Cobb County, GA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Cobb County, GA, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- Certificate required from
- business license division, unincorporated area only
- Application fee
- $55.00, non-refundable, filed annually
- Effective date
- January 1, 2023
- Zoning limit
- Residential (R) districts only
- First/second violation fines
- $500, then $750 within 12 months
- Third violation in 12 months
- Certificate revoked, 12-month application ban
- No certificate, rented anyway
- $500 penalty per night rented
Summary
Renting a house or room to guests for stays under 30 days in unincorporated Cobb County requires an annual short-term rental certificate from the business license division before any booking. Owners file a $55 non-refundable application naming a 24-hour rental agent, notify adjoining owners and any HOA, and list parking spaces; the county acts within 30 days.
(d)Short-term rental certificate required.(1)A short-term rental certificate is required to be obtained from the business license division for each short-term rental property.(2)No person shall rent, lease or otherwise exchange for compensation all or any portion of a property as short-term rental without first obtaining a short-term rental certificate from the county.(3)A separate short-term rental certificate shall be required for each short-term rental property. No more than one short-term rental certificate shall be issued for each short-term rental property at any given time...(e)Application for short-term rental certificate.(1)Applicants for short-term rental certificate shall submit, on an annual basis, an application for a short-term rental certificate to the business license division. The application shall be accompanied by a non-refundable application fee in the amount of $55.00.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 53).
Full Breakdown
Cobb County Code § 78-407, effective January 1, 2023, makes it unlawful for any owner in the unincorporated county to rent residential property to transient guests for stays of 30 consecutive days or less without first obtaining a short-term rental certificate from the business license division. The certificate runs with the property: no more than one is issued per dwelling unit at a time, it cannot be transferred to another owner or address, and a change of ownership requires the new owner to notify the division and apply for a fresh certificate.
00 non-refundable fee and must supply the owner's contact information (for a corporate owner, every partner, member, officer or director), the property address, and the name, address, phone and email of a designated short-term rental agent who serves as the 24-hour contact for problems and is responsible for correcting complaints. The agent's sworn acknowledgment of the ordinance, proof of ownership, written notice to any homeowners association, and written notice to adjoining property owners (with proof of that notice submitted) must accompany the application, along with the number and location of on-site parking spaces.
The community development agency director may request additional information, and review proceeds under due-process principles with a decision due within 30 days; false statements are grounds for denial or citation. Short-term rentals are allowed only in Residential (R) zoning districts and only in a structure holding a valid certificate of occupancy; occupancy and parking follow sections 134-1 and 134-272, and the unit must meet the building code (chapter 18), fire code (chapter 54) and health code (chapter 62). Every online listing and a copy posted inside the unit must show the certificate number, maximum occupancy, maximum vehicles allowed and the noise-ordinance rules in chapter 50, article VII. Owners remain responsible for collecting and remitting hotel/motel and tourism taxes owed to the state and county.
Violations & Fines
Renting without a certificate draws a $500 penalty, and each night the property is rented for overnight accommodation without one counts as a separate violation. Once certificated, the code enforcement division (with Cobb County Police also authorized to cite) fines a first violation within any 12-month period at $500 and a second at $750; a third violation for the same property within that 12-month window triggers revocation of any pending or existing certificate and a 12-month bar on new applications for that address. Citations are heard in Magistrate Court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to list my house on Airbnb in unincorporated Cobb County?
How much does the Cobb County short-term rental certificate cost?
What happens if I operate a short-term rental in Cobb County without a certificate?
Does this permit requirement cover my rental in Marietta or Smyrna?
How many violations before Cobb County revokes my short-term rental certificate?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cobb County
How Cobb County compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·Compare Cobb County to another location·View the Georgia short-term rentals overview
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