Chatham County, GA Short-Term Rentals: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- County residence rule
- None; owner-occupancy not required
- County eligibility
- Ownership interest required
- Savannah historic cap
- 20% non-owner-occupied parcels
- Savannah owner-occupied
- Must be primary residence
- Tybee R-1/R-1-B/R-2
- No new short-term rentals
Summary
Unincorporated Chatham County does not require a short-term rental to be the owner's primary residence, but only property owners (not renters) may hold a license. The City of Savannah, by contrast, caps non-owner-occupied rentals and requires owner-occupancy for its owner-occupied STVR category.
All applicants must have an ownership interest. Renters of real property are not eligible for short term rental license.
Full Breakdown
Section 16-1304(1)(d) limits licenses to applicants with an ownership interest; there is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence mandate for unincorporated county rentals. Savannah is stricter: in the Downtown and Victorian Historic Districts a 20% cap applies to non-owner-occupied parcels, and its owner-occupied STVR requires that the principal dwelling be the owner's primary and usual place of residence. Tybee Island bars new short-term rentals in its R-1, R-1-B and R-2 residential zones, treating existing ones as non-conforming uses. Check the specific city before assuming an investment rental is allowed.
Violations & Fines
Applying without an ownership interest, or misrepresenting eligibility, is grounds for denial or immediate revocation of the license (§16-1308).
Frequently Asked Questions
Must a Chatham County rental be my primary home?
Does Savannah restrict investor rentals?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chatham County
Compare Chatham County to another location·View the Georgia short-term rentals overview
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