Forsyth County, GA Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)

Sec. 22-268(d), the 'life safety and sanitation' standard for short-term rentals, requires that all designated bedrooms, including their egress paths, comply with whatever safety codes were in effect on the date the rental received its certificate of occupancy. Each floor must carry a fully charged, unexpired fire extinguisher meeting National Fire Protection Association standards, specifically NFPA 10 for portable fire extinguishers. Any private swimming pool on the property must comply with the current International Swimming Pool and Spa Code. The owner or local contact person must keep a house number visible from the street at all times so emergency responders can find the property.

These requirements are verified at licensing: Sec. requires a sworn statement from the applicant certifying every designated bedroom, including its egress, meets applicable safety code requirements before a license issues. The rental's posted notice, required under Sec. 22-268(a) at or near the front door, must list the nearest hospital's name and address alongside the maximum occupancy and parking limits, giving guests the safety information the county considers part of habitability for a transient stay. Because this article applies only to licensed short-term rentals in the Agricultural and Agricultural Residential zoning districts under Sec. 22-264, it does not create a standalone habitability code for ordinary long-term leased housing outside that program.