LicensedRental

Towns County, Georgia

Hiawassee, GA vacation rental requirements

We found no short-term rental permit or rules in Hiawassee’s code. Stays owe 7% sales tax + 8% hotel-motel tax + $5/night; Airbnb collects these on its bookings.

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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City rental permit
None found
Taxes
7% sales tax + 8% hotel-motel tax + $5/night

We searched the city code in November 2026 and found no short-term rental rules. Many “Hiawassee” lake homes are outside city limits, where Towns County’s 5% tax 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.

Towns County, Georgia

  1. 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 Hiawassee

  1. 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. Hiawassee charges an 8% hotel-motel tax; file it with the City of Hiawassee.Source

  2. Ask about zoning and a business license

    Ask the City of Hiawassee whether zoning allows a short-term rental at your address and whether you need a business license (occupation tax certificate). Check your HOA rules too.

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.