LicensedRental

DeKalb County, Georgia

Stone Mountain, GA vacation rental requirements

Stone Mountain allows whole-house vacation rentals only in its village center (VCM) zone or with a special use permit from city council, and caps them at 60 permits a year. Guests can stay at most 14 days in any 90. Owner-occupied homestays (one room) are licensed separately. Stays pay 8% sales tax plus the city’s 5% 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
VCM zone or special use permit
For whole-house vacation home facilities.Source
Cap
60 permits a year
Renewals first; all expire December 31.Source
Stay limit
14 days in any 90
Taxes
8% sales + 5% hotel-motel + $5/night

Much of the “Stone Mountain” mailing area is unincorporated DeKalb County, where the county license applies instead.

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 Stone Mountain

  1. Confirm your zoning

    Vacation homes are allowed only in the VCM district or with a council-approved special use permit. Homestays must be owner-occupied with a DeKalb homestead exemption and rent one room.Source

  2. Get the license and tax certificate

    Get a short-term lodging license and a home occupational tax certificate each year. Include a floor plan with room sizes, a parking site plan, and an HOA statement if you are in one. The city inspects at licensing and renewal.Source

  3. Name a manager who responds within an hour

    If you don’t live in DeKalb County, name a property manager who answers 24/7 and gets to the property within one hour of a city call.Source

  4. 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. Stone Mountain’s hotel-motel tax is 5%. For direct bookings, file it with the city.Source

House rules for guests

Rooms
Up to 4 guest rooms, 40 sq ft per guest
Source
Parking
No street or front-yard parking
Source
Safety
Smoke alarm in each room + fire extinguisher
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.