Lumpkin County, GA

Dahlonega, GA short-term rental license

Every zoning district in Dahlonega accepts short-term rentals except R-1, the single-family residential district. R-1 homes under contract with Airbnb or a similar company by August 15, 2020 may continue. In a planned unit development, the approved text and site plan decide.[5]

Every rule below links to the official source it comes from, verified October 1, 2026.

Can you rent short term in Dahlonega?

Get a license first

What you apply for: Short-Term Rental License

Seasonal homes
124
Housing units
1,990
Residents
7,299

U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates

  • City ruleLicense required
  • City fee$100
  • Tax on each stay16%
  • Seasonal homes62 per 1,000

Dahlonega short-term rental license

Dahlonega requires an annual Short-Term Rental License for every short-term rental, at $100 a year. You apply again each year. The owner proves ownership of the property and holds a City of Dahlonega occupation tax certificate. Before issuance, the owner signs a code compliance verification form for the property. A conviction under the ordinance in the previous 18 months rules out a new license.[5]

What Dahlonega asks of you

  • Each bedroom in a short-term rental holds four occupants at most.[5]

  • One off-street parking space of at least 9 by 20 feet is required per bedroom.[5]

  • Vehicles may not outnumber the spaces on the property. A trailer, boat or RV counts as one vehicle of its own.[5]

  • Trash goes in up to three rolling cans of 96 gallons each. Dumpsters are prohibited at a licensed property.[5]

  • Property lines must be clearly marked, with approval from the Community Development Department.[5]

  • Every level has a 10-pound ABC fire extinguisher, certified each year by a licensed company.[5]

  • Interconnected smoke detectors go in every bedroom. Carbon monoxide detectors sit on each level, 5 feet off the ground.[5]

  • A local property manager answers guest and neighbor concerns 24 hours a day. An owner living in the same community can take that role.[5]

  • The contact's details go to the city, the county sheriff and the county fire department.[5]

  • Property owners within 300 feet receive the same details, which also stay posted inside the rental.[5]

  • Three code violations at one property within 12 months end its pending certificates. Applications for that address are then refused for 12 months.[5]

  • Violations go before the Dahlonega Municipal Court, with a minimum fine of $250 per offense.[5]

  • Appeals reach the City Manager in writing within 30 calendar days. A timely appeal puts the decision on hold.[5]

What Georgia asks wherever you host

These rules apply at this address whatever the city decides.

  • On stays booked through a platform acting as marketplace innkeeper, the platform collects Georgia's $5 State Hotel-Motel Fee for you. The charge applies to each night up to the 30th of a continuous stay.[1]

  • Your city or county picks the rate of its hotel-motel tax. An ordinance alone can set 1 to 3% or 5%, while 6 to 8% takes a local act of the General Assembly.[2]

  • Since July 1, 2026, a paid property manager who runs your rental through a hosting platform must complete yearly anti-trafficking training. Self-managed rentals are exempt, as are those offered under 15 days a year.[3]

Georgia short-term rental rules

What a guest pays on top of your nightly rate in Dahlonega

Each layer is set by a different authority, and not all of them are collected by the platform.

Short-term rental tax layers in Dahlonega
LayerRateRemitted to
Georgia state sales tax[4]4%The state revenue department
Lumpkin County local sales taxes[4]4%The state revenue department
Dahlonega hotel-motel excise tax[6]8%The city
Total on a taxable stay16%
Airbnb taxes for hosts

What the census counts

How much of Dahlonega is already a second home

The Census Bureau counts 124 of Dahlonega's 1,990 homes as vacant for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. That is 62 out of every 1,000. It ranks Dahlonega 6th of the 7 Georgia cities on this site for the share of its housing stock kept for part-year use.

Rank in the state
6th of 7
Share of housing
62 per 1,000
Median home value
$531,100

U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates, tables B25004, B25001, B01003 and B25077.

Nearby and comparable

Where Dahlonega sits among its neighbors

Glynn County, GA

Permit required

Unincorporated Glynn County only. Jekyll Island stays outside the county ordinance.

Glynn County short-term rental rules

Savannah, GA

Capped

2,062 seasonal homes, 30 per 1,000 housing units.

Savannah short-term rental rules

Tybee Island, GA

Capped

1,390 seasonal homes, 431 per 1,000 housing units.

Tybee Island short-term rental rules

Helen, GA

Registration required

285 seasonal homes, 448 per 1,000 housing units.

Helen short-term rental rules
StatewideEvery Georgia city on this site, in one tableState law, the tax stack and every city we cover in Georgia, with what each one asks of a host.Georgia short-term rental rules

Keep exploring

FAQ

Dahlonega short-term rental questions

Can I rent my house short term in Dahlonega's R-1 zone?

Only if it was already used as a short-term rental on or before August 15, 2020. A home under contract with a platform such as Airbnb by that date also qualifies.[5]

How many guests can a Dahlonega short-term rental hold?

Four occupants per bedroom. Parking sets a second limit, since vehicles cannot outnumber the off-street spaces.[5]

What is the hotel-motel tax in Dahlonega?

8% of the charge for the room, under an ordinance adopted July 2, 2018. It reaches short-term rentals of homes and condominiums booked for 30 days at most.[6]
Read nextHow to start an AirbnbThe six steps in order, starting with the permit check.Read the guide

Sources

  1. State Hotel-Motel Fee FAQ, Georgia Department of Revenue, read on October 1, 2026
  2. Hotel/Motel Tax, Community Development Division (updated December 2025), Georgia Department of Community Affairs, read on October 1, 2026
  3. Senate Bill 570 (2026), Act 519, Georgia Human Trafficking Prevention Training Act (O.C.G.A. section 43-21-16), Office of the Governor of Georgia, read on October 1, 2026
  4. Georgia sales and use tax rate chart, effective October 1, 2026, Georgia Department of Revenue, read on October 1, 2026
  5. Code of Ordinances, Appendix B Zoning, Article VIII, Short-Term Rentals, City of Dahlonega, read on October 1, 2026
  6. Code of Ordinances, Related Laws, Article IV, Hotel/Motel Tax, City of Dahlonega, read on October 1, 2026

This page is not legal advice. It summarizes the official sources listed on this page as they read on October 1, 2026. Rules can change after that date, so check with the issuing office before you apply or publish a listing.

Before you list

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