Grady County, Georgia
Cairo, GA vacation rental requirements
Cairo requires a city building office approval, renewed each calendar year, and a city certificate of business for every short-term rental. Owners who live away must name a contact within 25 miles and carry at least $500,000 in insurance.
Checked against official sources November 6, 2026Download checklist (PDF)Free. A printable version of this guide to tick off, with the official sources.
The rules sit in the R-1AA residential district chapter and say rentals are allowed in “designated” districts, but don’t list them. Ask the building official whether your zone qualifies.
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.
Grady County, Georgia
Then your city or area
Business licenses, zoning, and the local hotel-motel tax are set by each city and the county. Pick your area.
City of Cairo
Apply to the building office
Give your name and contact details and, if you live outside the area, a local contact within 25 miles of Cairo. Include proof of insurance and pay the application fee. Code enforcement sets the number of guests based on bedrooms, beds, and size.Source
Get a certificate of business
Buy a City of Cairo certificate of business and post it, with the city’s rental approval, at the rental.Source
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. Cairo’s hotel-motel tax is 5%; for direct bookings, file it with the City of Cairo.Source
Inspection checklist
What the inspector looks for, from City of Cairo’s published checklist.
- UL-listed smoke alarms in sleeping areas, along the exit path, and on each story
- 24-hour emergency phone number given to guests and posted
- City approval posted at the unit
- Linens and towels changed and the unit cleaned between guests
House rules for guests
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 Cairo (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.