Duluth does not impose an annual or monthly cap on the number of nights a permitted short-term rental may be booked. The city's STR ordinance regulates each individual booking length (no more than 28 days per stay) but sets no ceiling on the total nights per calendar year, unlike host-occupied caps used in some other jurisdictions.
The City of Duluth Short-Term Rental ordinance defines an STR as a residential unit rented for no more than 28 days per booking. The published submittal requirements and city ordinance do not contain an annual night-cap, monthly night-cap, or hosted-versus-unhosted distinction limiting the number of bookings per year. Permitted operators may rent the dwelling for as many nights per year as they choose, subject to the per-booking 28-day limit, the maximum occupancy rule (two persons per bedroom plus four additional persons), the multi-family unit-ratio limits (1 per duplex pair, 1 per triplex, 1 per 4 in larger buildings), the single-family non-abutment rule, and parking, quiet hours, and PUD restrictions. Georgia has no statewide STR night cap either; HB 555 (Residential Property Protection Act) addresses institutional ownership rather than rental days. Operators must still pay the Gwinnett 8% hotel-motel excise tax plus state sales tax on every booking under 30 days. Confirm current rules with Duluth Planning and Development at 770-476-1790 before assuming no annual cap applies to a future amendment.
Because no annual or monthly night cap is in the current ordinance, exceeding a non-existent cap is not a violation. However, exceeding 28 days within a single booking converts the stay into a long-term tenancy, removing it from STR status and triggering different landlord-tenant and tax obligations.
See how other cities in Gwinnett County handle night caps.
See how Duluth's night caps rules stack up against other locations.
Quick Compare
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.