LicensedRental

Marshall County, Alabama

Guntersville, AL vacation rental requirements

Guntersville requires a renting and leasing business license plus a $20 yearly permit for each short-term rental (under 30 days) in residential zones, with an emergency contact who responds within an hour, two guests plus two per bedroom, parking on site, written notice to neighbors, and no events. Lodgings tax is 12%.

Checked against official sources November 5, 2026

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City permit
$20 per unit a year
Plus a renting and leasing business license. Ordinance 1097 (2018), §13-131.Source
Maximum guests
2 + 2 per bedroom
One party at a time; bedrooms set by the building official.Source
Response time
1 hour
On site within 12 hours if the city asks.Source
Lodgings tax
12%
6% city (collected by Avenu) + 1% county + 5% state.Source

The rules apply only in residential zones, not in districts where commercial lodging is allowed. Fines are $500 for a first violation and $1,000 after.

More than two 32-gallon garbage cans costs extra.

Airbnb’s Alabama tax article lists the state tax and the local taxes the state administers. Taxes filed with a city, a county, or Avenu Insights may not be collected by the platform, so ask 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.

Marshall County, Alabama

  1. Register for the county lodgings tax

    File the 1% county tax with the state through My Alabama Taxes, along with the 5% state tax.Source

  2. Then your city

    Pick your area.

City of Guntersville

  1. Get the business license and permit

    Apply with an emergency contact, the names and addresses of adjacent residential owners, and your bedroom count. Send proof of vacation rental insurance within 30 days.Source

    Guntersville short-term rental info →

  2. Notify your neighbors

    Give adjacent residential owners written notice with your and your contact’s phone numbers, the city’s violation line, and the maximum guests.Source

  3. Post the rules

    Post the ordinance, permit, contact information, and house rules, and have guests sign that they received them.Source

  4. Register for lodgings tax

    Total lodgings tax here is 12%. The city’s 6% is filed with Avenu Insights; the county 1% and state 5% go through My Alabama Taxes. Airbnb collects the state 5% and any state-administered local tax on its bookings. Ask your platform whether it also collects the other local taxes, and file anything it doesn’t (and all direct bookings) by the 20th of each month.Source

House rules for guests

Maximum guests
2 + 2 per bedroom
Source
Parking
On the property, off the street
No RVs, boats, or trailers on the street or in front of the house.Source
Events
None allowed
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.