Savannah requires a Short-Term Vacation Rental (STVR) permit before listing. The permit type determines everything: owner-occupied STRs are permitted, but non-owner-occupied STRs are banned in residential zones entirely.
Savannah is a zoning-binary market. If your client is underwriting a pure investment STR in Savannah, zoning is the first check, not the last. Non-owner-occupied properties can only be operated in commercial and tourist zones, primarily within the Historic District. The same house is investment-viable in one zone and banned in another, two streets away.
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Permit required | Yes. STVR permit from Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Government before listing. |
| Owner-occupied (OO) | Permitted with a license. Owner must live on-property. Renewals required annually. |
| Non-owner-occupied (NOO) | Banned in residential zoning districts. Only allowed in commercial and tourist zones, primarily the Historic District. |
| New NOO permits | Not issued in residential zones. No new non-owner-occupied permits are being granted outside commercial/tourist areas. |
| Permit term | Annually renewable. Must renew before expiration. |
| Taxes | Savannah hotel-motel excise tax: 7%. Georgia state sales tax: 4%. Combined roughly 11-12% of nightly revenue. |
Permit required
Yes. STVR permit from Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Government before listing.
Owner-occupied (OO)
Permitted with a license. Owner must live on-property. Renewals required annually.
Non-owner-occupied (NOO)
Banned in residential zoning districts. Only allowed in commercial and tourist zones, primarily the Historic District.
New NOO permits
Not issued in residential zones. No new non-owner-occupied permits are being granted outside commercial/tourist areas.
Permit term
Annually renewable. Must renew before expiration.
Taxes
Savannah hotel-motel excise tax: 7%. Georgia state sales tax: 4%. Combined roughly 11-12% of nightly revenue.
Owner-occupied permits are available for properties where the owner permanently resides on-site. The owner must be a natural person. If your client plans to house-hack (live in, rent part), this is the viable path in Savannah's residential zones. Permits are annually renewable.
Savannah has effectively banned non-owner-occupied STRs in residential zoning districts. New NOO permits are only issued in commercial and tourist zones, primarily within or near the Historic District. If the listing claims an existing NOO permit in a residential zone, verify the zoning and the permit's transferability with the city before your client makes an offer. Grandfathered permits may not survive a change in ownership.
Investment STRs in Savannah are entirely dependent on zoning. Confirm the property's zoning district with Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Government or through the city's parcel viewer before running financial models. Commercial and tourist zones (primarily in the Historic District) are where non-owner-occupied permits are viable.
Savannah STRs owe the city's 7% hotel-motel excise tax plus Georgia's 4% state sales tax, totaling approximately 11-12% of gross nightly revenue. Platforms collect some but not all of these. Verify current tax rates and platform coverage with Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Government before publishing deal analyses.
Savannah is a zoning-binary market, identical to Nashville in structure. The same house earns strong returns in the Historic District and zero STR revenue in an adjacent residential zone. Three checks before the pro forma:
The VaultSTR Pro Forma flags permit status by jurisdiction as part of every Savannah deal analysis.
Sources
This is general information, not legal advice. Verify current rules with Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Government before advising a client.
Can an investor buy a house in Savannah and run it as an Airbnb?
Only if it sits in a commercial or tourist zone, primarily the Historic District. Residential zones cannot operate non-owner-occupied STRs. Owner-occupied permits are available in residential areas only if the owner lives there.
Do STVR permits transfer when a property sells?
Owner-occupied permits do not transfer. The new owner must qualify and reside there. Verify permit transferability in writing with the city before your client makes an offer.
How long does an STVR permit last?
Annually. Renew before expiration to maintain operational status.
What is the total tax burden for Savannah STRs?
Approximately 11-12% of gross nightly revenue: 7% Savannah hotel-motel excise tax plus 4% Georgia state sales tax. Verify current rates and platform coverage with the city.
Is Blue Ridge a better investment than Savannah?
Different markets, different profiles. Savannah offers higher nightly rates but strict zoning controls. Blue Ridge offers fewer regulations and strong seasonal demand but lower nightly rates. Your underwrite should compare returns, not just regulatory environment.
The VaultSTR Pro Forma flags permit status and builds the full Savannah tax stack into every deal analysis before your client writes the offer.
Free to use. No credit card required.
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