Unincorporated Chatham County charges a $350 annual STVR Certificate fee under Article XIII, § 16-1304(1)(a), with $350 renewal due by July 1 (§ 16-1305(1)(a)). Operators must collect and remit the Chatham County 6% hotel-motel excise tax (authorized by O.C.G.A. § 48-13-50 et seq.) plus the $5 per night Georgia state hotel-motel fee under O.C.G.A. § 48-13-50.3. Booking platforms (Airbnb, VRBO) acting as marketplace innkeepers may collect and remit on the operator's behalf.
Article XIII (§§ 16-1301 to 16-1311) of the Chatham County Code, effective July 1, 2020, sets a $350 initial license fee under § 16-1304(1)(a) and a $350 renewal fee under § 16-1305(1)(a), payable to the Chatham County Department of Building Safety & Regulatory Services (BSRS). Fees are not prorated (§ 16-1304(2)) and licenses run through June 30. Under § 16-1304(1)(i), each application must include either proof of a current contract with a marketplace innkeeper service that collects the Hotel/Motel Tax or copies of returns showing direct submission to Chatham County Finance under Chapter 16, Article IV. State-level taxes that also apply to lodging in unincorporated Chatham County include the 4% state sales tax, the 3% local sales tax (LOST/SPLOST/ESPLOST/TSPLOST combined), and the $5 per night state hotel-motel fee under O.C.G.A. § 48-13-50.3 (Note: City of Savannah's separate 8% hotel-motel rate, effective Sept. 1, 2023, applies only inside city limits, not in the unincorporated county). Operators must keep tax records for one year past license expiration, or three years if the license is renewed (§ 16-1303(7)). Confirm current rates with Chatham County BSRS at (912) 201-4300.
Failure to make timely payment of any taxes or fees due to Chatham County is grounds for license revocation under § 16-1308(1)(d). Nonpayment of hotel/motel taxes is also grounds for license suspension under § 16-1307(1)(d) and triggers additional consequences under State statutes and Chapter 16, Article IV.
Chatham County, GA
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Tybee Island, GA
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