4 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Chatham County, Georgia.
Verified from official government sources
Unincorporated Chatham County requires every short-term vacation rental (STVR) operator to obtain a Short-Term Vacation Rental Certificate under Article XIII, § 16-1301 of the Chatham County Code (effective July 1, 2020). Only property owners may apply; renters are not eligible. The annual application/renewal fee is $350, with renewals due between May 1 and June 30 each year. Occupancy is capped at two adults per bedroom plus two additional adults. Operators must collect and remit the Chatham County 6% hotel-motel excise tax and the $5/night state hotel-motel fee. The City of Savannah administers a separate STVR program inside its city limits.
Unincorporated Chatham County charges a $350 annual STVR Certificate fee under Article XIII, § 16-1304(1)(a), with $350 renewal due by July 1 (§ 16-1305(1)(a)). Operators must collect and remit the Chatham County 6% hotel-motel excise tax (authorized by O.C.G.A. § 48-13-50 et seq.) plus the $5 per night Georgia state hotel-motel fee under O.C.G.A. § 48-13-50.3. Booking platforms (Airbnb, VRBO) acting as marketplace innkeepers may collect and remit on the operator's behalf.
Chatham County Code § 16-1304(1)(g) requires every STVR application to outline the parking rules of the rental and how occupants will comply. Parking rules must be posted on a sign inside the unit (§ 16-1303(1)(b)). The ordinance does not set a fixed county-wide off-street space-per-bedroom ratio for STVRs; each license carries its own approved parking limits. Exceeding those limits is a fine of not less than $100 under § 16-1310(1).
Chatham County Code § 16-1302(7) defines the STVR occupancy rate as no more than two adults per bedroom, plus two additional adults. For a recreational vehicle or tent rental, the manufacturer's listed occupancy controls. The maximum advertised occupancy must match the application. Exceeding the cap is a fine of not less than $150 under § 16-1310(3) and is grounds for license revocation under § 16-1308(1)(c)(i)(d).
1 cities in Chatham County have their own short-term rentals rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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