LicensedRental

Dawson County, Georgia

Dawsonville, GA vacation rental requirements

Dawsonville requires a yearly city short-term rental license, priced by the square footage you rent, and notifies your neighbors before the first license. Guests are capped at 2 per bedroom plus 2 overnight, and your agent must reach the property within 2 hours.

Checked against official sources November 6, 2026

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City license
Required, renewed yearly
Fee by square footage (§2-110); half price after July 1. Renewal paperwork due November 20.Source
Zoning
One whole-home rental per parcel
Maximum guests
2 per bedroom + 2 overnight
Daytime, one visitor per guest.Source
Taxes
8% sales tax + 6% hotel-motel tax + $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.

Dawson County, Georgia

  1. 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 Dawsonville

  1. Apply to Planning and Zoning

    Submit a notarized application with all owners, your 24-hour agent, parking spaces, adjoining owners’ names and addresses, proof of ownership, and insurance showing short-term rental use. The city sends your application to adjacent owners before issuing the first license.Source

  2. Renew on time

    Renewal packages go out by November 1 and are due by 4 p.m. November 20; after December 20 you must reapply and stop renting until approved.Source

  3. 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. Dawsonville charges a 6% hotel-motel tax; file it with the City of Dawsonville.Source

House rules for guests

Parking
Off-street for every guest
Source
Rules
Publish house rules for guests
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.