Short-term rental regulations by jurisdiction

Georgia

• Gilmer County, Georgia short-term rental rules

  Gilmer County governs short-term rentals in unincorporated areas of the county, including much of the cabin inventory marketed as 'Ellijay.' Properties inside the Ellijay or East Ellijay city limits are governed by those cities instead. Start by confirming which authority your parcel actually falls under — the county tax and planning offices can tell you.

  Covers: Unincorporated Gilmer County, Cherry Log (county portion), Areas outside the Ellijay and East Ellijay city limits · Last verified 2026-07-31

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• Fannin County, Georgia short-term rental rules

  Fannin County covers the unincorporated cabin inventory around Blue Ridge, including Mineral Bluff and much of what is marketed as 'Blue Ridge area.' The City of Blue Ridge is a separate jurisdiction with its own requirements, and the distinction changes what applies to your cabin. Confirm your parcel's jurisdiction with the county before relying on either rule set.

  Covers: Unincorporated Fannin County, Mineral Bluff, Cabin inventory outside the City of Blue Ridge limits · Last verified 2026-07-31

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• City of Blue Ridge, Georgia short-term rental rules

  The City of Blue Ridge regulates short-term rentals inside its city limits separately from Fannin County. City requirements — including any business or rental registration, occupancy provisions, and parking rules — do not automatically match county rules, and the city limits do not follow the marketing boundary of 'Blue Ridge.' Verify your parcel's status with the city before assuming county rules apply.

  Covers: Properties inside the Blue Ridge city limits · Last verified 2026-07-31

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• Union County, Georgia short-term rental rules

  Union County governs short-term rentals in unincorporated areas around Blairsville, including much of the inventory near Vogel State Park and Brasstown Bald. The City of Blairsville is separate. Because a large share of Union County inventory sits on well and septic with steep access, occupancy and access questions are the practical ones to resolve first.

  Covers: Unincorporated Union County, Cabin inventory around Blairsville outside the city limits · Last verified 2026-07-31

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• Towns County, Georgia short-term rental rules

  Towns County covers the Hiawassee and Young Harris cabin inventory outside city limits, including Lake Chatuge frontage. Lake-adjacent properties can carry additional considerations — dock permissions and shoreline authority are frequently governed by parties other than the county — so confirm both the county rule and any shoreline authority requirements.

  Covers: Unincorporated Towns County, Hiawassee area (county portion), Young Harris area (county portion), Lake Chatuge shoreline properties in the county · Last verified 2026-07-31

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• Pickens County, Georgia short-term rental rules

  Pickens County covers the Pickens-side portion of Big Canoe and surrounding unincorporated inventory. Big Canoe additionally has its own private community rules, which frequently restrict short-term rentals more tightly than the county does and control amenity access, gate credentialing, and guest registration. Both layers apply.

  Covers: Unincorporated Pickens County, Big Canoe (Pickens County portion), Jasper area outside the city limits · Last verified 2026-07-31

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• Dawson County, Georgia short-term rental rules

  Dawson County governs the Dawson-side portion of Big Canoe and surrounding unincorporated inventory. Big Canoe straddles the Pickens–Dawson county line, so two adjacent cabins in the same community can fall under different county authorities. Confirm which county your parcel is in before applying either rule set, and treat the community association's rules as a separate, additional layer.

  Covers: Unincorporated Dawson County, Big Canoe (Dawson County portion), Amicalola and Dawsonville-area inventory outside city limits · Last verified 2026-07-31

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Tennessee

• Sevier County, Tennessee short-term rental rules

  Sevier County governs the large volume of cabin inventory that sits outside the three main city limits, including Wears Valley. County requirements differ from the cities', and a Gatlinburg mailing address does not mean a property is inside Gatlinburg. Parcel-level verification through the county is the first step for any Smokies owner.

  Covers: Unincorporated Sevier County, Wears Valley, Cabin inventory outside Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville city limits · Last verified 2026-07-31

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• City of Gatlinburg, Tennessee short-term rental rules

  Gatlinburg regulates overnight rental units inside its city limits, separately from Sevier County. City requirements typically include registration or permitting, life-safety provisions, and city-level tax obligations. Because Gatlinburg addresses extend well beyond the city limits, confirm your parcel's actual jurisdiction with the city before applying these rules.

  Covers: Properties inside the Gatlinburg city limits · Last verified 2026-07-31

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• City of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee short-term rental rules

  Pigeon Forge regulates short-term rentals inside its city limits under city code, separately from Sevier County. Owners of larger group cabins should pay particular attention to occupancy and parking provisions, since those are the most frequently enforced items in a market with heavy multi-family group demand.

  Covers: Properties inside the Pigeon Forge city limits · Last verified 2026-07-31

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• City of Sevierville, Tennessee short-term rental rules

  Sevierville regulates short-term rentals inside its city limits separately from Sevier County. A large share of inventory marketed as Sevierville is actually in unincorporated county, so parcel verification matters here more than in the other two cities.

  Covers: Properties inside the Sevierville city limits · Last verified 2026-07-31

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Florida

• State of Florida — vacation rental licensing short-term rental rules

  Florida licenses vacation rentals at the state level through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, in addition to any county or city registration. Sales tax and transient rental tax obligations run through the Department of Revenue, while county tourist development tax is often administered locally. These are three separate obligations, and holding one does not satisfy the others.

  Covers: All Florida vacation rentals, statewide · Last verified 2026-07-31

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• Walton County, Florida short-term rental rules

  Walton County administers short-term rental registration and tourist development tax for the 30A corridor and Miramar Beach. Walton is one of the more actively administered Panhandle jurisdictions, and registration is separate from the state DBPR license. Many 30A properties also sit inside private communities whose rules bind independently of county requirements.

  Covers: South Walton and the 30A corridor, Santa Rosa Beach, Miramar Beach, Unincorporated Walton County · Last verified 2026-07-31

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• Bay County, Florida short-term rental rules

  Bay County administers tourist development tax and county-level requirements for unincorporated areas. Panama City Beach is a separate municipality with its own rules, and a 'Panama City Beach' mailing address does not establish which authority governs a parcel. Verify jurisdiction first.

  Covers: Unincorporated Bay County, Areas outside the Panama City Beach city limits · Last verified 2026-07-31

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• City of Panama City Beach, Florida short-term rental rules

  Panama City Beach regulates short-term rentals inside its city limits under city code, in addition to Florida's state license requirement and Bay County tourist development tax. The city has historically been active on occupancy, parking, and noise enforcement during peak season, so those provisions are worth confirming annually rather than once.

  Covers: Properties inside the Panama City Beach city limits · Last verified 2026-07-31

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• Okaloosa County, Florida short-term rental rules

  Okaloosa County administers tourist development tax and county requirements for unincorporated areas including Okaloosa Island. Destin and Fort Walton Beach are separate municipalities. Because condo inventory here is dense, building-level rules on minimum stays and parking are often the binding constraint rather than the county ordinance.

  Covers: Unincorporated Okaloosa County, Okaloosa Island, Areas outside the Destin and Fort Walton Beach city limits · Last verified 2026-07-31

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• City of Destin, Florida short-term rental rules

  Destin regulates short-term rentals inside its city limits in addition to Florida's state license and Okaloosa County tourist development tax. Parking is the recurring practical issue: many Destin condo and townhome properties convey a fixed and limited number of passes, and advertising more capacity than the building allows is a reliable source of guest disputes.

  Covers: Properties inside the Destin city limits · Last verified 2026-07-31

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About this library

Does VacoHost guarantee these short-term rental rules are current?

No. Every entry cites official government sources and shows the date we last verified it, but ordinances change between our reviews. Always confirm current requirements directly with the jurisdiction before you rely on anything here.

Is this legal advice?

No. This library is educational reference material. VacoHost is not a law firm and does not provide legal, tax, or compliance advice. Consult a qualified local attorney or the jurisdiction itself for guidance on your specific property.

Why does the library describe requirements instead of listing exact numbers?

Occupancy caps, parking counts, and fees vary by parcel, zoning district, and amendment date, and a stale number is worse than none. We describe the kind of requirement to check and link the official source where the current figure lives.

Does a county rule apply inside city limits?

Often not. Cities inside a county frequently have their own short-term rental ordinances that differ from the county's. Check the specific jurisdiction your parcel sits in, and check both if you are unsure.