Savannah Short-Term Rental Laws (2026)
Permits, taxes, caps, and penalties for Airbnb & vacation rentals in Savannah, Georgia — from official sources, with citations. Reviewed 2026-07-02.
Permitted with Conditions
Short-term rentals are legal in Savannah only inside the STVR Overlay District with a city STVR certificate, and every listed ward in the Downtown and Victorian Historic Districts has hit the 20% non-owner-occupied cap â so new whole-home permits there are effectively limited to owner-occupied properties.
Can you operate a short-term rental in Savannah?
Savannah regulates rentals of an entire dwelling unit for 30 days or less as Short-Term Vacation Rentals under City Code Chapter 11 (Sec. 8-11000s). STVRs are only allowed inside the STVR Overlay District, and non-owner-occupied STVRs in the Downtown Historic and Victorian Historic Districts are subject to a 20% per-ward cap that all listed wards have currently met. Owner-occupied properties (owner's primary residence) are exempt from the cap, which is the main path in for new hosts in the historic core.
Overlay district only
STVRs are limited to the area defined by the STVR Overlay District. In the Streetcar District, STVRs require a multi-unit property on a TN-2 zoned parcel with at least one owner-occupied unit.
§ City of Savannah STVR Ordinance (City Code Ch. 11) / STVR Overlay District
20% per-ward cap â all wards at cap
Since September 29, 2017, non-owner-occupied STVR parcels in the Downtown Historic and Victorian Historic Districts are capped at 20% per ward. The city's list shows all 30+ wards in both districts have met the cap, so new non-owner-occupied certificates there are unavailable.
Owner-occupied exception
The cap does not block owner-occupied STVRs: the principal dwelling unit must be occupied by the property owner as their primary and usual place of residence.
Grandfathering and transfers
Certificates issued before September 28, 2017 are grandfathered and renewals are not denied for exceeding the cap. But certificates are non-transferable (City Code Sec. 8-11012); a buyer of a property with an existing STVR has 6 months to apply without cap restrictions.
Permits & licenses in Savannah
You must hold both a City of Savannah STVR certificate and a Business Tax Certificate before hosting your first guest. Applications and annual renewals run through the city's online STVR registration portal (Rentalscape/Deckard).
- 1
Confirm eligibility
Verify the property sits in the STVR Overlay District and clears the ward cap (or qualifies as owner-occupied). The city offers a Zoning Confirmation Letter for a $50 fee to confirm eligibility before you invest.
- 2
Apply via the STVR portal
Submit the application, required documents, and the non-refundable $400 new-application fee through the STVR Registration Portal (str.deckard.com). Required documents include proof of insurance indicating STVR use, an exemplar rental agreement, notification of adjacent property owners, and a condo declaration permitting short-term leasing if applicable.
- 3
Get a Business Tax Certificate
Obtain a Business Tax Certificate (BTC) from the city's Revenue Department and submit a copy to the Planning and Urban Design office as part of the STVR process.
- 4
Receive certificate, then operate
The STVR certificate must be issued before operating. Your certificate number and rental agreement must appear in all advertisements, and the rental agreement must be posted at the property.
- 5
Renew annually
Renew each year through the portal with the non-refundable $250 renewal fee. Report any rental agent change within five business days using the portal's Rental Agent Change Form.
Fees: $400 non-refundable new application, $250 annual renewal, optional $50 Zoning Confirmation Letter; Business Tax Certificate fee applies separately (see Revenue Department).
Short-term rental taxes in Savannah
STVR operators owe three layers on every stay: Georgia sales tax, the flat $5/night Georgia state hotel-motel fee, and Savannah's 8% hotel/motel excise tax. City hotel/motel tax is remitted monthly directly to the city's Revenue Department; confirm with each booking platform what it collects on your behalf versus what you must file yourself.
| Level | Tax | Rate | Collected by | Filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Georgia sales and use tax | 7% (as listed on the city's Local & State Taxes page; register with GA Dept. of Revenue) | Varies | Monthly, by the 20th of the following month |
| State | Georgia state hotel-motel fee | $5.00 per night (DOR Rule 560-13-2-.01); stops on day 31 of continuous occupancy | Varies | Monthly, by the 20th of the following month |
| City | Savannah hotel/motel excise tax | 8% (effective September 1, 2023) | Host | Monthly return to City Revenue Department by the 20th of the following month |
These rules change — Savannah can amend them any month.
Compliance Watch monitors Savannah's official sources and emails you the day permits, caps, or taxes change: what changed, old vs. new, and what to do. $49/yr per property, 100% credited toward Tenby.
Watch my GA property →Operating rules
Occupancy limits
Units with 2 or fewer bedrooms are capped at 4 adults; units with 3 or more bedrooms allow 2 adults per bedroom. Guests must acknowledge the maximum occupancy and available parking.
§ STVR Regulations â occupancy limits
Advertising requirements
Every advertisement must include your STVR certificate number and the rental agreement; the exemplar rental agreement must also be posted at the property.
§ STVR Regulations â advertising
Rental agent and change notice
Changes to your designated rental agent must be reported to the city within five business days via the portal's Rental Agent Change Form.
§ STVR Regulations / STVR Application Process
Insurance and neighbor notice
You must carry insurance indicating STVR use and notify adjacent property owners with specifics including address, parking, occupancy, and a copy of the rental agreement.
§ STVR Regulations â application requirements
Penalties for illegal short-term rentals in Savannah
Savannah actively monitors listings through its Rentalscape STR portal and an Excise Tax Compliance Unit, and operating without a certificate or skipping monthly tax remittance exposes you to enforcement under the STVR ordinance. Specific fine amounts are set in the city code and enforcement documents (see sources).
- ⚠Operating without an STVR certificate is prohibited â the certificate must be obtained prior to operating (City STVR Application Process).
- ⚠STVR certificates are non-transferable (City Code Sec. 8-11012); a new owner must reapply within 6 months to avoid cap restrictions.
- ⚠Hotel/motel tax returns are due monthly by the 20th; the city's Excise Tax Compliance Unit handles delinquent excise tax enforcement (penalty amounts: see source).
- ⚠The city runs a public Short-Term Rental (STR) portal (Rentalscape) used to track and monitor STVR compliance across listings.
Official sources
- [1]Short-term Vacation Rental Regulations â City of Savannah
- [2]Apply to become a certified Short-Term Vacation Rental (STVR Application Process) â City of Savannah
- [3]Local & State Taxes (STVR) â City of Savannah
- [4]STVR â Short-Term Vacation Rentals overview â City of Savannah
- [5]Short-Term Rental (STR) Public Portal â City of Savannah
- [6]Excise Tax Compliance Unit â City of Savannah
- [7]State Hotel-Motel Fee â Georgia Department of Revenue
- [8]State Hotel-Motel Fee FAQ â Georgia Department of Revenue
Summarized from the official sources above as of 2026-07-02. Informational, not legal advice — always confirm requirements with the jurisdiction before acting.
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