Short-term rental permit rules in Roswell, GA — also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration — list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Roswell adopted Ordinance 2024-05-09 (the city's first STR ordinance) effective June 9, 2025, with full enforcement starting January 31, 2026. Operators must register the unit, pay a $35 non-refundable registration fee, carry general commercial liability insurance, and obtain a city business license.
Before the 2024 ordinance Roswell had no dedicated short-term rental code, leaving STRs in a regulatory gray zone. Ordinance 2024-05-09 established a registration system administered by the Community Development Department: operators submit a Lodgers' Tax collection form, pay a $35 non-refundable registration fee, provide proof of general commercial liability insurance naming the city as additionally insured, and after issuance of an STR number obtain a Roswell business license. STRs are not permitted in residential zoning districts under the new code; the only exceptions are bed-and-breakfast operations in the Downtown Historic District. The ordinance does not cap the citywide number of STRs but does cap the number of guests per unit by bedroom count and requires a local contact person reachable 24/7.
Operating an unregistered STR after the January 31, 2026 enforcement date is a code violation prosecuted in Municipal Court with fines up to $1,000 per day and up to six months in jail. Repeat violations can trigger revocation of the STR registration and business license.
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