On February 6, 2024, the Mayor and Commission adopted text amendments that established short-term rentals (STRs) as a land use regulated by Title 9 of the Code of Athens-Clarke County (STR Ordinance). 

Short-term rentals are defined as an accommodation for transient guests where, in exchange for compensation of any type or amount, a residential dwelling unit is rented or otherwise provided for lodging for any period of time less than 31 consecutive days. Such accommodations are usually, but not exclusively, advertised through websites such as Airbnb.com, Booking.com, Hometogo.com, and vrbo.com. 

Following adoption of the STR Ordinance, the Planning Department developed an initial list of STR properties identifying those STRs in operation between September 19, 2022 to September 19, 2023. This list is known as the Legal Non-Conforming STR List. The properties on the Legal Non-Conforming STR List do not currently conform to the STR Ordinance, but must come into compliance with the STR Ordinance within 24 months as measured from the date the final Legal Non-Conforming STR List is published.

The initial Legal Non-Conforming STR List was posted on Athens-Clarke County’s website on July 1, 2024. Property owners or residents whose properties were not identified on the Legal-Non-Conforming STR List had a six-month public review period between July 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024 during which they could apply for inclusion on the list. 

The six-month public review period has concluded and the Athens-Clarke Planning Department has finalized the Legal Non-Conforming STR List. The properties on the finalized list are permitted to continue in operation for a period of up to 24 months as measured from the date the final Legal Non-Conforming STR List is published (March 1, 2025). STRs that are not on the Legal Non-Conforming STR List must comply with the STR Ordinance. 

Properties that come into compliance with the STR Ordinance will be removed from the final Legal Non-Conforming STR List. Additionally, a change in ownership of an STR will result in the loss of its legal non-conforming status and will require that the STR comply with the STR Ordinance. Contact the Planning Department for more information about the process. 

Operators of STRs, both on the Legal Non-Conforming STR List and those that have come into compliance, must also pay the 7% local hotel motel excise tax and have a business occupation tax certificate, which is applied for with the Finance Department. Payment of this tax may be handled by a third-party lodging facilitator (online lodging platform such as Airbnb or Vrbo) or by the operator if the guest pays the operator directly.  

For more information about compliance of short-term rentals and the Legal Non-Conforming STR List, visit www.accgov.com/str or contact the Planning Department at 706-613-3515.