How to get a short-term rental permit in Atlanta, GA (2026)
Atlanta requires Short-Term Rental License (STRL) — the fee is $150, renewed annual. Here's how to get and keep it.
Permit at a glance
| Permit required | Yes |
|---|---|
| Permit name | Short-Term Rental License (STRL) |
| Permit fee | $150 |
| Renewal | Annual |
Step by step
- 1
Confirm your property is eligible
Atlanta requires owner occupancy, so confirm you meet that condition. STRs are broadly allowed citywide: Sec. 20-1004(d) lets an owner or long-term tenant license their primary residence plus one additional dwelling 'without any additional requirements, fees, permits, licenses, zoning or related restrictions,' and short-term rentals appear as a permitted principal use across many commercial, mixed-use, SPI and landmark districts. Exception: since August 18, 2025, STR operation is prohibited in the SPI-8 Home Park District (Sec. 16-18H.004, Ord. 2025-29/25-O-1249); news reports state existing licensed operators there were grandfathered. A proposed ban for District 7 (north Buckhead/Lindbergh) was rejected 7-6 by City Council on November 17, 2025. Proposed citywide 1,000-foot spacing between licensed STRs and a 10% cap in multi-family complexes (24-O-1687) were never adopted.
- 2
Apply for the Short-Term Rental License (STRL)
Submit the Short-Term Rental License (STRL) application to Atlanta and pay the $150 fee. Non-refundable $150.00 application fee, submitted annually with each application/renewal. A single license can cover the host's primary residence plus one additional dwelling unit. A December 2024 proposal (24-O-1687) to raise the fee to $250 and add a $500,000 liability-insurance requirement was held in committee and has not been adopted.
- 3
Register for occupancy taxes
Register to collect and remit the applicable lodging/occupancy taxes for Atlanta. Some are collected automatically by the booking platform and some you may need to remit yourself.
- 4
Renew on schedule
The permit renews annual — set a reminder so it never lapses, since operating on an expired permit typically triggers fines.
STR rules change without warning.
Get an email the moment Atlanta changes its short-term rental rules — plus renewal reminders before your permit expires.
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Verified July 10, 2026. Informational only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Permit requirements and fees change; confirm current requirements with Atlanta before applying.