What are the key requirements for Roswell hosts?

Local agent must be physically available to respond to the property within 2 hours of contact.

What should Roswell hosts know about on-site signage promoting the property?

On-site signage promoting the property as a short-term rental is strictly prohibited.

What are the permit fees in Roswell?

A $5 per night Georgia State Hotel-Motel Fee applies to all stays of 30 days or less.

What should Roswell hosts know about the new ordinance enforcement starts?

The new ordinance enforcement starts Jan 31, 2026, but registration opens in late 2025.

Roswell

Permissive

GeorgiaUpdated Mar 22, 2026

Gold-standard verification1% sourced

Cross-referenced against 0 official sources — municipal codes, planning-department pages, and government registries.

Verified Feb 12, 2026Sources 0

Summary

Plain-english overview

Roswell adopted a comprehensive short-term rental ordinance in June 2025 requiring business registration, annual fire inspections, and a local agent available 24/7.

Restriction level

Severity 0

Classification

Permissive

Severity

Why this classification

Permit required
Reporting required
Safety standards required
No night cap
No primary residence requirement
Low permit fee
Tenants can host

In plain English

What this means for you

To host an STR in Roswell, you must register your business with the Finance Department and pass an annual safety inspection by the Fire Marshal. You must also designate a local agent who can respond to issues within two hours and ensure your listing follows strict guest limits and parking rules.

At a glance

Key numbers

Permit requiredYes

Night limitNone

Primary residenceNot required

Total tax rate0.2%

Permit fee$35

Processing time4-6 weeks

Max fine$1,000

4 things hosts often miss

Common compliance gaps

1Local agent must be physically available to respond to the property within 2 hours of contact.
2On-site signage promoting the property as a short-term rental is strictly prohibited.
3A $5 per night Georgia State Hotel-Motel Fee applies to all stays of 30 days or less.
4The new ordinance enforcement starts Jan 31, 2026, but registration opens in late 2025.

Regulation details

Sourced from official code

Eligibility6 rules

Roswell allows STRs in the following property types: Single Family Home, Townhouse, Condo.
Roswell: On-site signage promoting the property as a short-term rental is strictly prohibited.
Roswell does NOT require the property to be a primary residence. Investment properties are allowed.
Roswell: You can have a co-host or property manager help manage your listing.

Requirements13 rules

Common mistakes and gotchas for STR hosts in Roswell: 1. Local agent must be physically available to respond to the property within 2 hours of contact. 2. On-site signage promoting the property as a short-term rental is strictly prohibited. 3. A $5 per night Georgia State Hotel-Motel Fee applies to all stays of 30 days or less. 4. The new ordinance enforcement starts Jan 31, 2026, but registration opens in late 2025.

Application process8 rules

Roswell: To apply for an STR permit, you'll need: Business Registration Application, Proof of General Commercial Liability Insurance, Local Agent Contact Information, Affidavit of Compliance.

Fees & costs1 rule

Roswell charges a registration fee of $35 (annual).

Taxes2 rules

Roswell charges a Hotel-Motel Tax of 0.08%. This applies to stays under 30 days. Platforms like Airbnb collect and remit this tax. Note: Airbnb and VRBO collect and remit the 8% Hotel-Motel tax and state sales tax directly.
Georgia has a state sales tax of 0.04% that applies to STR rentals.

Limits & restrictions5 rules

Roswell limits STRs to a maximum of 12 guests. Formula: 2 per bedroom plus 2 additional guests
Roswell occupancy calculation: 2 per bedroom plus 2 additional guests. Count your bedrooms to determine your max guest limit.
Roswell limits stays to a maximum of 30 nights.
Roswell enforces quiet hours: 10pm-7am.
Roswell: A $5 per night Georgia State Hotel-Motel Fee applies to all stays of 30 days or less.

Safety requirements1 rule

Roswell requires the following safety measures for STRs: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, fire inspection, posted maximum occupancy, posted emergency contact, Unobstructed egress, Emergency lighting, Fire marshal inspection must be passed annually.

Penalties2 rules

Roswell: Repeated violations can result in permanent permit revocation. You would lose the ability to operate any STR.
Roswell enforces the following penalties for STR violations: First offense: Varies by code section. Second offense: Increased fines. Third offense: Permit revocation. Maximum fine: 1000. Permit may be revoked for violations.

Exemptions2 rules

Roswell: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).
Roswell exempts the following from STR regulations: long-term rentals (30+ days), extended stays, Bed and Breakfasts in Historic Districts.

How to get permitted

Step-by-step guide for Roswell

0/4

steps completed

Step 1

Register Business with Finance Department

Apply for an Occupational Tax Certificate (Business License) and STR Certificate through the City's Finance Department.

2 weeks$35

Documents needed

Business application
Photo ID

Official resource

Step 2

Schedule Fire Marshal Inspection

Contact the Roswell Fire Department to schedule the mandatory annual safety inspection of the rental unit.

1 weekFree

Documents needed

Proof of working smoke/CO detectors

Official resource

Step 3

Designate Local Agent

Provide contact information for a local agent available 24/7 who can respond to the property within 2 hours.

1 dayFree

Documents needed

Agent contact info

Official resource

Step 4

Submit Proof of Insurance

Provide documentation of a commercial liability policy covering short-term rental activities.

1 dayFree

Documents needed

Certificate of Insurance

Official resource

Frequently asked questions

4 answered

Disclaimer

Regulatory information is AI-researched from public city/county codes for educational purposes. Details may be outdated or incomplete. Always verify requirements directly with your city/county planning department before operating a short-term rental.

Researched & verified by Learn STR at GoStudioM

Roswell

Permissive

GeorgiaUpdated Mar 22, 2026

Gold-standard verification1% sourced

Cross-referenced against 0 official sources — municipal codes, planning-department pages, and government registries.

Verified Feb 12, 2026Sources 0

Summary

Plain-english overview

Roswell adopted a comprehensive short-term rental ordinance in June 2025 requiring business registration, annual fire inspections, and a local agent available 24/7.

Restriction level

Severity 0

Classification

Permissive

Severity

Why this classification

Permit required
Reporting required
Safety standards required
No night cap
No primary residence requirement
Low permit fee
Tenants can host

In plain English

What this means for you

At a glance

Key numbers

Permit requiredYes

Night limitNone

Primary residenceNot required

Total tax rate0.2%

Permit fee$35

Processing time4-6 weeks

Max fine$1,000

4 things hosts often miss

Common compliance gaps

1Local agent must be physically available to respond to the property within 2 hours of contact.
2On-site signage promoting the property as a short-term rental is strictly prohibited.
3A $5 per night Georgia State Hotel-Motel Fee applies to all stays of 30 days or less.
4The new ordinance enforcement starts Jan 31, 2026, but registration opens in late 2025.

Regulation details

Sourced from official code

Eligibility6 rules

Roswell allows STRs in the following property types: Single Family Home, Townhouse, Condo.
Roswell: On-site signage promoting the property as a short-term rental is strictly prohibited.
Roswell does NOT require the property to be a primary residence. Investment properties are allowed.
Roswell: You can have a co-host or property manager help manage your listing.

Requirements13 rules

Common mistakes and gotchas for STR hosts in Roswell: 1. Local agent must be physically available to respond to the property within 2 hours of contact. 2. On-site signage promoting the property as a short-term rental is strictly prohibited. 3. A $5 per night Georgia State Hotel-Motel Fee applies to all stays of 30 days or less. 4. The new ordinance enforcement starts Jan 31, 2026, but registration opens in late 2025.

Application process8 rules

Roswell: To apply for an STR permit, you'll need: Business Registration Application, Proof of General Commercial Liability Insurance, Local Agent Contact Information, Affidavit of Compliance.

Fees & costs1 rule

Roswell charges a registration fee of $35 (annual).

Taxes2 rules

Roswell charges a Hotel-Motel Tax of 0.08%. This applies to stays under 30 days. Platforms like Airbnb collect and remit this tax. Note: Airbnb and VRBO collect and remit the 8% Hotel-Motel tax and state sales tax directly.
Georgia has a state sales tax of 0.04% that applies to STR rentals.

Limits & restrictions5 rules

Roswell limits STRs to a maximum of 12 guests. Formula: 2 per bedroom plus 2 additional guests
Roswell occupancy calculation: 2 per bedroom plus 2 additional guests. Count your bedrooms to determine your max guest limit.
Roswell limits stays to a maximum of 30 nights.
Roswell enforces quiet hours: 10pm-7am.
Roswell: A $5 per night Georgia State Hotel-Motel Fee applies to all stays of 30 days or less.

Safety requirements1 rule

Roswell requires the following safety measures for STRs: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, fire inspection, posted maximum occupancy, posted emergency contact, Unobstructed egress, Emergency lighting, Fire marshal inspection must be passed annually.

Penalties2 rules

Roswell: Repeated violations can result in permanent permit revocation. You would lose the ability to operate any STR.
Roswell enforces the following penalties for STR violations: First offense: Varies by code section. Second offense: Increased fines. Third offense: Permit revocation. Maximum fine: 1000. Permit may be revoked for violations.

Exemptions2 rules

Roswell: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).
Roswell exempts the following from STR regulations: long-term rentals (30+ days), extended stays, Bed and Breakfasts in Historic Districts.

How to get permitted

Step-by-step guide for Roswell

0/4

steps completed

Step 1

Register Business with Finance Department

Apply for an Occupational Tax Certificate (Business License) and STR Certificate through the City's Finance Department.

2 weeks$35

Documents needed

Business application
Photo ID

Official resource

Step 2

Schedule Fire Marshal Inspection

Contact the Roswell Fire Department to schedule the mandatory annual safety inspection of the rental unit.

1 weekFree

Documents needed

Proof of working smoke/CO detectors

Official resource

Step 3

Designate Local Agent

Provide contact information for a local agent available 24/7 who can respond to the property within 2 hours.

1 dayFree

Documents needed

Agent contact info

Official resource

Step 4

Submit Proof of Insurance

Provide documentation of a commercial liability policy covering short-term rental activities.

1 dayFree

Documents needed

Certificate of Insurance

Official resource

Frequently asked questions

4 answered

Disclaimer

Researched & verified by Learn STR at GoStudioM

Summary

Restriction level

Why this classification

In plain English

At a glance

4 things hosts often miss

Regulation details

How to get permitted

Register Business with Finance Department

Schedule Fire Marshal Inspection

Designate Local Agent

Submit Proof of Insurance

Frequently asked questions

1Do I need a permit for short-term rentals in Roswell?

2What is the TOT tax rate in Roswell?

3Are there specific guest limits in Roswell?

4What are the penalties for non-compliance in Roswell?

Disclaimer

Summary

Restriction level

Why this classification

In plain English

At a glance

4 things hosts often miss

Regulation details

How to get permitted

Register Business with Finance Department

Schedule Fire Marshal Inspection

Designate Local Agent

Submit Proof of Insurance

Frequently asked questions

1Do I need a permit for short-term rentals in Roswell?

2What is the TOT tax rate in Roswell?

3Are there specific guest limits in Roswell?

4What are the penalties for non-compliance in Roswell?

Disclaimer