LicensedRental

Jefferson County, Alabama

Vestavia Hills, AL vacation rental requirements

Vestavia Hills bans renting any home, duplex, or apartment in a residential zone for less than 90 days, and bans advertising such rentals (Ordinance 3204, December 2023). The city says it has issued no business licenses for home sharing; the only path is a conditional use approval ($100, two public hearings). Lodgings tax is 17%.

Checked against official sources November 5, 2026

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Residential zones
No rentals under 90 days
Misdemeanor; each day is a separate offense.Source
Conditional use approval
$100 + mailing costs
About 4 months, Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council hearings, owners within 500 feet notified.Source
Lodgings tax
17%
6% city (filed with Avenu) + 7% county + 4% state.Source

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 Vestavia Hills

  1. Rent for 90 days or longer

    In residential zones, stays under 90 consecutive days are illegal.Source

  2. Or ask for a conditional use approval

    Check your covenants first (many subdivisions allow only single-family use). File the Conditional Use Approval application, a letter describing the business, and $100 with the City Clerk. If approved, you’ll need business licenses, lodging tax accounts, and lodging upgrades, including sprinklers when the whole home is rented.Source

  3. Register for lodgings tax

    Total lodgings tax here is 17%. The city’s 6% is filed with Avenu Insights. 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

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.