LicensedRental

Bartow County, Georgia

Unincorporated Bartow County, GA vacation rental requirements

Bartow County allows short-term rentals of single-family homes in residential zones under its 2023 standards: 2 guests per bedroom plus 2 (no more than 15), one parking space per bedroom, and a response within an hour. We didn’t find a separate county permit.

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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County rules
Occupancy, parking, and safety standards
We found no separate short-term rental permit; ask about a business license.Source
Maximum guests
2 per bedroom + 2, up to 15
The director can allow up to 24. Daytime guests up to the same number; children 3 and under don’t count.Source
Response
On site within 1 hour, 24/7
Taxes
7% sales tax + 8% hotel-motel tax + $5/night

Each day of noncompliance is a separate citation in magistrate court.

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.

Bartow County, Georgia

  1. Then your city or area

    Inside a city, the city’s own hotel-motel tax normally applies instead of the county’s; ask your city to confirm. Pick your area.

Bartow County (unincorporated areas)

  1. Check the property

    Off-street parking for one car per bedroom on gravel, concrete, or asphalt (the director can cut this by up to half). The septic system or sewer must handle the bedrooms you rent.Source

  2. Ask about a business license

    The rules sit in the county’s business code. Ask Bartow County Community Development whether you need a business license and whether zoning allows a rental at your address.Source

  3. Taxes on each stay

    Stays here owe 7% 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. For direct bookings, file Bartow County’s 8% hotel-motel tax with the county.Source

Inspection checklist

What the inspector looks for, from Bartow County (unincorporated areas)’s published checklist.

  • Smoke detector (UL 217) in every bedroom, adjoining hallway, and common area
  • Carbon monoxide detector in every bedroom and on each habitable floor
  • Escape window or door in every bedroom (at least 5.7 sq ft, 20 in wide, 24 in high)
  • 5-lb ABC fire extinguisher on each floor
  • House number visible from the street

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.