Catoosa County, Georgia
Ringgold, GA vacation rental requirements
Ringgold requires a yearly short-term rental permit ($40 application) and a city business license, and both the owner and the rental agent must pass a criminal background check. Rentals are allowed in the same zones as bed and breakfast homes.
Checked against official sources November 6, 2026Download checklist (PDF)Free. A printable version of this guide to tick off, with the official sources.
Your agent must be 18 or older and customarily present in the city. If you change agents, apply for a new permit within 30 days.
Three violations in 12 months blocks the property for 12 months.
Your licensing checklist
In order: the state, the county, then the town.
State of Georgia
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
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
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.
Catoosa County, Georgia
Then your city or area
Permits, zoning, and the hotel-motel tax depend on whether you’re inside a city. Pick your area.
City of Ringgold
Check your zoning
Ask the city whether bed and breakfast homes are allowed in your zoning district; short-term rentals follow the same rules.Source
Apply under oath
Submit the application with a sworn code compliance form, a sample guest agreement (noise rules, no adult entertainment), proof of ownership and insurance, and your agent’s signed agreement. The city reviews within two days.Source
Post the permit and license
Post the permit with your agent’s contact, the permit number, the maximum occupancy, and the maximum vehicles, plus the current business license. Show the permit number in every ad.Source
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. Ringgold charges an 8% hotel-motel tax; file it with the City of Ringgold.Source
Sources
- Occupancy tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in Georgia · Airbnb
- Rule 560-13-2-.01 amendment notice (2025) · Georgia Department of Revenue
- Code section · City of Ringgold (Municode)
- Hotel/motel excise tax rates and revenue report · Georgia Department of Community Affairs
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.