Athens-Clarke County regulates short-term rentals under Title 9 (Zoning) of the Code, with the framework adopted by the Mayor and Commission on February 6, 2024. An STR is any residential dwelling rented for less than 31 consecutive days. The ordinance creates two categories: Home Occupation STRs (owner-occupant or long-term tenant required, only one structure per parcel) and Commercial STRs (allowed only in specified zones, requiring a Special-Use Permit and Construction Plans Review). Operators must also obtain a Business Occupation Tax Certificate and remit the 7% local hotel-motel excise tax.
On February 6, 2024 the Mayor and Commission adopted text amendments to Title 9 of the Athens-Clarke County Code establishing short-term rentals as a regulated land use. The Code defines a short-term rental as accommodation for transient guests where a residential dwelling unit is rented or otherwise provided for lodging for a period of less than 31 consecutive days. There are two categories. (1) Home Occupation STR: the applicant must be the owner-occupant of the property OR a long-term tenant of the property owner; only one structure on the parcel may be permitted as an STR; submission requires two forms of government-issued ID establishing residency and a notarized affidavit; review is by the Planning Department with the Fire Marshal's Office. (2) Commercial STR: permitted only in specific zoning districts shown in the STR Ordinance permitted-use chart; applicants must obtain a Special-Use Permit before submitting Construction Plans Review; there are no owner-occupancy or single-structure limits. Both categories require a Business Occupation Tax Certificate from the Finance Department and registration to collect the 7% local hotel-motel excise tax (remitted by the 20th of each month for the prior month, or by the booking platform if Airbnb/Vrbo handles collection). Properties operating before adoption have a sunset/legal-non-conforming pathway: ACC published the final list of legal non-conforming STRs (those that operated September 19, 2022 - September 19, 2023) in mid-2024, and those properties have a 24-month compliance window from March 1, 2025. Contact: Planning Department, 706-613-3515.
Operating an STR without a valid Home Occupation STR or Commercial STR approval is a zoning violation under Title 9, enforceable through cease-and-desist orders, code-enforcement citations, and daily fines. Failure to obtain a Business Occupation Tax Certificate or to remit the 7% hotel-motel excise tax can result in collection actions and revocation of the STR permit. After the 24-month compliance window from March 1, 2025, legal non-conforming STRs that fail to come into compliance lose their grandfathered status.
See how Clarke County's permit requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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