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South Fulton, GA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Short-term rental permit rules in South Fulton, GA, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.

Key Facts

Governing section
§ 12-3004(a)
Application fee
$200 (nonrefundable)
Permit expires
December 30 each year
Review timeline
45 days (§ 12-3007)
Fine schedule
$500/$750/$1,000 escalating
Revocation trigger
3 violations in 12 months

Summary

Renting out any South Fulton dwelling for stays of 30 days or less requires a short-term rental permit before the first booking. Section 12-3004 bars operating, advertising or transferring a rental without one, and the $200 application must include an on-call local agent, proof of ownership and $500,000 in liability insurance.

(a)It shall be unlawful for any owner or responsible party to operate, rent, own maintain, or otherwise permit or allow exchange for compensation all or any portion of a dwelling unit as short-term rental, as defined in section 12-3002, without first obtaining short-term rental permit pursuant to the regulations contained in this chapter. No permit issued under this chapter may be transferred or assigned or used by any person other than the one to whom it is issued, or at any location other than the one for which it is issued.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 13 Update 1).

Full Breakdown

Section 12-3004(a) makes it unlawful to operate, rent, own, maintain or otherwise allow compensation in exchange for any portion of a dwelling as a short-term rental, defined in Section 12-3002 as lodging for transient guests for up to 30 consecutive days, without first obtaining a short-term rental permit. Permits are not transferable to another person or usable at a different address. Subsections (c) and (d) separately bar advertising a property as a short-term rental in any medium, including hosting platforms and websites, without a current permit and without including the assigned permit number in the listing.

00 fee, identifying the owner, the unit's address, and a designated short-term rental agent available around the clock, plus a code compliance verification form and the owner's agreement to prevent the rental from disrupting the neighborhood. Section 12-3007 requires the city manager to review a complete application, after the public notice period, within 45 days, and to grant it unless the applicant fails the chapter's conditions or has a history of nuisance behavior at the location. 00 fee under Section 12-3005(d). 00, none of which can be waived, and three violations at one property within 12 months triggers automatic permit revocation for a full year. This chapter took effect under Ordinance No. 2025-011 on April 22, 2025.

Violations & Fines

Operating, renting out, or advertising a South Fulton dwelling as a short-term rental without the permit required by Section 12-3004 is unlawful and escalates under Section 12-3009(d): $500.00 for a first violation, $750.00 for a second within 12 months, and $1,000.00 for a third, none waivable. Three violations at one address within 12 months triggers automatic permit revocation for a year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to run an Airbnb in South Fulton?
Yes. Section 12-3004(a) makes it unlawful to rent out any part of a dwelling as a short-term rental, meaning stays of 30 days or less, without first obtaining a short-term rental permit from the city's community development and regulatory affairs department.
How much does a South Fulton short-term rental permit cost?
The initial application requires a nonrefundable $200.00 fee under Section 12-3005(a), and renewal, required every year since permits expire December 30, carries another $200.00 nonrefundable fee under Section 12-3005(d).
What happens if I operate a South Fulton short-term rental without a permit?
Section 12-3009(d) fines a first violation $500.00, a second within 12 months $750.00, and a third or later violation $1,000.00, none of which the city can waive or reduce. Three violations at the same property within 12 months results in automatic permit revocation for a full year.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in South Fulton

All South Fulton rules

How South Fulton compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·Compare South Fulton to another location·View the Georgia short-term rentals overview

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Short-Term Rental Permits in Nearby Cities

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