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Atlanta Short-Term Rental Rules: What Hosts Need to Know in 2026
Atlanta issues a short-term rental license for the operator’s primary residence plus one additional dwelling unit. The primary residence must be registered first, and one owner may hold licenses for at most two properties.
The license costs $150, is valid for 12 months, and review can take up to 10 business days. Operating without one is unlawful and triggers a mandatory 12-month waiting period before a new application will be considered.
A two-property license built around the primary residence
Atlanta’s short-term rental ordinance was adopted in 2021 and enforcement began in March 2023. The license is not a general investor permit: it attaches to the operator’s primary residence, with an optional second dwelling unit on the same license.
Once issued, the license number must appear on every online listing. The designated STR agent monitors the unit, displays emergency contacts, and accepts notices of violation on the owner’s behalf.
- One owner can license at most two properties.
- The primary residence must be registered before the additional unit.
- The $150 fee is non-refundable and due with each application.
Who can hold an Atlanta STRL
The license is designed for home sharing, not for a portfolio of investment rentals. A second home or absentee-owned property does not qualify.
Primary residence
The operator must license their primary residence first. The license is valid for 12 months from issuance and must be renewed annually.
One additional dwelling unit
The same license may include one additional dwelling unit without a separate fee, permit, or zoning approval. The primary residence must still be registered first.
STR agent
The owner, the owner’s tenant, or another authorized individual may serve as the STR agent. The agent must monitor compliance, display emergency contacts, and accept notices of violation.
License fees
| Label | Fee |
|---|---|
| New license | $150 |
License conditions and host duties
- A license is required for the operator’s primary residence; the license may also cover one additional dwelling unit, but the primary residence must be registered first.
- One owner may hold licenses for at most two properties: the primary residence and one additional dwelling unit. Second homes and investor-owned rentals are not eligible.
- The license is valid for 12 months from issuance and must be renewed annually; the $150 fee is due with each application and is non-refundable.
- The STRL number must appear on every online listing, and the designated STR agent must monitor the unit, display emergency contacts, and accept notices of violation.
- Operating without an STRL is unlawful, results in citations, and triggers a mandatory 12-month waiting period before a new application for the unit will be considered.
- Hosting platforms must provide listing data to the city to support enforcement and the removal of illegal listings.
Enforcement: citations, platform data, and the 12-month wait
Unlicensed operation is handled by zoning enforcement, while complaints about licensed units go to the Atlanta Police Department or zoning enforcement depending on the issue. Platforms must provide listing data to help the city remove illegal listings.
The most expensive mistake is skipping the license: a host who operates without an STRL faces citations and a mandatory 12-month waiting period before any new application for the unit will be accepted.
- Unlicensed operation: citations plus a 12-month application waiting period.
- Platforms must supply data for enforcement and delisting of illegal listings.
- Licensed units remain subject to noise, occupancy, and property-condition rules.
| Item | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Unlicensed operation | Operating without an STRL is unlawful and results in citations plus a mandatory 12-month waiting period before a new license application will be accepted for the unit. |
| Platform removal | Hosting platforms must provide information to the city to support enforcement and the removal of illegal listings. |
Hotel-motel tax plus Georgia and local sales tax
Combined hotel occupancy tax ~16.9%
Atlanta short-term rentals carry the City of Atlanta hotel-motel tax plus Georgia and local sales tax. The combined lodging rate is about 16.9%: 8% city hotel-motel tax and 8.9% combined state and local sales tax.
Platforms may collect state and local sales tax on platform bookings, but hosts must confirm whether the Atlanta hotel-motel tax was remitted and pay it directly if it was not.
Hotel-motel and short-term rental excise returns are due by the 20th of each month through ATLBIZ.
- Collection
- Platforms may collect Georgia and local sales tax on platform bookings; hosts must confirm whether the Atlanta hotel-motel tax is remitted and pay it directly if not.
- Filing
- Hotel-motel and short-term rental excise returns are due by the 20th of each month through ATLBIZ.
Ranges vary — verify. Confirm the current hotel-motel excise rate and any per-night state fee with the City of Atlanta Office of Revenue.
Compare Atlanta with other STR markets
Some cities allow investor-owned short-term rentals under caps, while others license only the host’s primary residence. Atlanta is in the second group: the license covers the primary residence and one additional dwelling unit, not a portfolio of investment properties.
Phoenix
Arizona
Allowed citywide with permit (state law bars city bans — host-friendly)
Low–moderate enforcement
New license $250
Last verified
View Phoenix rules →Scottsdale
Arizona
Licensed; Arizona law preempts local bans and occupancy caps
Moderate enforcement
New license $250
Last verified
View Scottsdale rules →Sedona
Arizona
Permit required; Arizona law sets the regulatory floor
Moderate enforcement
New license $210
Last verified
View Sedona rules →Los Angeles
California
Allowed in the host’s primary residence with registration; 120-night annual cap unless extended
High enforcement
New license $441
Last verified
View Los Angeles rules →Palm Springs
California
Allowed in single-family homes with an annual certificate; new certificates capped at 20% per organized neighborhood
High enforcement
New license — Vacation Rental $1,046
Last verified
View Palm Springs rules →San Diego
California
Licensed by tier; whole-home licenses are capped by ordinance
High enforcement
New license — Tier 1 — Part-Time $193
Last verified
View San Diego rules →San Francisco
California
Allowed only in the host’s permanent residence with registration; un-hosted stays capped at 90 nights per year
High enforcement
New license $925
Last verified
View San Francisco rules →Santa Monica
California
Home-sharing only in the host’s primary residence; un-hosted vacation rentals are unlawful
High enforcement
New license $582.25
Last verified
View Santa Monica rules →Denver
Colorado
Licensed, primary residence only
High enforcement
New license $150
Last verified
View Denver rules →Washington
District of Columbia
Licensed, primary residence only
High enforcement
New license $99
Last verified
View Washington rules →Fort Lauderdale
Florida
Licensed and inspected; annual Certificate of Compliance required
High enforcement
New license — Certificate of Compliance $880
Last verified
View Fort Lauderdale rules →Miami
Florida
Licensed and enforced; city and county requirements run in parallel
High enforcement
Last verified
View Miami rules →Orlando
Florida
Owner-occupied home sharing; whole-home rentals are limited by zoning
Moderate enforcement
New license — Home Sharing Registration $275
Last verified
View Orlando rules →Tampa
Florida
State-licensed; city rental registration repealed in 2023
Low–moderate enforcement
New license $230
Last verified
View Tampa rules →Savannah
Georgia
Certified STVR, overlay district only, per-ward cap
High enforcement
New license $400
Last verified
View Savannah rules →Chicago
Illinois
Registered shared housing unit (31 days or fewer)
High enforcement
New license $250
Last verified
View Chicago rules →New Orleans
Louisiana
Licensed, capped, and lottery-based
High enforcement
New license — NSTR owner permit $500
Last verified
View New Orleans rules →Boston
Massachusetts
Registered, owner-occupied primary residence only
High enforcement
New license — Limited Share $25
Last verified
View Boston rules →Las Vegas
Nevada
Licensed; owner-occupied homes only (city limits)
High enforcement
New license $500
Last verified
View Las Vegas rules →New York
New York
Legal only in a registered primary residence (hosted stays)
High enforcement
New license $145
Last verified
View New York rules →Portland
Oregon
Permitted as an accessory use (primary residence required)
Moderate enforcement
Last verified
View Portland rules →Charleston
South Carolina
Licensed, primary residence only (commercial STRs only in the overlay district)
High enforcement
New license $345
Last verified
View Charleston rules →Nashville
Tennessee
Allowed with permit; heavy zoning restrictions on investor units
High enforcement
New license $313
Last verified
View Nashville rules →Austin
Texas
Licensed & enforced
High enforcement
New license $736.60
Last verified
View Austin rules →Seattle
Washington
Licensed; up to two units per operator
High enforcement
New license $75
Last verified
View Seattle rules →Frequently asked questions
Can I get an Atlanta STR license for an investment property?
No. The STRL covers the operator's primary residence and one additional dwelling unit. Second homes and investor-owned rentals are not eligible.
How much does the Atlanta STR license cost and how long is it valid?
The fee is $150 per application and is non-refundable. A license is valid for 12 months from issuance and must be renewed annually; review can take up to 10 business days.
What happens if I operate without an Atlanta STR license?
Operating without an STRL is unlawful and triggers enforcement action, including citations and a mandatory 12-month waiting period before a new application for the unit will be accepted.
Official sources and cross-checks
Sources with links
- City of Atlanta — Short-Term Rental atlantaga.gov
- ATL311 — City of Atlanta Short Term Rental Program atl311.com
- ATL311 — Payment for Excise Tax atl311.com
- Discover Atlanta — Navigating Atlanta (combined sales tax rate) discoveratlanta.com