LicensedRental

Covington County, Alabama

Unincorporated Covington, AL vacation rental requirements

We found no short-term rental permit or rules in Unincorporated Covington’s code. You owe 11% (7% county + 4% state) in lodgings tax and likely need a business license; some of the local tax may not be collected by Airbnb.

Checked against official sources November 5, 2026

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City rental permit
None found
Lodgings tax
11% (7% county + 4% state)

We found no county short-term rental rules in November 2026. Gantt, Red Level, and River Falls are small towns; ask the town hall whether a town tax or license applies.

Airbnb’s Alabama tax article lists the state tax and the local taxes the state administers. It doesn’t name the Avenu- or city-administered taxes here, so ask your platform what it collects and file the rest yourself.

Your licensing checklist

In order: the state, the county, then the town.

State of Alabama

  1. Register for the lodgings tax

    Create an account at My Alabama Taxes (MAT) and register for state lodgings tax, plus any local lodgings taxes the state administers for your county and city. Cities that collect their own tax need a separate account with the city.Source

    My Alabama Taxes →

  2. File by the 20th

    Returns are due by the 20th of the following month. Small filers can ask (before February 20) to file quarterly, twice a year, or yearly. Paying on time earns a small discount (5% of the first $100 of tax, 2% after).Source

  3. Know what the platform collects

    Under Act 2024-334, Airbnb, VRBO, and other booking platforms collect the state and local lodgings taxes on their bookings unless your contract says you remit. You still owe tax on direct bookings, and the law adds a yearly report of every unit rented more than 14 days.Source

  4. Keep filing once you register

    If every booking goes through a platform that collects all your state and local lodgings taxes, you may not need your own account. But if you take direct bookings, or the platform doesn’t collect one of your local taxes (often the ones filed with a city, a county, or Avenu), register and file it yourself. Once registered, file every period, even a $0 return, and report platform-collected sales as a deduction. Some county offices ask owners to keep their own account and file monthly even when the platform pays, so ask yours.Source

  5. Then your county and city

    Local business licenses, rental permits, and zoning rules are where Alabama towns differ most. Pick your area.

Covington County, Alabama

  1. Register for the county lodgings tax

    Open a local tax account with Avenu Insights for the 7% county tax.Source

  2. Then your city

    Pick your area.

Covington County (unincorporated areas)

  1. Register for lodgings tax

    Total lodgings tax here is 11% (7% county + 4% state). The county 7% is filed with Avenu Insights. The state 4% goes through My Alabama Taxes; Airbnb collects it on its bookings. Ask your platform whether it also collects the local taxes, and file anything it doesn’t by the 20th of each month.Source

  2. Ask about a business license and zoning

    Ask the Covington County (unincorporated areas) whether a short-term rental needs a city business license and whether zoning allows it at your address. Check your HOA rules too.

Sources

A plain-language summary to help you prepare, not legal advice. Rules and fees change; confirm with the office before you apply. Spot something out of date? Email hello@licensedrental.com.