Short-Term Rental Laws in Tybee Island, Georgia

Tybee Island, after years of broadly permissive operation, adopted density-based caps in residential zones in 2023. Residential zones (R-1, R-2) are capped at approximately 25% of dwelling units per zone for non-owner-occupied STR. Resort and commercial zones (Hotel-Motel C-2 Beach Business, etc.) remain uncapped. Owner-occupied STR is permitted in all zones without the cap. Tybee's economy is heavily STR-driven (most of the housing stock has historically been seasonal/vacation) so the cap was politically contentious; existing licenses grandfathered.

Resort/commercial zones (C-1, C-2 Beach Business, Hotel/Motel) permit STR without cap. R-1, R-2 residential zones subject to ~25% cap for non-owner-occupied — confirm current cap status via Tybee Planning Department before offer; cap-reached zones place new applications on waitlist. Owner-occupied STR remains uncapped citywide. Chatham County's separate accommodations tax registration applies. Coastal building setbacks + dune protection ordinances apply independently to oceanfront parcels.

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

Tybee Island City Hall + Code Enforcement administer. Annual STR Certificate renewal. Operating without a certificate (or above zone cap): civil penalties starting at $500+ per violation with daily stacking. Tybee is small (~3,000 residents, ~6 sq mi) and enforcement is high-visibility — Code Enforcement frequently audits oceanfront and beach-walk-area properties during peak season (March–October). Chatham County's 6% accommodations tax registration is cross-referenced with city registry.

Combined short-term lodging tax in Tybee Island is approximately 13.000% of gross nightly revenue (state sales + state TRT + local TRT + applicable resort/city options).

GA State sales tax 4% + Chatham County local option 3% + Tybee Island Hotel-Motel Tax 6% + GA State $5/night Hotel-Motel Fee — combined ~13.0% effective on transient lodging (plus $5/night flat)

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