Atlanta short-term rental law start date delayed to March
- Aug 5, 2021 | Jennifer Sokolowsky
A new law regulating short-term rentals in Atlanta, Georgia, will go into effect March 1, 2022, six months later than planned, according to a measure just approved by the Atlanta City Council.
When the vacation rental ordinance passed this spring, the original start date was September 1, 2021, but the city’s planning department needs more time to implement the new rules.
Under the short-term rental ordinance, hosts must apply for permits from the Department of Planning and Community Development and pay a $150 nonrefundable application fee. Owners and long-term tenants are eligible to get two permits total — one for a property that’s their primary address and one for another property.
When a property applies for a short-term rental permit, neighbors will be notified. The law also mandates email and phone hotlines for complaints involving short-term rentals.
Owners will be financially responsible for any code violations at their properties and fined $500 for each violation. Properties that rack up three violations will be prohibited from operating as a short-term rental for one year.
Short-term rental hosts are also responsible for collecting Atlanta’s hotel-motel tax under the new regulations. They must also collect state sales tax from their guests.
State law requires short-term rental marketplaces such as Vrbo and Airbnb to collect state sales tax automatically on behalf of Georgia hosts and pay it directly to the state. Vrbo and Airbnb also collect local sales tax in Atlanta.
However, Vrbo and Airbnb don’t collect Atlanta’s hotel-motel tax. Atlanta hosts are responsible for registering with the city, collecting the hotel-motel tax from guests, and paying the tax monthly.
MyLodgeTax can automate and simplify short-term rental tax compliance, including registration and filing with state and local tax authorities. For more on short-term rental taxes in Georgia, see our state Vacation Rental Tax Guide. If you have tax questions related to vacation rental properties, drop us a line and we’ll get back to you with answers.
