Local Airbnb rules2026 14 sources cited

Is Airbnb Legal in Savannah? 2026 Rules, Permits & Taxes

Savannah allows whole-home rentals of 30 nights or less only in its historic overlay district, with a $400 city STVR certificate, a 20% per-ward cap on non-owner-occupied homes, fines of $500 to $1,000 and about 15% tax plus $5 a night.^1,2,4,5,6,10

Source: AirROI Reviewed by Jun Zhou, Founder @ AirROI Rules checked October 17, 2026

From 13 official sources and 1 Airbnb help page. Not legal advice.

The short answer

Savannah Airbnb Rules in Brief

Certificate first: a city STVR certificate costs $400 for a new application and $250 a year to renew, and a city Business Tax Certificate is also required.
Location: rentals are limited to the STVR Overlay District (Downtown, Victorian and Streetcar historic districts); non-owner-occupied homes in the Downtown and Victorian districts are capped at 20% of residential parcels per ward, with a waiting list.
Operating rules: certificate number in every listing, insurance that names short-term rental use, a local rental agent who can reach the property within two hours, and occupancy of four adults in homes with up to two bedrooms or two adults per bedroom in larger ones.
Cost of breaking the rules: fines of $500, $750 and $1,000 for a first, second and third violation within 12 months, and three violations in 12 months bar the property from a certificate for a year.

Browse the live Savannah Airbnb market Search by revenue, occupancy and neighborhood on an interactive map See Every Savannah Listing

Revenue, occupancy and nightly rates are in the Savannah Airbnb market report .

At a glance

Savannah Airbnb Rules at a Glance

Permit required: Yes
Taxes on a stay: 15% + $5
Fine for hosting without a permit: $1,000
Listings showing a permit number: 0%
Latest rule change: Sep 28, 2026

Listing figures: AirROI, 12 months to September 2026. A number on a listing doesn't prove the permit or license is valid, and a missing one doesn't prove there is none.

The rules in brief

The rules a Savannah host meets first, each linked to the ordinance, statute or official page it comes from. Details and exceptions follow below.

Savannah Airbnb Rules at a Glance
Topic	Rule
Permit	Certificate before the first booking⁶
Who can host	Owner-occupied homes are exempt from the cap^4,5
Where	Whole-home rentals only in the overlay district^4,5
Building rules	Condominiums need a declaration that allows short stays^1,5
Minimum stay	Short-term means 30 consecutive nights or less⁴
Guests	Four adults, or two per bedroom in larger homes⁵
Listing display	Certificate number and rental agreement in every listing^1,5
Platforms	Airbnb collects the local occupancy tax¹⁴
Safety	Zoning, building, health and life-safety codes apply¹
Insurance	Insurance must name short-term rental use⁵
Neighbors	Local rental agent on call, on site within two hours^1,5

Your home

Can You Host an Airbnb in Savannah? It Depends on the Home

Whether you can host in Savannah turns on whose home it is and whether you live there.

Your own home, rented whole while you're away

Allowed with conditions

Allowed inside the overlay district with an STVR certificate ($400 new, $250 renewal) and a Business Tax Certificate. An owner-occupied parcel does not count against the 20% ward cap, but the home must be your primary and usual residence.^4,5,6

A second home or investment property you don't live in

Allowed with conditions

Allowed only in the overlay district, and in the Downtown and Victorian districts it counts toward the 20% per-ward cap; in a capped ward, the owner joins a waiting list. Certificates issued before September 28, 2017 can keep renewing.^4,5

A home outside the overlay district

Not allowed

Whole-home STVRs are limited to the area defined by the STVR Overlay District. A Zoning Confirmation Letter ($50) gives a written answer for a specific address.⁵

A room in your home with you present

Allowed with conditions

Not an STVR: the city regulates the rental of a room in an owner-occupied home as a bed and breakfast homestay, and two to five rooms as a bed and breakfast.^4,5

A condo or home in an HOA community

Allowed with conditions

A condominium owner supplies the adopted declaration, which must permit leasing for less than 30 days or contain no prohibition on short-term rentals.^1,5

A rented home (tenant hosting)

Allowed with conditions

The application asks for proof of the owner's current ownership and the certificate is tied to the owner, so a tenant needs the owner to hold the certificate.^1,6

Permit

Do You Need a Permit for Airbnb in Savannah?

Yes. Short-term rental hosts in Savannah need the short-term vacation rental certificate from the City of Savannah, Planning and Urban Design (the Revenue Department issues the required Business Tax Certificate). It costs $487 in the first year (A one-home host with gross receipts of $30,000 or less pays $400 for the first certificate plus $87 of business tax, then $250 plus $87 a year; higher receipts raise the business tax, and payment processing is extra.) and $337 a year to renew.^1,2,4,5,6,10

Who needs it: Every owner who rents a whole dwelling unit for 30 consecutive days or less inside Savannah city limits. The certificate belongs to one owner and one address and cannot be transferred.^1,2,4,5,6,10
Issued by: City of Savannah, Planning and Urban Design (the Revenue Department issues the required Business Tax Certificate)
Valid for: A certificate expires one year after it is issued. Renewal applications are due 30 days before expiration, and an expired certificate cannot be renewed.
On listings: The number must appear on every listing
Platform checks: The city requires the certificate number in every advertisement and listing, and publishes every licensed property on a public portal that is updated daily. Georgia does not check licenses.

Fees

Fees
Fee	Amount	When
New STVR certificate applicationNon-refundable application fee for a new certificate, paid online; the payment vendor adds a processing fee.	$400	one-time
Annual STVR certificate renewalNon-refundable renewal application fee, due with the renewal application 30 days before the certificate expires.	$250	annual
City business tax certificate (gross receipts up to $30,000)Business tax for the lodging category on the 2026 city schedule, which includes a $75 base tax; the amount rises to $125 for gross receipts of $30,001 to $100,000 and further above that.	$87	annual
Zoning Confirmation Letter (optional)Request fee for the city's written answer on zoning eligibility and off-street parking for a property.	$50	per request

Who qualifies

The home must be inside the STVR Overlay District, which covers the Downtown, Victorian and Streetcar local historic districts.
In the Downtown and Victorian districts, a non-owner-occupied home counts toward a 20% cap per ward; owner-occupied parcels are exempt, and capped wards use a waiting list.
In the Streetcar district, every STVR on a parcel zoned TN-2 needs two or more dwelling units, one of them owner-occupied.
The owner must show current ownership, hold insurance that names short-term rental use, name a local rental agent, notify adjacent property owners and, for a condominium, supply a declaration that permits rentals under 30 days or does not prohibit them.

How to apply

Check the property against the STVR Overlay District map and the ward cap list; ask for a Zoning Confirmation Letter ($50) if eligibility or parking is unclear.
Gather the application, the rental agent's written certification, the sworn code compliance form, an exemplar rental agreement, proof of ownership and proof of insurance that names short-term rental use, plus the condominium declaration for a condo.
Notify every adjacent owner of record of the address, parking, maximum occupancy, rental agreement, owner name and rental agent, and keep proof of the notice for the city.
Apply and pay online in the city's STVR registration portal; the city no longer accepts paper applications or payments, and the rental agent's email is the portal login.
After approval, obtain the Business Tax Certificate from the Revenue Department and send a copy to Planning and Urban Design; the STVR certificate is issued after that.
Register with the Revenue Department for the 8% hotel/motel tax and with the Georgia Department of Revenue for a sales tax number, then post the certificate in the unit.

Applications go through the official application page .

Permit rules

Certificate before the first booking: An owner must hold a city STVR certificate before operating; the certificate confirms that the home meets Savannah's zoning and ordinance requirements.⁶
Certificates do not transfer to a new owner: STVR certificates are non-transferable, so a buyer applies for a new one.⁵
Certificate number and rental agreement in every listing: The owner publishes the STVR certificate number and the exemplar rental agreement in every print, digital or internet advertisement and listing, and posts a copy of the certificate inside the unit.^1,5
Business Tax Certificate before the STVR certificate: After the STVR application is approved, the owner obtains a Business Tax Certificate from the Revenue Department and forwards a copy to Planning and Urban Design before the STVR certificate is issued.^2,6
One-year term, online applications only: Certificates expire one year after issue, and renewals are due 30 days earlier; an expired certificate cannot be renewed. All applications and payments go through the online portal.¹⁰ In force since May 15, 2024
Airbnb collects the local occupancy tax: Airbnb collects every locally imposed occupancy tax on Georgia reservations, which includes Savannah's 8% hotel/motel tax, along with the state sales tax and the $5 state fee.¹⁴ Applies to: Bookings through Airbnb

Who can host

Who Can Host an Airbnb in Savannah, and Where

Georgia state law applies on top of Savannah's own rules: the Georgia short-term rental regulations page covers the state license and what cities and counties can and can't regulate.

Whole-home rentals only in the overlay district: STVRs are limited to the STVR Overlay District, which includes the Downtown, Victorian and Streetcar local historic districts. A Zoning Confirmation Letter ($50) settles eligibility and off-street parking questions for a specific address.^4,5 In force since September 1, 2019
20% per-ward cap on non-owner-occupied homes: In the Downtown Historic District and the Victorian Historic District, non-owner-occupied rentals are capped at 20% of residential parcels in each ward. The city lists the wards that have reached the cap.^4,5 Applies to: Downtown and Victorian districts · In force since September 29, 2017
Owner-occupied homes are exempt from the cap: A parcel where the owner lives in the principal dwelling as a primary and usual residence is owner-occupied and does not count against the ward cap; the city asks for proof such as a homestead exemption.^4,5 Applies to: Downtown and Victorian districts · In force since September 29, 2017
Waiting list in capped wards: An owner who wants a non-owner-occupied certificate in a ward at the 20% cap joins the STVR Waiting List; the city contacts applicants first come, first served when an opening occurs.⁵ Applies to: Downtown and Victorian districts
Streetcar district: multi-unit with an owner on site: In the Streetcar (formerly Mid-City) district, an STVR on a parcel zoned TN-2 needs two or more dwelling units, one of which is owner-occupied.⁵ Applies to: Streetcar district
New owners of a pre-2017 certificate keep a path past the cap: A buyer of a parcel with a certificate issued before September 28, 2017 cannot be denied for exceeding the ward cap if they apply for a new certificate within six months of the title transfer. Renewals of those pre-2017 certificates are not denied for the cap either.⁵ Applies to: Downtown and Victorian districts · In force since September 28, 2017
Condominiums need a declaration that allows short stays: For a condominium, the application includes the adopted declaration, which must either explicitly permit leasing for less than 30 days or contain no prohibition on short-term rentals.^1,5 Applies to: Condominiums
Renting a room is a separate use: Renting a room in an owner-occupied home is not an STVR; the city regulates it separately as a bed and breakfast homestay, and renting two to five rooms is a bed and breakfast.^4,5 Applies to: Room rentals

Operating rules

Operating Rules for Savannah Short-Term Rentals

Short-term means 30 consecutive nights or less: Savannah's rules cover any rental of a residential dwelling unit to transient guests for 30 consecutive days or less; a stay longer than 30 days is not an STVR.⁴
Four adults, or two per bedroom in larger homes: Occupancy may not exceed four adults in a dwelling with no more than two bedrooms, or two adults per bedroom in a dwelling with three or more; the zoning administrator verifies bedrooms against the building code.⁵
Local rental agent on call, on site within two hours: Every certificate names a rental agent, who may be the owner, and the agent must appear at the property within two hours of a city notice about noise, disorder or overcrowding. The owner must report an agent change to the city within five business days.^1,5
Insurance must name short-term rental use: Every new and renewing application includes proof of insurance showing that the premises are used as a short-term vacation rental.⁵
Notify adjacent owners before the first certificate: A new applicant notifies every adjacent owner of record before the first certificate is issued, giving the address, parking, maximum occupancy, the rental agreement, the owner's name and the rental agent's contact details, and sends the city proof of the notice.⁵ Applies to: New applications
Exemplar rental agreement posted in the unit: The application includes an exemplar rental agreement that sets the standards guests must follow, including the city noise limits and the maximum occupancy, and the agreement is posted in the property.^1,5
Zoning, building, health and life-safety codes apply: An owner signs a sworn code compliance verification form and may not let anyone occupy a rental that violates zoning, building, health or life-safety codes; the unit must be inspected and maintained by the owner.¹
Three violations in 12 months close the door for a year: When an owner accumulates three code violations at a property within 12 consecutive months, the city revokes any pending certificates and rejects all applications for that property for 12 consecutive months.¹
Third-party managers must complete annual human-trafficking training: Since July 1, 2026, third-party property managers of short-term rentals in Georgia complete human-trafficking awareness training within 60 days of employment and every year after. Rentals managed directly and exclusively by the owner are exempt.³ Applies to: Rentals run by a third-party property manager · In force since July 1, 2026

Taxes

How Much Are Airbnb Taxes in Savannah?

About 15% on the nightly price and cleaning fee (7% sales tax and 8% hotel/motel tax), plus $5 a night for the first 30 nights.

15% in all, plus $5.00 a night

How the 15% on a Savannah stay splits between the taxes in the table below; the flat nightly fee comes on top

Median nightly rate, booked nights: $235
Taxes on that night (15% + $5): $40
Guest pays, before Airbnb and cleaning fees: $275

How Much Are Airbnb Taxes in Savannah?
Tax	Rate	Collected by
Georgia state sales and use tax 4% of the listing price including cleaning fees, for reservations of 89 nights or fewer	4%^12,14	Airbnb
Chatham County local sales taxes 3% of the listing price including cleaning fees; with the state's 4% the combined sales tax in Chatham County is 7%	3%^7,12,14	Airbnb
State hotel-motel fee $5 for each night, for the first 30 nights of a stay	$5 a night^11,14	Airbnb
City of Savannah hotel/motel excise tax 8% of the price including cleaning fees, for the first 30 days of a stay	8%^2,7,14	Airbnb

Total on a stay 15% + $5 · All by Airbnb

At Savannah's median booked rate of $235 a night, the taxes collected on a booking come to about $40 a night.

What the host still handles

A City of Savannah Business Tax Certificate from the Revenue Department, required before the STVR certificate is issued
A City hotel/motel tax account and monthly return with the Revenue Department, due by the 20th of the following month, for any booking where the tax is not collected by a platform
A Georgia Department of Revenue sales tax number for bookings made outside Airbnb^2,7,11,12,14

Fines

How to Avoid Airbnb Fines in Savannah

Fines in Savannah fall on hosting without the short-term vacation rental certificate, or outside the rules above. With it in hand and the rules followed, none of the fines below apply.

Violations of Savannah's short-term vacation rental chapter are fined $500 for a first violation, $750 for a second within 12 months and $1,000 for a third; the fines cannot be waived or reduced.^1,2
Fines may not be waived or reduced and can be combined with any other legal remedy available to the city.¹
Three code violations at one property in 12 months revoke pending certificates and bar all applications for that property for 12 months.¹
Operating without an STVR certificate leads to city enforcement that can include legal action, and complaints go to a 24/7 hotline (912-226-0320) and an online portal where all information received is investigated.^8,13
Hotel/motel tax: a late or missing return adds the greater of $5 or 5% for each 30 days, capped at 25%, and a false or willfully unfiled return draws a penalty of 50% of the tax due.²

Changes

What's Changed in Savannah's Airbnb Rules

No change was scheduled when the rules were checked on October 17, 2026; the most recent are listed first.

September 28, 2026
Upgraded STVR registration portal
An upgraded STVR registration portal (the XCP system) took effect on September 28, 2026 for applications and renewals; the city asks owners to report technical problems to stvr@savannahga.gov.⁴
July 1, 2026
State human-trafficking training law takes effect
The Georgia Human Trafficking Prevention Training Act began requiring annual training for third-party property managers of short-term rentals, with penalties of $500 to $2,000.³
December 11, 2025
2026 Revenue Ordinance keeps STVR fees and fines
The 2026 Revenue Ordinance, adopted December 11, 2025 and amended January 22, 2026, sets the $400 certificate application and $250 renewal fees and fines of $500, $750 and $1,000 for short-term rental violations, and the 8% hotel/motel tax.²
May 15, 2024
Online registration portal replaces paper applications
The city began accepting STVR applications and renewals only through an online registration portal on May 15, 2024; paper applications and checks stopped on April 17, 2024.¹⁰
September 1, 2023
Hotel/motel tax rises to 8%
Savannah's hotel/motel excise tax, which applies to short-term vacation rentals, became 8% on September 1, 2023 after the city moved to the state authorization in O.C.G.A. 48-13-51(b).⁷

Listing data

What Savannah's Listings Show

AirROI, a short-term-rental data firm, counted 2,530 active Airbnb listings in Savannah over the 12 months to September 2026. 0% of them displayed a permit, license or registration number.

Minimum stay set on Savannah listings

Share of active listings by the shortest stay they accept

24%

47%

12%

Minimum stay in numbers

Minimum stay set on Savannah listings
Shortest stay accepted	Share of listings
1 night	24%
2 nights	47%
3 nights	12%
4–6 nights	2%
7–29 nights	9%
30+ nights	6%

What officials report

1,678: Licensed short-term rental properties · as of October 17, 2026The city's public STR portal showed 1,678 licensed short-term rental properties on October 17, 2026; it excludes pending applications and is not a certified record.⁹

Earnings

What Could a Savannah Short-Term Rental Earn?

The rules shape the numbers: a permit that costs $487 in the first year and taxes of 15% plus $5 a night that Airbnb adds to guests' bills. For a specific address, the short-term rental calculator estimates revenue, occupancy and nightly rate from comparable listings, so you can test the numbers before applying.

Estimate what a Savannah home could earn

FAQ

Savannah Airbnb Rules: Frequently Asked Questions

Is Airbnb legal in Savannah?

Yes, for an owner with a city STVR certificate and a home inside the STVR Overlay District (the Downtown, Victorian and Streetcar historic districts). Rentals of 30 consecutive days or less outside that district are not permitted, and non-owner-occupied homes in the Downtown and Victorian districts are capped at 20% per ward.^4,5,6

Do I need a permit for Airbnb in Savannah?

Yes. The city requires an STVR certificate before you operate, plus a City Business Tax Certificate from the Revenue Department that must be sent to Planning and Urban Design before the certificate is issued.⁶

How much is the Savannah short-term rental license?

A new STVR application costs $400 and an annual renewal $250, both non-refundable. The Business Tax Certificate is extra and starts at $87 a year for gross receipts of $30,000 or less on the 2026 schedule.^2,6

Can I rent a home I don't live in?

In the Downtown and Victorian historic districts, non-owner-occupied rentals are capped at 20% of residential parcels per ward, and the city keeps a waiting list for wards at the cap. Owner-occupied parcels are exempt, and certificates issued before September 28, 2017 can keep renewing.^4,5

Where in Savannah are Airbnbs allowed?

Whole-home rentals are limited to the STVR Overlay District, which includes the Downtown, Victorian and Streetcar local historic districts. A Zoning Confirmation Letter ($50) confirms eligibility and parking for a specific address.^4,5

Does Airbnb collect hotel tax in Savannah?

Yes. Airbnb collects the 4% state sales tax, the county sales tax, the $5 state hotel-motel fee and all locally imposed occupancy taxes on Georgia reservations, which includes Savannah's 8% hotel/motel tax.^2,14

What is the total tax on a Savannah Airbnb stay?

About 15% of the price including cleaning fees (7% combined state and Chatham County sales tax and 8% city hotel/motel tax), plus $5 a night for the first 30 nights.^2,7,12,14

What is the fine for an illegal short-term rental in Savannah?

Violations of the STVR chapter cost $500 for a first violation, $750 for a second within 12 months and $1,000 for a third. Three violations in 12 months revoke pending certificates and bar new applications for the property for 12 months.^1,2

Is there a limit on nights or guests in Savannah?

The ordinance sets no annual night cap. Occupancy is limited to four adults in a home with up to two bedrooms, or two adults per bedroom in a home with three or more.^1,5

Do I need to put my certificate number on my Airbnb listing?

Yes. The owner publishes the STVR certificate number and the exemplar rental agreement in every advertisement and listing, and posts the certificate in the unit.^1,5

How long is the certificate valid and how do I renew?

A certificate expires one year after it is issued. Renewal applications are due 30 days before expiration through the city's online portal, and an expired certificate cannot be renewed.¹⁰

Can my condo association stop me from hosting?

A condominium owner must give the city the adopted declaration, which has to permit leasing for less than 30 days or contain no prohibition on short-term rentals.^1,5

How many Savannah Airbnbs are registered?

Licensed short-term rental properties: 1,678 as of October 17, 2026⁹. In AirROI's listing data, 0% of the 2,530 Savannah Airbnb listings active in the 12 months to September 2026 displayed a permit, license or registration number. A number on a listing shows the host entered one; it doesn't confirm the permit is valid.

How much does an Airbnb make in Savannah?

The average Savannah listing earned $43,900 in the 12 months to September 2026, according to AirROI, averaged across every active listing including those booked for only part of the year. The Savannah Airbnb market report breaks it down by month, property size and neighborhood.

Method

How These Rules Were Checked

Each rule on this page was checked in October 2026 against the official source cited beside it: the ordinance or statute, the permit office's own pages and the tax authority. Airbnb's help pages are cited on their own only for what Airbnb itself does, such as the taxes it collects and the permit checks it runs, and otherwise only beside an official source; news reports only for when a change was announced. Rules that could not be confirmed on an official page are left out. The city's public STR portal (Deckard Technologies) is a JavaScript page and its listing count was read in a browser.

Rules change with council votes, court rulings and new state laws, so the page is rechecked every three months and whenever a scheduled change takes effect. It summarizes the rules for information and is not legal advice; the local authority has the final word on any application.

Listing figures come from AirROI's tracking of 2,530 active Savannah Airbnb listings over the 12 months to September 2026.

Sources

Each rule above links to the source it comes from. Official ordinances, statutes and government pages come first, then Airbnb's own help pages.

1. Chapter 11. Short-term Vacation Rental Ordinance (revisions as of September 28, 2017) · City of Savannah
2. Revenue Ordinance of 2026 (adopted December 11, 2025; amended January 22, 2026) · City of Savannah
3. Senate Bill 570, Georgia Human Trafficking Prevention Training Act (as passed, 2026 signed legislation) · Office of the Governor of Georgia
4. STVR - Short-Term Vacation Rentals · City of Savannah
5. Short-term Vacation Rental Regulations · City of Savannah
6. Apply to become a certified Short-Term Vacation Rental · City of Savannah
7. Local & State Taxes · City of Savannah
8. Complaints & Enforcement · City of Savannah
9. Short-Term Rental (STR) Public Portal, Savannah · City of Savannah (Deckard Technologies)
10. Questions & Answers, STVR Online Registration Portal (updated May 14, 2026) · City of Savannah
11. State Hotel-Motel - FAQ · Georgia Department of Revenue
12. Georgia Sales and Use Tax Rate Chart, effective October 1, 2026 · Georgia Department of Revenue
13. City of Savannah Short-Term Vacation Rentals (STVRs): certification process and FAQ brochure · City of Savannah
14. Occupancy tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in Georgia · Airbnb Help Center