LicensedRental

Upson County, Georgia

Thomaston, GA vacation rental requirements

Thomaston’s zoning code applies its bed and breakfast standards to short-term rentals: the owner or an agent must live on the premises, stays can’t exceed seven days, and the home can have up to 6 guest rooms and 12 guests. In single-family zones the rental needs special use approval from city council.

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
Special use in single-family zones
Approved by city council.Source
Owner on site
Owner or agent must live on the premises
Limits
6 guest rooms, 12 guests, 7-day maximum stay
Taxes
9% sales tax + 5% hotel-motel tax + $5/night

The code applies the bed and breakfast standards to short-term rentals without saying which ones fit a whole-home rental (for example the breakfast-only meal rule). Ask the city how it applies them.

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.

Upson County, Georgia

  1. Then your city or area

    Pick your area.

City of Thomaston

  1. Apply for special use approval

    In a single-family detached residential district, ask the city about a special use application; city council decides.Source

  2. Get an occupation tax permit

    Bed and breakfast standards require an annual occupation tax permit. Short-term rentals can skip the fee if you show it was paid in another jurisdiction. The health department and fire department may inspect to set capacity.Source

  3. Taxes on each stay

    Stays here owe 9% 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. File Thomaston’s 5% hotel-motel tax with the City of Thomaston for direct bookings.Source

House rules for guests

Parking
2 spaces plus 1 per guest room, off street
Pavers, decorative stone, or pervious materials allowed; not “57 stone.”Source
Appearance
Keep the home’s residential character
Source
Lot size
At least 15,000 sq ft
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.