Barrow County, GA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)

Article V of Chapter 26 makes it unlawful to rent, operate, or advertise any property as a short-term rental in a residential zoning district, or on a residentially used property, without first obtaining a short-term rental permit from Barrow County Planning and Community Development. A short-term rental is defined as a residential dwelling unit rented to transient guests for less than 30 consecutive nights, and only one such unit is allowed per property, with a hard cap of five rentable bedrooms. The owner, or a designated representative, files an annual application including the property's street address, ownership information, the local contact person's details, bedroom count and maximum occupancy, parking space count, a sworn safety-code acknowledgment, and, where an HOA exists, written confirmation the HOA does not prohibit short-term rentals.

Properties on septic systems must also submit a Barrow County Health Department evaluation confirming the system can handle the intended use. The director must issue the permit or a written denial within 30 days of a completed application; grounds for automatic denial include a permit revoked in the prior 12 months, delinquent property taxes, unresolved health or code violations flagged by the health department, code enforcement, sheriff's office, or fire marshal, or an HOA covenant barring short-term rentals. A denial can be appealed to the board of commissioners within 30 days.

The application and each annual renewal carry a nonrefundable $250 fee, and every permit expires December 31 regardless of its issue date, so renewal is a yearly requirement, not a one-time approval.