STR-Article

Note

Below are links regardign the June 5th Facebook post.

Here is the full eight pages PDF
Here is the Gilmer County STR Webpage
Here is the June 5th posting on Facebook

Legal

Please note that de Venny, Inc. (my company), my broker VPR (Virtual Properties Realty) (United Country Premier Properties) and I do not offer legal advice and are not acting in a legal capacity. We are not liable for any missing content, as this was manually added. I am not associated with or employed by Gilmer County, Georgia.

STR Owner

I have knowledge of how to create webpages and want to share this information with STR owners.

Real Estate Agent

I am a real estate agent specializing in listing STR properties. If you're considering placing your property on the market, contact me for a friendly chat.

By Phone
email: Tom de Venny

Licensing & Administration:

Annual Renewals: Licenses expire December 31st each year and are completely non-transferable.
Host Registry: Owners must maintain a 3-year log of guest dates, stay lengths, rental fees, and taxes collected
Insurance & Finances: Applications must include the declaration page for liability insurance specifically covering short-term rentals
HOA: Owners must also certify they have no unpaid county debts, HOA bans, or deed restrictions
Taxes: If booking platforms (like Airbnb or VRBO) do not automatically remit hotel/motel taxes, the owner must pay them directly to the county's accounting office.

Safety & Inspections:

Inspections: A qualified professional must complete a safety inspection initially and every 3 years. Annual renewals require the owner to certify there are no significant safety changes.
Alarms: Smoke detectors are required in and immediately outside all sleeping areas, and on every level. Carbon monoxide detectors are mandatory if the home uses gas appliances or gas fireplaces.
Fire Extinguishers: A tagged, unexpired 5lb (2A:10BC) extinguisher must be mounted on every level, with signs posted if they are stored behind closed doors.
Electrical & Exits: GFCI outlets are required in wet locations (kitchens, baths, outdoors, basements). Additionally, exit doors cannot use deadbolts that require a key from the inside.

Operations & Guest Rules:

24/7 Contact: A designated local contact must be available 24/7 and must respond to and act on any complaints within 4 hours.
Neighbor Notices: Letters with contact info must go to adjoining owners and those within 250 feet. If the contact info changes, neighbors must be notified within 7 days.
Signage & Communication: A 911 address sign with at least 4-inch characters must be clearly visible from the road. Inside, an 8.5"x11" minimum floor plan showing escape routes must be posted alongside emergency contact info. The home must have internet, cellular service, or a dedicated landline for 911.
Lighting & Noise: Quiet hours are 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. (Sunday-Friday) and 11:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. (Friday-Sunday). All exterior lights, except porch lights and motion sensors, must be turned off during these hours.
Prohibited Activities: Outdoor sports facilities (like tennis or pickleball courts), fireworks, uncontained fires, and discharging firearms are strictly banned.
Trash & Animals: Trash must stay in authorized bins out of public view. Owners are responsible for safely removing any pets abandoned by guests.
Roads: If the property is accessed via a private road, the owner must have a maintenance agreement with the road's owners.

Enforcement & Violations:

Review Board: A 5-member citizen board (including fire department and property management reps) oversees rules and conducts violation hearings.
Fines: Operating over 30 days without a license results in a penalty that is 3 times the cost of the license fee.
Escalation Path: Code violations trigger a 30-day written warning. If uncorrected, this escalates to a citation and fine, then a 30-day license suspension, followed by a 12-month suspension, and ultimately a permanent ban.
Repeat Offenses: Repeating the exact same violation within a 24-month period skips the warning phase and immediately results in a citation. Any penalties can be appealed within 30 days

Short-Term Rental

Gilmer County Georgia