Short-term rentals in Savannah: certificates and ward caps

Savannah sells atmosphere: live oaks draped in Spanish moss, twenty-two squares laid out in the 1730s, cobblestones along the river and a food and bar scene that runs late. The Savannah College of Art and Design, St. Patrick's Day, weddings, film shoots and the busy port keep visitors coming year round, and Tybee Island's beach is twenty minutes away. Spring is the high season; the humid summer is softer. The rental stock ranges from carriage houses and garden apartments in historic townhouses to Victorian homes south of Forsyth Park and newer houses in Midtown.

Certificates and ward caps

Every short-term vacation rental in the city needs a certificate before it operates. The application asks for proof of insurance, an exemplar rental agreement and notice to adjacent property owners. The rules that shape investment decisions:

• The 20% ward cap: in the Downtown and Victorian historic districts, non-owner-occupied rentals are limited to 20% of parcels in each ward. The city reports that 31 wards have reached the cap; new applicants there join a first-come, first-served waiting list.
• Overlay district: rentals are allowed within the STVR overlay and in certain business and agricultural zones; in the Streetcar district, TN-2 parcels need several units with at least one owner-occupied.
• Occupancy: four adults for units of up to two bedrooms, and two adults per bedroom above that.
• Operations: the rental agreement is posted inside, the certificate number appears on every advertisement, insurance stays current and a change of rental agent is reported within five business days.

Certificates do not follow the property to a buyer, so a home sold as "an operating rental" in a capped ward may come with no right to continue.

Tybee Island and unincorporated Chatham County run separate systems, each with its own restrictions, so check them independently.

Taxes

Guests pay Georgia's 4% sales tax and local sales tax, the $5 state hotel-motel fee per night and the city's hotel-motel tax. Platforms collect most of these on their bookings; direct stays are yours to report.

Our advice

Before you look at listings, check the ward: in a capped ward, only an owner-occupied setup such as renting a garden apartment below your own home is realistic. Outside the historic core, Midtown and areas near the Starland district can still work under the overlay. Soundproofing and clear house rules matter in a city where guests come to enjoy the nightlife. We study every request and tell you honestly whether and how we can help.