Short-Term Rentals in Dothan, AL (2026)

9 verified short-term rentals rules for Dothan, Alabama, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.

Verified from official government sources

Short-Term Rental Permits

Short-term rentals in the City of Dothan need a business license before anyone can advertise, book or rent the property, under Sec. 18-502. Owner-occupied rentals (STRRs) and non-owner-occupied rentals (STCRs) are limited to stays of 30 consecutive days or less, must sit in a zoning district permitted under Chapter 114, Article VIII, and only the recorded property owner may apply.

Dothan Short-Term Rental Business License Requirement

Significant Restrictions

Dothan City Code §§ 18-500, 18-502

Sec. 18-500. - Intent The intent of this article is to regulate short-term rentals where the owner of a single-family home may lease a portion of the structure to an individual or individuals desiring to rent a room for the purpose of short-term habitation through a web-based service. ... ... Sec. 18-502. - Business license required for short-term residential real estate rentals. A business lic...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Noise Rules

Dothan enforces an 8:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. quiet time on short-term residential rentals (STRR), making it unlawful for guests to create unreasonable, loud, or disturbing noise during those hours. The same quiet-hours language is repeated for short-term commercial rentals (STCR) under City Code § 114-188(a)(9) and (b)(9)d.

Dothan Short-Term Rental Quiet Hours Rule

Some Restrictions

Dothan City Code § 114-188(a)(9)

(9)Quiet time shall begin at 8:00 p.m. and shall continue until 7:00 a.m. It shall be unlawful for persons occupying a STRR to make, create or maintain any unreasonable, loud, disturbing, or unnecessary noise of such character, intensity, or duration as to be detrimental to life, health, comfort, or repose of any individual.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Taxes & Fees

Short-term rental owners in the City of Dothan pay a business license tax of $100.00 plus one-half of one percent of gross receipts under Sec. 18-503, on top of a lodging tax required by Sec. 18-506. That lodging tax is collected under the same Sections 94-146 through 94-150 that apply to hotels and motels, and unpaid lodging tax is grounds for license revocation.

Dothan Short-Term Rental Taxes and Fees

Some Restrictions

Dothan City Code §§ 18-503, 18-506

Sec. 18-503. - License tax. The license tax shall be $100.00 plus one-half of one percent of the gross receipts of the preceding license year thereafter. ... ... Sec. 18-506. - Lodging tax. Short-term rentals must remit lodging tax as set forth in sections 94-146 through 94-150 of the Dothan Code of Municipal Ordinances. This tax is in addition to business license tax and all other taxes that a...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Short-Term Rental Parking Rules

Dothan limits owner-occupied short-term rentals (STRR) to one additional guest vehicle at the residence and requires hosts to log guest vehicle details for the city, while non-owner-occupied short-term commercial rentals (STCR) must simply provide off-street parking, under City Code § 114-188(a)(7) and (b)(9)f.

Dothan Short-Term Rental Parking Requirements

Some Restrictions

Dothan City Code § 114-188(a)(7), (b)(9)f

(7)One additional vehicle shall be allowed at the residence. Hosts shall collect information on the make, model and year of the guest vehicles and disclose that information on demand to city representatives. ... f.Off-street parking shall be provided.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Occupancy Limits

In the City of Dothan, both owner-occupied short-term residential rentals and non-owner-occupied short-term commercial rentals are capped at two guests per bedroom, not counting children under 12, under City Code § 114-188(a)(10) and (b)(9)g. Short-term commercial rentals add a household gathering cap of one and a half times that occupancy figure, and every listing needs a city business license before it can be advertised.

Dothan Short-Term Rental Occupancy Limits

Some Restrictions

Dothan City Code § 114-188(a)(10), (b)(9)g-h

(10)Only two guests per bedroom, not including children under 12, may occupy the licensed premise. ... g.Only two guests per bedroom, not including children under 12, may occupy the licensed premise.h.In addition to the house occupants, the maximum number of people allowed to gather on the premises shall not exceed one and one-half times the maximum number of permitted occupants.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Insurance Requirements

A short-term commercial rental (STCR) approved in the City of Dothan must carry homeowner's property insurance as a fixed condition of its special exception, and the host must submit proof of that coverage every year to renew the required business license, per City Code § 114-188(b)(9)e and (c)(1).

Dothan Short-Term Rental Insurance Requirement

Some Restrictions

Dothan City Code § 114-188(b)(9)e, (c)(1)

e.Proof of coverage under a homeowner's property insurance policy. ... (c)[License renewal.] To renew a license, the owner shall provide:(1)Proof of current property insurance, which may include declarations, information or summary pages from the policy that show the amount of the insurance policy and the coverages.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Host Presence Rule

In the City of Dothan, a short-term residential rental (STRR) requires the home to be owner-occupied and recorded as a homestead, with only the person on the property records eligible for the business license, while a short-term commercial rental (STCR) covers a non-owner-occupied home let out in full under City Code § 114-188.

Dothan Owner-Occupancy Rule for Rentals

Significant Restrictions

Dothan City Code § 114-188(a)(2)

The intent of this section is to regulate short-term residential rental (STRR) where an owner-occupied home may let a portion of their home or a short-term commercial rental (STCR) where a non-owner-occupied home is let to an individual or individuals desiring to occupy the entire home for the purpose of short-term habitation through a web-based service. ... (2)The property must be recorded as ...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Primary-Residence-Only Rule

To operate an owner-occupied short-term rental in the City of Dothan, the property must be recorded as a homestead with the county, and only the person(s) named on the property records may apply for the required business license, under City Code § 114-188(a)(2).

Dothan STRR Homestead Ownership Requirement

Significant Restrictions

Dothan City Code § 114-188(a)(2)

(2)The property must be recorded as a homestead with the county in which the property is located, and only the person(s) shown on the property records may apply for a business license.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Repeat Violator Strikes

Dothan can revoke a short-term rental's business license once a host racks up more than two notices of violation in a year, whether the rental is an owner-occupied STRR under City Code § 114-188(a)(16) or a non-owner-occupied STCR under § 114-188(b)(10).

Dothan STR Repeat Violation License Revocation

Significant Restrictions

Dothan City Code § 114-188(a)(16), (b)(10)

(16)Hosts failing to follow these rules will be issued a notice of violation. More than two NOVs annually to any host may be received before a license is subject to revocation. The notice shall specify the violation, the correction needed and a time frame for compliance. Hosts failing to correct the violation shall be subject to license revocation by the city commission. ... (10)Hosts failing t...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗