LicensedRental

Georgia county rules

Habersham County, GA vacation rental rules and taxes

Habersham County has about 150 listings around Clarkesville and Demorest. We found no county short-term rental permit, but the county’s 5% hotel-motel tax covers short-term vacation rentals, and Clarkesville adopted its own ordinance in 2024.

Checked against official sources November 6, 2026
Market
About 150 listings
Clarkesville 116, Demorest 36 Airbnb listings (AirROI).Source
Sales tax
7%
County rental permit
None found
Hotel-motel tax
5% county; 5% Clarkesville; 8% Cornelia

Cornelia, Baldwin, Alto, and Mount Airy have few listings. We found no short-term rental rules in Cornelia’s code; ask the city hall.

What to do

  1. Then your city or area

    Permits, zoning, and the hotel-motel tax depend on whether you’re inside a city. Pick your area.

Towns

Full guide

Clarkesville

Clarkesville adopted a short-term rental ordinance in April 2024. Under the final draft, rentals are allowed downtown (not on the ground floor) and in the highway business district, need a conditional use permit in most residential zones, and must be at least 1,500 feet from another rental.

Full guide

Demorest

We found no short-term rental permit or rules in Demorest’s code. Stays owe 7% sales tax + hotel-motel tax + $5/night; Airbnb collects these on its bookings.

Full guide

Unincorporated Habersham County

We found no short-term rental permit in Habersham County’s code. Outside the cities, stays owe 7% sales tax, the county’s 5% hotel-motel tax (which expressly covers short-term vacation rentals), and the $5 state fee.

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 Spot something out of date?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.