Where can a Savannah short-term vacation rental operate?

STVR use is limited to the City’s STVR Overlay District. Historical zoning, parcel-specific restrictions, and ward-cap status can affect approval.

How much is a Savannah STVR application?

The 2026 nonrefundable fee is $400 for a new application. The nonrefundable annual renewal fee is $250.

Does Savannah cap short-term vacation rentals?

Yes. Non-owner-occupied parcels in specified residential and conservation areas of the Downtown and Victorian districts are subject to a 20% cap within each ward.

What happens when a Savannah ward reaches the STVR cap?

An owner seeking a non-owner-occupied certificate in a capped ward may submit the City waiting-list form. The City maintains the list on a first-come, first-served basis.

Does Savannah require owner occupancy for every STVR?

No blanket owner-occupancy rule applies to every eligible STVR. Owner occupancy affects ward-cap treatment, and TN-2 parcels in the Streetcar District have a specific owner-occupancy condition.

What taxes generally apply to Savannah short-term rentals?

City guidance lists an 8% Savannah hotel and motel excise tax and a 7% Georgia sales and use tax. Georgia also imposes a $5 per-night hotel-motel fee on covered stays.

Who confirms whether a Savannah property is eligible?

Savannah Planning and Urban Design determines parcel eligibility and certificate approval. A $50 Zoning Confirmation Letter is available for zoning and off-street parking questions.

Savannah, GA Airbnb Guide

Q: Does Savannah require a short-term vacation rental certificate?

Yes. An owner must complete the City application and receive an STVR certificate before operating an entire-dwelling rental for 30 days or less.

Q: What is Savannah’s STVR occupancy limit?

A dwelling with no more than two bedrooms may host up to four adults. A dwelling with three or more bedrooms may host up to two adults per bedroom, subject to City bedroom verification.

Decision point

Savannah STR Investment Decision

Savannah allows entire-dwelling short-term vacation rentals only in the STVR Overlay District and requires City certification before operation. Underwriting should begin with the parcel, zoning history, ward-cap status, legal bedroom count, private restrictions, and recurring compliance costs.

Confirm the address is inside the City of Savannah rather than elsewhere in Chatham County.
Treat City eligibility and certificate approval as property-specific decisions, not conclusions drawn from market averages.
Budget for certification, the Business Tax Certificate, insurance, taxes, management, maintenance, and life-safety work.

Eligibility

Savannah STVR Property Eligibility

Savannah defines an STVR as the rental of an entire dwelling unit for 30 days or less. Renting a room in an owner-occupied dwelling is regulated as a bed and breakfast homestay rather than an STVR.

STVR use is limited to the mapped overlay district, and historical zoning can affect eligibility.
A $50 Zoning Confirmation Letter is the City route for parcel eligibility and off-street parking questions.
The City of Savannah remains the authority for legal eligibility and certificate approval.

Zoning and caps

Savannah Overlay and Ward Caps

Non-owner-occupied STVRs in residential or conservation areas of the Downtown and Victorian districts are subject to a 20% cap on eligible parcels within each ward. Many wards are currently capped, so an otherwise suitable property may need to join the City waiting list.

The cap is applied by ward, not across Savannah as a whole.
Owner-occupied property has a specific City definition tied to the owner’s principal residence and shared parcel identification number.
In the Streetcar District, TN-2 parcels must contain at least two dwelling units and one must be owner-occupied.

Application

Savannah STVR Certificate Application

A property owner must submit the City application and receive an STVR certificate before operating. After application approval, the owner must obtain a Business Tax Certificate and provide it to Planning and Urban Design before the STVR certificate is issued.

The 2026 nonrefundable fee is $400 for a new application.
The current STVR Registration Portal accepts applications and rental-agent changes.
New applicants must notify every adjacent owner of record and document the notice before initial certification.

Renewal and records

Savannah STVR Renewal Requirements

Savannah requires annual renewal. The 2026 nonrefundable renewal fee is $250, and renewal materials must maintain the operating records required by the City.

Proof of insurance must state that the premises is used as an STVR.
The exemplar rental agreement must be provided with the application and posted at the property.
A change in rental agent must be reported to the City within five business days.

Guests and parking

Savannah STVR Occupancy and Parking

A dwelling with no more than two bedrooms may host no more than four adults. A dwelling with three or more bedrooms may host no more than two adults per bedroom, and the Zoning Administrator verifies whether rooms qualify as bedrooms.

Guests must acknowledge the maximum occupancy and the location of on-site parking when parking is available.
The rental agreement should communicate the property-specific occupancy and parking rules.
Do not infer guest capacity from listing copy or bed count before City bedroom verification.

Operations

Savannah STVR Operating Duties

The owner must publish the STVR certificate number and exemplar rental agreement in every print, digital, or internet advertisement. A rental agent with 24-hour contact information supports complaint response and ongoing compliance.

Post the exemplar rental agreement inside the rental.
Keep insurance, agent details, certificate information, and the Business Tax Certificate current.
Condominium applicants must provide a declaration that permits rentals under 30 days or contains no such prohibition.

Taxes

Savannah Short-Term Rental Taxes

Savannah STVR stays are subject to an 8% City hotel and motel excise tax and a 7% Georgia sales and use tax. City guidance requires monthly hotel-tax returns and payment by the 20th day of the following month.

Georgia also imposes a $5 per-night state hotel-motel fee on covered accommodations until a stay qualifies as extended stay.
Marketplace collection does not eliminate the owner’s duty to confirm registration, filing, and direct-booking obligations.
Use the City Revenue Department and Georgia Tax Center for account-specific filing instructions.

Contacts and support

Savannah STR Contacts and Support

Route each question to the office responsible for the decision. Published City contacts provide direct paths for zoning, certification, business tax, local hotel tax, and enforcement.

Zoning and eligibility: Planning and Urban Design at 912-651-3108 or planning@savannahga.gov.
STVR applications and renewals: Vacation Rentals Program Coordinator Cornelia Reed at 912-525-3100 ext. 1161 or creed@savannahga.gov.
Business Tax Certificate and City hotel tax: Revenue at 912-651-6445 or businesstax@savannahga.gov.
State sales tax and hotel-motel fee: Georgia Tax Center.
Complaints and enforcement: call the City’s 24-hour STVR complaint hotline at 912-226-0320 or use the Savannah STR Public Portal.
Property selection and setup: plan a Savannah property strategy call. The City remains the authority for legal eligibility and certificate approval.

Sources and review

Savannah Official Sources Reviewed

Official City of Savannah and Georgia Department of Revenue sources were checked on September 28, 2026. Recheck the parcel, ward-cap status, fees, forms, and tax instructions before acquisition or renewal.

Savannah Airbnb Rules & Investment Guide (2026)

Savannah Short-Term Rental Review