Macon, GA Short-Term Rentals: Insurance Requirements (2026)

Macon-Bibb adopted Division 14.5 of Chapter 7, Article II in 2018 (Sponsor Commissioner Watkins), modeled after Savannah's STVR ordinance. Sec. 7-373(b)(4) requires the owner, attached to and concurrent with the certificate application, to provide proof of insurance indicating the premises is used as a short-term vacation rental. The ordinance does not impose a minimum dollar amount for liability or property coverage and does not require commercial general liability specifically; what it does require is documentary proof that the carrier has been notified of and recognizes the STVR use. Standard Georgia homeowner policies (ISO HO-3 and similar) generally exclude business or commercial activity, including transient rental for fewer than 30 consecutive days, so a homeowner policy will normally need a short-term rental endorsement, a vacation rental policy, or a commercial dwelling policy to satisfy Sec. 7-373(b)(4). Airbnb's AirCover for Hosts and Vrbo's Liability Insurance offer up to $1 million per occurrence for platform-booked stays, but the Macon-Bibb application requires the operator's own proof of insurance, not platform coverage alone. Insurance must accompany the application along with the sworn code compliance verification form (Sec. 7-373(b)(1)), the exemplar rental agreement (Sec. 7-373(b)(2)), proof of ownership (Sec. 7-373(b)(3)), the rental agent's written certification (Sec. 7-373(b)(5)), and, for condominiums, the condo declaration (Sec. 7-373(b)(6)). The non-refundable annual application fee is $300. Failure to maintain insurance disclosed on the application is a code violation under Sec. 7-377 because Sec. 7-371 makes any noncompliance with applicable provisions a basis for citation. Georgia state law (O.C.G.A. 48-13-50 et seq. and 48-13-50.3) imposes hotel-motel tax and fee duties but no statewide STR insurance mandate; pending 2026 House Bill 1166 (ADUs) does not preempt local STR insurance requirements.