LicensedRental

Jefferson County, Alabama

Gardendale, AL vacation rental requirements

Gardendale requires a $150 yearly short-term rental permit and a business license, and allows short-term rentals only in zones that list them (its C-1, C-2, and C-3 business districts). Units need fire sprinklers, $1 million in liability insurance, and a posted exit plan. Lodgings tax is 20%.

Checked against official sources November 5, 2026

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City permit
$150 a year
From Inspection Services; expires December 31.Source
Where allowed
C-1, C-2, C-3
Short-term rental is listed as a use in these business districts.Source
Maximum guests
2 per bedroom
1 parking space per bedroom; no overnight street parking.Source
Lodgings tax
20%
9% city (filed with the city) + 7% county + 4% state.Source

Three substantiated police complaints in 12 months suspend the permit.

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.

Jefferson County, Alabama

  1. Register for the county lodgings tax

    File the county’s 7% monthly with the Jefferson County Department of Revenue (205-325-5171), on top of the 4% state tax through My Alabama Taxes.Source

  2. Then your city

    Check your city first: several suburbs don’t allow stays under 30 or 90 days in homes.

City of Gardendale

  1. Confirm your zone

    Short-term rentals are illegal in zones that don’t permit them. HOA bans still apply.Source

  2. Apply for the permit

    Submit your ID, deed, a parking survey, a floor plan, your platforms, a 24/7 emergency contact, $1 million liability insurance, and a sworn statement covering smoke and CO alarms, a posted exit diagram, a sprinkler system (including over the cooktop), and code compliance.Source

  3. Register for lodgings tax

    Total lodgings tax here is 20%. The city’s 9% is filed with the city. The county’s 7% is filed with the Jefferson County Department of Revenue. Airbnb collects the state tax and the local taxes the state administers. For county or city taxes filed with the county, the city, or Avenu, ask your platform whether it remits them; if not, file them yourself by the 20th of each month.Source

House rules for guests

Maximum guests
2 per bedroom
Source

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.