Troup County, GA Short-Term Rentals: Host Presence Rule (2026)

Troup County's Unified Development Ordinance splits short-term rental (STR) permits into two classes. The Owner-Occupied class, governed by UDO § 7.6(15)(d)(10)(i), requires the property owner to permanently reside on the property 365 days a year and mandates the owner's continuous presence during any rental period, meaning the owner cannot simply hand over the keys and leave while paying guests occupy the home. This differs from the Non-Owner-Occupied class under § 7.6(15)(d)(10)(ii), where the owner need not be present but the dwelling is capped at 92 rental days per year instead of the 175 allowed for Owner-Occupied units.

The Community Development Department administers STR special use permits under § 7.6(15)(f)-(g), and the Board of Commissioners may attach further conditions to any permit under § 7.6(15)(g)(2). Records the owner or local representative keeps, including complaint logs, must be retained for three years and produced to the county within ten business days of a written request per § 7.6(15)(d)([11])(iii). Failing to maintain the required presence, or the records showing it, can trigger enforcement under the STR violations scheme, which escalates from a $250 first-offense fine to $1,000 for a fourth and subsequent offense, plus a Magistrate Court civil penalty of up to $1,000 per day.