Habersham County, Georgia
Clarkesville, GA vacation rental requirements
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.
Checked against official sources November 6, 2026Download checklist (PDF)Free. A printable version of this guide to tick off, with the official sources.
We read the February 2024 final draft; the council adopted the ordinance on April 8, 2024, and the adopted text may differ. Confirm the rules with the city clerk.
The city manager said rentals already operating would be grandfathered.
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.
Habersham County, Georgia
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 Clarkesville
Check your zoning and spacing
In residential districts you need a conditional use permit, and in a subdivision only if the covenants allow rentals (or, with no HOA, a signed majority of homeowners). Ask the city whether another rental is within 1,500 feet.Source
Apply and attest to safety
Certify your insurance, that no covenants prohibit rentals, and that the home meets the building and fire codes and NFPA 101 (by you or a third-party inspector). Give the clerk a local contact who responds within 2 hours, 24/7.Source
Taxes on each stay
Stays here owe 7% 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. Clarkesville charges a 5% hotel-motel tax; file it with the City of Clarkesville and display the tax certificate at the property.Source
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
- Planning Commission work session agenda with final draft of zoning sections 731–736, short-term rentals (February 13, 2024) · City of Clarkesville
- Hotel/motel excise tax rates and revenue report · Georgia Department of Community Affairs
- Clarkesville council approves short term rental ordinance (April 9, 2024) · Now Habersham
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.