LicensedRental

DeKalb County, Georgia

Decatur, GA vacation rental requirements

Decatur treats short-term rentals as overnight lodging: you file an application with the city and follow occupancy, parking, and noise standards. Rentals are allowed in accessory dwellings but not in sheds, RVs, or tents. Stays pay 8% sales tax plus the city’s 8% 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.

Only when this town’s rules, fees, or forms change. Unsubscribe anytime.

City application
Required
With fees set by the City Commission.Source
Maximum guests
2 per room + 2
Or the fire marshal’s limit. Daytime: overnight limit + 4, up to 14.Source
Buildings
Homes and ADUs only
One unit per duplex or flat building at a time; no accessory, temporary, or non-habitable structures.Source
Taxes
8% sales + 8% hotel-motel + $5/night

We didn’t confirm the zoning districts or the fee. Ask the city.

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.

DeKalb County, Georgia

  1. Find out who governs your address

    DeKalb’s county license covers only unincorporated areas. If you are in a city, that city’s rules and hotel-motel tax apply instead. Pick your area below.

  2. Know what the platform collects

    Airbnb collects state and local sales tax, the $5 state fee, and the local hotel-motel tax on its bookings.Source

City of Decatur

  1. Check your zoning

    Overnight lodging is allowed only where the use table lists it as a limited use. Ask Decatur Planning whether your address qualifies.Source

  2. Apply to the city

    File the overnight lodging application with a description, the required affidavits, and the fee. Every guest room must meet building and fire codes, and parking must meet the city standard.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. Decatur’s hotel-motel tax is 8%. For direct bookings, file it with the city.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.