Airbnb Requirements You Need to Meet to Succeed on the Platform

Renting out your space to travelers on Airbnb offers more flexibility and potentially higher returns than traditional long–term rentals. But before you get started, you need to understand what specific Airbnb requirements you are expected to meet to build a thriving business on this competitive platform.

In this blog, you’ll find general guidance for navigating STR laws and basic hosting standards that you are expected to follow to ensure compliance and provide a positive guest experience.

Airbnb Requirements: Understand the Laws in Your City

Airbnb emphasizes that it’s crucial for hosts to understand the laws in their jurisdictions to ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. Keep in mind that STR regulations can vary significantly depending on your location and can be quite confusing, but they can impact your ability to host.

Therefore, it is essential to research the laws and regulations related to short-term rentals in your area before listing your rental space. These may include

• Zoning laws
• Building and housing standards
• Health and safety standards
• Landlord-tenant laws
• Tax requirements
• And other local ordinances.

Many jurisdictions require Airbnb hosts to obtain a business license before listing their space or accepting guests. In some areas, short-term rental owners are required to register and have special permits to rent out their homes on OTA platforms like Airbnb. As a host, you may also be responsible for collecting and remitting certain taxes.

You can start with Airbnb’s Responsible Hosting page, where you'll find a list of resources that provide general information on laws, regulations, taxation, and best practices in various regions. Then you should check out the official website of your city for specific STR regulations and find out whether you need to get a short-term rental license.

Many local governments have sections on their websites that explain the business licensing process, including where to find relevant forms and information. Contact your local government for more information, and if you have any questions, consult a local lawyer or tax professional.

You may also want to check out our blog article to learn more about Airbnb regulations by state in the US.

By taking all the necessary steps to meet all legal Airbnb requirements, you lay a solid foundation for a worry-free hosting experience and can focus on growing your business. You’ll be able to scale faster if you streamline your routine operations using short-term rental software like Hospitable. With our STR super app, you can put your entire business on autopilot.

Airbnb Requirements: What Is Expected of Hosts

Airbnb also has its own set of requirements for hosts, which you must follow for each of your listings to ensure comfortable and reliable stays for your guests. Here is what is expected of hosts.

Create a host profile to introduce yourself to other members of the Airbnb community. A completed Airbnb profile helps build trust with guests who may be interested in staying at your property. All hosts are required to have a clear profile photo, which is then prominently displayed in search results, on their listings, and in messages to guests. You’ll also need to get verified because it helps ensure safety on the Airbnb platform.

Maintain a high overall review rating. It‘s the average review score from all the guests you have hosted, and it reflects the quality of your listing and the experience you provide. Hosts are expected to deliver experiences that result in positive guest feedback consistently, so listings with high Airbnb ratings appear higher in search results.

Honor accepted reservations. You are expected to accept trip requests whenever your listing is available and avoid cancellations, as they can disrupt guests’ travel plans. Airbnb states that hosts should not cancel confirmed reservations unless there are specific, valid reasons beyond their control. However, even in such cases, you should do your best to cancel with as much advance notice as possible and contact Airbnb if you need assistance.

Be responsive. Timely communication is a cornerstone of Airbnb's hosting standards. You should be available to respond to guest messages promptly, both before and during stays, within a reasonable timeframe. The sensible response time can be anywhere from within an hour to within 3 days, depending on how much time remains before the guest’s arrival. Still, the sooner you reply to guest messages, the better.

The easiest way to ensure fast and clear communication with guests is to automate the process, using vacation rental software like Hospitable. You can set up your automated messages using our pre-built templates or build your own with different customization options. Hospitable allows you to schedule sending your messages before and after specific stages of the guest’s journey or based on the day of the week.

Our system uses AI to improve guest communication. You can create pre-written answers to common guest questions. Our AI will detect when they are asked, and Hospitable will send a quick response at any time of day or night.

You can also utilize AI tools in your Hospitable Inbox when you need to message guests manually. Use the Suggest with AI button to quickly draft detailed responses based on the message context and booking details. Select the Improve with AI button to rewrite your message even if you provided just a few bullet points as guidance. Once you trust the system, you can enable Auto Inbox to allow our AI to respond to guest messages without your review.

Airbnb Requirements: Setting Up Your Property

Preparing your property to meet Airbnb requirements is crucial in setting up a successful rental space. You need to create a welcoming environment to meet guest expectations, making your rental feel like a home away from home. 

Equip your rental with amenities. Airbnb encourages hosts to provide guests with basic items that they expect for a comfortable stay. These items include toilet paper, hand and body soap, and other toiletries, as well as bedding and pillows for each bed, and towels for each guest.

Guests often filter search results to find listings with specific amenities, such as a hot tub, a fully stocked kitchen, air conditioning, a fireplace, WiFi, TV, or cable. Adding them can help your listing stand out. Remember that the more amenities you offer, the more appealing your rental becomes to potential guests.

Ensure that your listing page accurately describes your rental property and reflects the features and amenities available to guests from check-in to check-out. Listing accuracy is also one of the ground rules for Airbnb home hosts.

Keep your guests safe and secure. Airbnb strongly recommends that all hosts install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in spaces that use fuel-burning devices and advises offering a fire extinguisher and a first-aid kit. These safety essentials help reduce risks in your STR property.

Install smart locks to enhance home security and add convenience for you and your guests. You may also consider installing outdoor security cameras to add an extra layer of protection for your guests. However, please note that, according to the updated Airbnb camera policy, hosts are required to disclose the presence and general location of any outdoor cameras before guests book.

While Airbnb doesn’t allow indoor security cameras, you are allowed to have noise decibel monitors in your listing’s interior as long as you disclose their presence. But Airbnb doesn’t allow hosts to install noise monitors in bedrooms, bathrooms, and sleeping areas.

Clean your Airbnb property between stays. Hosts are required to provide listings that meet a high standard of cleanliness. Airbnb guests prioritize cleanliness, so a clean and tidy listing is crucial for getting great reviews and high ratings. Vacation rental turnover cleaning requires more attention to detail. It involves more tasks than the usual cleaning of your property, so a good idea is to create an Airbnb cleaning checklist to ensure that you’ve covered everything.

Exceed Expectations to Become Successful

Airbnb policies and requirements are designed to ensure a positive experience for both guests and hosts. However, if you want to stand out on the platform, earn 5-star reviews, and attract repeat bookings, you should take steps to exceed Airbnb's standards and guest expectations. Here are some tips to create memorable stays for your guests.

Incorporate smart home devices to create a technologically advanced environment for your guests. For example, installing smart thermostats to automate temperature control in your Airbnb and enhance comfort can be a selling point for eco-conscious travelers who care about sustainability.

You can connect supported smart thermostats to Hospitable, and our system will automatically adjust your thermostat settings based on your guest’s reservation status. Watch the video to learn how this feature works.

Surprise your guests with a welcome basket. You can include small gifts like local snacks, drinks, souvenirs, or toiletries. Consider leaving a small handwritten welcome note to add a personal touch. This way, you can show your guests that you care about them and want to make them feel special.

Create a well-formatted digital guidebook. Include essential details that travelers need to know upon arrival, such as Wi-Fi password, parking information, house rules, how-to instructions for your appliances, local attractions, dining options, and transportation tips.

Providing this information guide can enhance your guests’ stay. They can access your digital guidebook online at any time, from anywhere, and quickly find answers to their questions. That can help them plan their trip and make their stay easier to navigate.                                                                        

Consider offering additional services. It’s a great way to enhance the overall guest experience and increase your revenue. You can offer your guests many things, including early check-ins and late checkouts, extended stays for a discounted rate, luggage storage, bike and ski rentals, airport transfers, in-home massage, etc. Just make sure that the guest services you offer suit your guests’ needs and preferences and add value to their stays.

It's essential to convey your offerings without coming across as overly salesy. The best way to achieve this is to create an e-commerce-like experience, allowing your guests to view the list of extra services you offer and opt in for the ones they want.

Final Thought

Whether you are renting out a private space in your home, a glamping tent, a tiny cottage, or a luxury villa, mastering Airbnb requirements is crucial for creating an inviting vacation rental. You should also focus on guest experience to enhance your property appeal and equip yourself with the right tools to manage your business more efficiently.