Bulletin - Warner Robins, GA News Today
Hosts will pay $150 for an accommodation excise tax certificate and $100 a year to renew with fines of up to $1,000 a day for operating without one
Warner Robins Short-Term Rental Ordinance Requires Tax Certificates From January 2027
Hosts will pay $150 for an accommodation excise tax certificate and $100 a year to renew with fines of up to $1,000 a day for operating without one
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The Warner Robins City Council approved a short-term rental ordinance on October 5 that requires every rental of 30 consecutive days or fewer to hold an accommodation excise tax certificate before it can be rented or advertised. The rules take effect January 1, 2027 and operating without a certificate can draw a fine of up to $1,000 for each day the violation continues.
Warner Robins staff report outlining proposed short-term rental regulations, certificate fees, occupancy limits, and enforcement penalties ahead of the October 5, 2026 City Council meeting. | Source: City of Warner Robins, Georgia, Building & Inspections Department, Staff Report, Agenda Item #8, October 5, 2026
Why the City Acted
Mayor LaRhonda Patrick said Warner Robins has about 200 short-term rentals partly driven by personnel on temporary duty at Robins Air Force Base and people scouting the area before a move. The city began weighing rules after neighbors complained about poorly kept homes and parties where guests bought tickets and parked along streets and in yards which the ordinance targets through a ban on commercial events and on-site parking limits.
The planning commission unanimously recommended the draft ordinance in September and the council passed it unanimously after waiving a second reading. The certificate is built around the city's 8% hotel-motel tax which certificate holders must collect and remit while keeping booking and tax records for three years.
Certificates and Operating Standards
Owners or a licensed managing agent apply for a certificate costing $150 per unit which drops to $75 for applications filed after July 1 and one certificate can cover several properties under common ownership or management with a sub-number for each unit. Certificates expire on December 31 and cost $100 per rental to renew while a renewal that misses the deadline is treated as a new application. Every listing must display the certificate number and tenants cannot obtain a certificate without the owner's written permission.
Draft Warner Robins short-term rental ordinance outlining definitions, occupancy limits, and accommodations tax certificate requirements ahead of the October 5, 2026 City Council meeting. | Source: Source: City of Warner Robins, Georgia, Draft Short-Term Rental Ordinance, Chapter 10, Article II, Division III, Agenda Item #8, October 5, 2026
Overnight occupancy is capped at two guests per bedroom plus two with children under 12 excluded from the count and a hard limit of 15 people unless the city grants a variance for homes with six or more bedrooms. Each unit may host only one party at a time and owners must give guests parking instructions before arrival. A local contact must answer calls around the clock and reach the property in person within two hours of a complaint.
Fines and Revocation
Violations within a 12-month period carry fines of $250, $500 and then $1,000 against the owner or certificate holder while guests can be fined up to $1,000 directly. The city can suspend a certificate for up to 12 months or revoke it after three convictions under the ordinance or the noise code within a year, unpaid taxes left uncured for 14 days, or three missed complaint responses, and a revocation bars a new certificate at that address for 12 months. Owners can appeal to the Mayor and Council within 14 days.
⦾ Ordinance: Division 3, Chapter 10, Article II (Secs. 10-46 to 10-61)
⦾ Effective date: January 1, 2027
⦾ Applies to: Stays of 30 consecutive days or fewer; hotels, motels and inns excluded
⦾ Certificate required: Yes, one per unit, for owners or licensed managing agents
⦾ Fees: $150 initial ($75 after July 1); $100 annual renewal
⦾ Renewal deadline: Second Monday of December
⦾ Occupancy: Two per bedroom plus two, maximum 15; one party per unit
⦾ Safety: Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguisher, weekly trash service
⦾ Night cap: None
⦾ Penalties: $250, $500 and $1,000 for repeat violations; up to $1,000 a day without a certificate
⦾ Platform responsibility: None; listings must show the certificate number
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