LicensedRental

Barrow County, Georgia

Winder, GA vacation rental requirements

Winder’s zoning code makes a short-term rental a conditional use that needs City Council approval, in most residential and business districts. The city adds a 7% hotel-motel tax.

Checked against official sources November 6, 2026

Download checklist (PDF)Free. A printable version of this guide to tick off, with the official sources.

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Zoning
Conditional use (City Council)
AG, R-1, R-1A, R-1B, R-2, R-3, TNPD, MU, DT, B-1, B-2. Not allowed in R-1C, MH, G, or I.Source
Taxes
8% sales + 7% city hotel-motel + $5/night

Your licensing checklist

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

State of Georgia

  1. Know what the platform collects

    Airbnb collects state and local sales tax, the $5-a-night state hotel-motel fee, and the local hotel-motel tax on its Georgia bookings. Ask any other platform what it collects, and keep records either way.Source

  2. Register for direct bookings

    If guests book and pay you directly, register for sales tax with the Georgia Tax Center and file the local hotel-motel tax with your city or county. If your city or county requires a business license or occupation tax for the rental, the DOR treats you as an innkeeper and you also owe the $5 state fee on direct bookings.Source

    Georgia Tax Center →

  3. Check your city or county

    Most of the rules are local: short-term rental permits, business licenses (occupation tax), zoning limits, and caps. Some cities ban rentals in residential zones. Pick your area.

Barrow County, Georgia

  1. Then your city or area

    Permits, zoning, and the hotel-motel tax are set by each city, and by the county outside city limits. Pick your area.

City of Winder

  1. Apply for conditional use approval

    Ask Winder Planning how to apply for a conditional use for your parcel; the City Council decides. Ask too about a business license and the parking the code requires.Source

  2. Taxes on each stay

    Stays here owe 8% sales tax, the local hotel-motel tax, and the $5-a-night state fee. Airbnb collects all three on its bookings. For direct bookings, file sales tax (and the $5 fee, if you need a local license) with the Georgia Tax Center. Winder’s 7% hotel-motel tax applies inside city limits; file it with the city for direct bookings.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.