Short-Term Rental Laws in Athens, Georgia

Athens-Clarke County (unified city-county government) permits STR with a distinction between Owner-Occupied and Non-Owner-Occupied operations. Owner-occupied STR (primary residence) is permitted in essentially all residential zones citywide. Non-owner-occupied (investor) STR is restricted to specific zones: commercial mixed-use, downtown/Five Points commercial overlays, and select multi-family zones. Single-family residential zones (RS-15, RS-25, RS-40) prohibit non-owner-occupied STR. UGA football season is the dominant demand driver and most active STR enforcement happens during home-game weekends.

Owner-occupied STR allowed in all residential zones with permit. Non-owner-occupied STR allowed in: C-D Commercial Downtown, C-G Commercial General, MU Mixed-Use overlays, and RM Multi-Family (subject to building/HOA approval). NOT allowed in RS-15, RS-25, RS-40 single-family residential zones — this is the binding investment-eligibility test for absentee-owned STR. Confirm parcel zoning via Athens-Clarke GIS before any offer. The downtown core and Five Points neighborhood are the primary non-owner-occupied STR submarkets.

Operators must hold a short-term rental permit before listing. See the official permit portal.

Athens-Clarke County Planning + Code Enforcement administer. Application requires designated 24/7 local contact, life-safety inspection, parking plan, and Hotel-Motel Tax registration. Annual renewal with owner-occupancy re-verification. Operating an unpermitted non-owner-occupied STR in a single-family zone: civil penalties starting at $500+ per violation with daily stacking. Enforcement intensifies during UGA home-game weekends (August–November) when STR demand peaks.

Combined short-term lodging tax in Athens is approximately 14.000% of gross nightly revenue (state sales + state TRT + local TRT + applicable resort/city options).

GA State sales tax 4% + Athens-Clarke County local option 3% + Athens Hotel-Motel Tax 7% + GA State $5/night Hotel-Motel Fee — combined ~14.0% effective on transient lodging (plus $5/night flat)

Verify the current combined rate via the Utah State Tax Commission before remitting — rates drift quarterly.