The Application for Short Term Rental is the form the Henry County Tax Commissioner's Business & Occupational Tax Division uses to issue an Occupational Tax Certificate to a short-term rental in unincorporated Henry County, Georgia. The Tax Commissioner also handles Henry County property tax bills, but this packet is a business licensing application under Henry County Ordinance 3-3-Article VII, not a bill or a payment form. Owners complete it after the due diligence meeting with the Planning and Zoning Department. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the county publishes the original at henrycountytax.com.
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What is Application for Short Term Rental – Henry County, GA?
The Application for Short Term Rental is the Henry County Tax Commissioner's form for applying for an Occupational Tax Certificate to operate a short-term rental in unincorporated Henry County, Georgia, under Henry County Ordinance 3-3-Article VII.
The county PDF, printed under the title Short Term Rental Application, is a packet. It holds the application itself (owner information, rental information and an ordinance acknowledgement that the owner initials and signs), plus the Short-Term Rental Local Emergency Contact Consent Form, a Legal Status Affidavit, a Private Employer Affidavit, a Gross Receipts Page for Occupational Tax Calendar Year, a Personal Property Guide for business owners and a Hotel – Motel Occupancy Tax Return.
Completing and submitting the application starts the approval process: it is assigned to each county department for final approval, and the Occupational Tax Certificate is emailed once approvals are complete and payment is processed. The certificate starts on the date you apply and expires on December 31 of the year the application is submitted; it is renewed on a calendar-year basis.
The county lists related forms on its Short Term Rental page: a Building Inspection Report, a Short-Term Rental Closure Acknowledgement Form and the monthly Hotel Motel/Short Term Rental form. The Business Personal Property Tax Return (PT-50P) mentioned in the Personal Property Guide is a separate return filed with the Henry County Tax Assessor, not part of this application.
Who needs to file Application for Short Term Rental – Henry County, GA?
All short-term rentals located in unincorporated Henry County must apply for an Occupational Tax Certificate to operate. The property owner completes and signs the application.
Before applying, read County Ordinance Sec. 3-3 Article VII to see whether your rental qualifies. If it does, contact the Planning and Zoning Department at 770-288-7526 to schedule a due diligence meeting, then proceed to the application.
Other people the packet involves:
- Local emergency contact. An individual other than the applicant who lives within 20 miles of the rental. The contact cannot be the owner and cannot live in the home, and must sign the consent form.
- LLC or INC owners. If the business type is LLC or INC, the property owner must be listed on the entity, and copies from the Georgia Secretary of State go with the application.
- Rentals in a subdivision. A letter from the Homeowners Association allowing short-term rental is required; where no HOA exists, signing the application acknowledges that no HOA is active.
- Employers. The Private Employer Affidavit asks the applicant to state how many employees the business had on January 1 and, when the business had more than ten, its E-Verify and federal work authorization numbers.
When to file Application for Short Term Rental – Henry County, GA
Apply after you have attended the due diligence meeting and all your paperwork has been approved by each department. The county's Short Term Rental page says you then complete the application either online or by appointment with the Tax Commissioner's office.
An application expires 60 days from the date of submission. The Occupational Tax Certificate starts the date you apply, is renewable at the first of the year and expires on December 31 of the year the application is submitted.
After the certificate is issued, the Hotel/Motel excise tax must be submitted monthly, before the 20th of the following month of collection. You report the prior month's gross receipts, and the county page says a report is still required when there were no rentals, with an option for zero gross receipts. Failing to submit it makes the rental noncompliant, and the STR license can be suspended.
The Gross Receipts Page asks for receipts from October 1 of last year to September 30 of the current year, or, for a business not yet operating, an estimate for the next 12 months.
Documents you need
- A copy of the property owner's driver's license; the form asks for the license number with a copy included.
- Copies of the LLC or INC paperwork from the Georgia Secretary of State, only if the business type is LLC or INC; the property owner must be listed on the LLC or INC.
- A letter from the Homeowners Association allowing short-term rental, if the property is in a subdivision; if no HOA exists, signing the application is the acknowledgement that none is active.
- Proof that you notified all property owners within 300 feet, including the local emergency contact's name, address and phone number.
- A copy of the brochure required by the ordinance.
- A signed Affidavit (Henry County Building & Plan Review) from a licensed Building Inspector attesting that the property meets applicable building and life safety codes, with a copy of the inspector's state license or certificate.
- The signed Local Emergency Contact Consent Form with a copy of the emergency contact's driver's license.
- A copy of your Alien Registration Card, only if you check box 2 (qualified alien or nonimmigrant) on the Legal Status Affidavit.
- The Private Employer Affidavit executed under oath and notarized where applicable.
How to fill out Application for Short Term Rental – Henry County, GA
Enter account and meeting date
At the top, write the Account # if you have one and the Date of Due Diligence Meeting with the Henry County Building Department and Planning and Zoning.
Enter business and owner details
Fill in Name of Business, DBA, Property Owner Name, Property Owner Address, Name of Subdivision and the Driver's License Number, and include a copy of the license.
Enter the rental address and contacts
Write the Address of Short-Term Rental with city, state and ZIP, the Parcel ID, any Additional STR's with the County, and the owner's phone number and email address.
Mark the business type
Check Sole Proprietorship, LLC, INC or Partnership. For an LLC or INC, include copies from the Georgia Secretary of State; the property owner must be listed.
Describe the rental unit
Check Partial Rental, Additional Dwelling Unit or Full House Rental. Enter the Date First Rented, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the square footage of each bedroom (Bedroom # 1 to # 6) and the number of vehicles allowed per ordinance.
Initial the ordinance acknowledgements
Read the home occupation standards and initial each line you have read and agree to, including the monthly excise tax, 300-foot notification, HOA letter, 20-mile emergency contact, Due Diligence meeting, brochure and Building Inspector affidavit lines.
Sign and date the application
Enter the Date of Application and have the Property Owner sign.
Complete the emergency contact consent
On the Local Emergency Contact Consent Form, enter the contact's name, address, 24-hour phone, email and driver's license number. The contact fills in their name and the property address, then signs and dates, and a copy of their license is attached.
Complete the Legal Status Affidavit
Mark 1 if you are a U.S. citizen 18 or older, or 2 if you are a qualified alien or nonimmigrant 18 or older and lawfully present. For 2, enter the Alien Registration Number and attach a copy of the Alien Registration Card.
Complete the Private Employer Affidavit
Enter the employer's name, mark 1(a) with the E-Verify number or 1(b) for the employee count on January 1, and complete Section 2 if you selected 1(a). Sign before a notary and add the printed name, execution date, city and state.
Fill in the Gross Receipts Page
Enter the date, account number, business or corporation name, business address and gross receipts, then sign as property owner and date it.
Review, download and assemble
Check every initial, signature and attachment, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and assemble the package described under How to submit.
How to submit Application for Short Term Rental – Henry County, GA
There are two ways to file the application: online or by appointment at the Tax Commissioner's office.
- Online: apply through the link on the county's Short Term Rental page. You must upload all forms and notarization where applicable.
- By appointment: once you have completed the application, schedule an appointment with the Henry County Tax Commissioner, 140 Henry Parkway, McDonough, GA 30253, phone 770.288.8180 OPT 5.
Include every attachment listed under required documents. The county notes that fees are assessed at the time of submission. Once all departments approve, the county emails instructions to pay online; when payment is processed, the Occupational Tax Certificate is emailed to the address on record. The amount of any fee comes from the Tax Commissioner's office.
After the certificate is issued you receive a separate account and PIN number by email for paying the monthly Hotel/Motel excise tax online. Questions about the information required for the application go to the Planning and Zoning Department at 770-288-7526.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Submitting the application before attending the due diligence meeting with the Planning and Zoning Department.
- Naming the owner, or someone who lives in the home, as the local emergency contact, or naming a contact who lives more than 20 miles from the rental.
- Checking LLC or INC without attaching Secretary of State copies, or when the property owner is not listed on the entity.
- Leaving the initial lines in the Ordinance Acknowledgement blank or omitting the owner's signature and date of application.
- Omitting the HOA letter for a property in a subdivision, or the proof of notification to owners within 300 feet.
- Submitting without the signed Building Inspector affidavit and a copy of the inspector's license.
- Forgetting the copies of driver's licenses (owner and emergency contact) or the Alien Registration Card for a box 2 applicant.
- Skipping notarization on the Private Employer Affidavit where it applies.
- Letting the application sit past 60 days from submission, when it expires.
- Missing the monthly Hotel/Motel excise tax deadline of the 20th, or skipping a month with no rentals instead of reporting zero gross receipts.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Application for Short Term Rental in Henry County?
It is the Henry County Tax Commissioner's application for an Occupational Tax Certificate, which short-term rentals in unincorporated Henry County must obtain to operate. The PDF also holds the emergency contact consent, legal status and employer affidavits and a gross receipts page.
Do I need a due diligence meeting before applying?
Yes. If your rental qualifies under County Ordinance Sec. 3-3 Article VII, contact the Planning and Zoning Department at 770-288-7526 to schedule the meeting, then submit your application. The form asks for the meeting date and has you initial that you must meet with the Building Department before renting.
Where do I submit the Henry County short term rental application?
Apply online through the county's Short Term Rental page, uploading all forms and notarization where applicable, or complete the application and schedule an appointment with the Tax Commissioner's office at 140 Henry Parkway, McDonough, GA 30253, 770.288.8180 OPT 5.
What documents must I attach to the short term rental application?
Attach the owner's driver's license copy, LLC or INC papers if applicable, an HOA letter or no-HOA acknowledgement, proof of 300-foot notification, the brochure, the signed Building Inspector affidavit with license copy, and the emergency contact's license copy. Others depend on your situation.
Is there a fee for the short term rental application?
Yes. Fees are assessed at the time of submission, and after all departments approve, the county emails instructions to pay online. The amount is not printed on the form; ask the Tax Commissioner's office at 770.288.8180 OPT 5 for the current fee.
How long is a Henry County short term rental certificate valid?
The certificate starts the date you apply and expires on December 31 of the year the application is submitted. It is renewed on a calendar-year basis. The application itself expires 60 days from the date of submission.
Who can be my local emergency contact?
Someone other than the owner who lives within 20 miles of the rental and does not live in the home. The person must be reachable 24 hours a day, have access to the property, be authorized to act in your absence, and sign the consent form with a driver's license copy.
Do I have to pay the Hotel/Motel excise tax every month?
Yes. Submit it monthly before the 20th of the following month, reporting the prior month's gross receipts. If there were no rentals, you must still report, using the zero gross receipts option. Failure to submit can lead to suspension of the STR license.
Can I fill out the short term rental application on FillingPDF?
Yes. FillingPDF lets you fill out the PDF online and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service, not connected to Henry County, and does not file the application; you submit it through the county's online portal or by appointment.
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