personally need
What you're missing right now
A personal report with clear next steps and official sources, by email
A refund if we report a rule in error (refund policy)

🔎 How we check: official city, county and state sources, a last-verified date on every page, and nothing guessed. Learn more

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Rules don't change every week, but they do change, and nobody emails you when they do. We'll alert you when city rules, tourist taxes, HOA-related laws, or Airbnb/Vrbo policies change in Savannah. Cancel anytime.

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Why use this instead of a web search?

Instead of scattered, sometimes outdated pages, you get the city, county and state rules on one page, with official sources linked, a last-checked date, and unconfirmed items marked "verify" instead of guessed. How we verify →

Advanced details (laws, fees, sources)

Rules

Certificate	A Short-Term Vacation Rental (STVR) certificate is required before operating; certificates are not transferable (new owners must apply within 6 months).
Fees	New application $400; annual renewal $250 (non-refundable).
Business tax	After approval, get a Business Tax Certificate from the Revenue Department before the STVR certificate is issued.
Tax filing	Hotel/motel tax return due by the 20th of each month.

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

Savannah'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.

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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.