By Julie Gates | Team 912 at RE/MAX Accent
If you’ve been reading the Savannah-area short-term rental headlines this summer, you’ve probably landed in one of two camps on Chatham County STR rules: the sky is falling, or nothing is happening. Both are wrong, and the gap between them is where investors either overreact or get blindsided.
Here’s the part almost nobody separates cleanly: there is a difference between what is legally operative right now and what is still just a proposal on a council agenda. Proposals get advertised, postponed, tabled, rewritten, and killed. If you underwrite a deal on a rule that hasn’t been adopted — a certificate that “transfers,” a sector cap that doesn’t exist yet — you’re pricing a property on a press release.
So this is the version without the panic and without the wishful thinking. What became law in the last 60 days, what’s still on the table, and how to actually diligence a Tybee or unincorporated Chatham County property while both governments are mid-rewrite.
One scope note before we start: this covers Tybee Island and unincorporated Chatham County only. The City of Savannah and the Historic District run their own separate STR framework — none of what follows changes those rules.
The bottom line on Chatham County STR rules
Over the past 60 days, exactly one substantive regulation actually took effect: Chatham County’s moratorium. Everything on Tybee is still proposed.
| Jurisdiction | What is legally operative now | What is still only proposed | Tybee Island | The existing 2024 framework (Ordinance 2024-08) still controls. |
|---|---|---|
| Renewal deadline was extended to May 31, 2026, with updated application paperwork. | Four STR sectors with caps, certificate transfers, a limited transfer window, removal of the 60-day activity rule, higher fees, new enforcement — all pending an Aug 13 hearing. | |
| Unincorporated Chatham County | A 120-day moratorium on new STVR applications, in effect since July 10, 2026, running through roughly Nov 7, 2026. | The broader rewrite — 500-foot spacing, homestead prohibition, occupancy limits, parking standards, one-hour response — was tabled, not adopted. |
If you take nothing else from this: do not underwrite on a proposal.
The last 60 days: a working timeline
Here’s the actual sequence of actions and delays across both jurisdictions.
Mid-to-late May 2026 — Chatham County first reading, then a pivot to a workshop. Chatham County held a first reading of an amendment to its short-term rental ordinance (Chapter 16, Article 13). By May 22, the commission tabled the second reading and scheduled a workshop to gather more public input instead of pushing the draft through.
May 31, 2026 — Tybee renewal deadline closes. Tybee’s deadline to renew existing 2026 STR certificates — originally March 31 — officially closed after being extended to May 31. The city also tightened the paperwork: current applications require both the STR renewal and an Occupational Tax Certificate (or exemption), plus a new authorization letter when an owner changes or uses a new management company. These are licensing-process changes, not a change to where STRs are allowed.
July 9, 2026 — Tybee public hearing postponed. The Tybee City Council was scheduled to hold a much-anticipated public hearing on the newly proposed STR ordinance. It was abruptly postponed to August 13, 2026 because the required legal notice hadn’t run for the full period — frustrating attendees who had shown up from every side of the issue.
July 10, 2026 — Chatham County passes the moratorium. The Chatham County Board of Commissioners passed a 120-day moratorium on new STVR applications in unincorporated areas, effective immediately. It passed quickly, with every commissioner in favor except Commissioner Noha. Notably, the anticipation of the pause triggered a rush of STVR applications filed in the days right before it took effect.
That last detail matters more than it looks. A wave of last-minute filings means the “already in process” exception is going to get tested — and contested.
Tybee Island: a lot proposed, nothing new adopted
Tybee has been rewriting its STR ordinance for months, and the draft is significant. But as of mid-July, the 2024 framework is still the law. The city’s official ordinance page still lists 2024-08 as the most recent STR ordinance, and the 2026 slot is blank. That’s your tell.
Here’s what the rewrite would do if adopted — treat all of it as proposed:
- Four geographic sectors across the R-1, R-1-B and R-2 residential districts, each with its own cap. Reported concentrations: roughly 60% of residential properties in the east and south (beach/commercial/tourism-facing) sectors, and roughly 30% in the more residential north and west.
- Waiting lists once a sector hits its cap, with a new certificate issued only when one is surrendered.
- Owner-occupied exemption from the sector caps (documentation requirements not fully spelled out).
- Certificate transfers to immediate family members — a partial reversal of the 2024 attrition approach.
- A one-time transfer window through January 1, 2028 letting a non-family buyer of a currently permitted property apply to transfer the certificate without first joining the sector waiting list. This is arguably the most valuable proposed change for Tybee investment property — and it does not exist yet.
- Removal of the 60-day annual activity requirement, which would help second-home owners who rent occasionally.
- Higher fees, standardized signage, defined response standards, a repeat-violation hearing process, and — a big one for operators — management-company accountability for repeated violations across a portfolio, plus expanded late-night code enforcement until 2:00 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
The public hearing is now expected August 13. Until the council actually adopts a new ordinance and makes it effective, none of the above is real.
What this means for a Tybee deal today: don’t assume a certificate transfers to you. Don’t price in the 60%/30% caps. Don’t value a property on the 2028 transfer window. The 2024 rules govern until they don’t.
Chatham County STR Rules: The Moratorium Is the Only Real Change
This section applies only to property governed directly by unincorporated Chatham County — not Tybee, and not anything inside Savannah, Pooler, Garden City, Port Wentworth, or Thunderbolt.
The one thing that actually became operative: the 120-day moratorium on new STVR applications, passed July 10 and running through about November 7, 2026 (it can be lifted sooner if the county finishes its rewrite). During the pause, the county won’t accept or approve new applications.
What the moratorium does not stop, based on available reporting:
- Existing, properly permitted STVRs
- Annual renewals of existing certificates
- Applications already in the approval process when the pause began
That third bucket is where the fight will be. Given the last-minute application rush, “in the approval process” is going to be interpreted narrowly by the county and generously by applicants. If a deal you’re looking at hinges on a pending application, that ambiguity is your risk — see the diligence section below.
What led here, and what’s still just proposed: the county’s original May 8 draft was aggressive — a 500-foot separation between new STRs, a prohibition on STRs receiving a homestead exemption, higher noise/occupancy penalties, on-site parking requirements, a one-hour local-contact response rule, and tighter occupancy limits. After heavy public pushback and two community meetings, the second reading was tabled May 22, a workshop was held June 15, and the commission ultimately chose the moratorium to buy time. So: the 500-foot rule, the homestead prohibition, the occupancy formula, the parking standards, and the one-hour rule are all still proposed, not adopted.
What owners and investors are actually saying
The on-the-ground chatter matters here, because it tells you where the political pressure is pointing — and political pressure is what turns a proposal into an ordinance. Pulling from the last couple of months of local investor and community discussion, a few themes are loud and consistent:
Fee fatigue on Tybee. A proposed licensing fee reported at up to $2,000/year for larger homes is a genuine flashpoint. Critics call it excessive, and some point out the city is already facing a legal challenge over whether it can charge STR registration fees at all. If you own a larger Tybee property, model that fee as a real possibility even though it isn’t final.
“Corporate vs. local families.” On both Tybee and in Chatham neighborhoods like Battery Point, a recurring argument is that caps, spacing rules, and moratoriums quietly favor existing absentee and corporate owners — because their permits are grandfathered — while locking out local families who might want rental income later. A widely shared resident letter made exactly this point, noting that two of Tybee’s largest rental-management agencies were recently acquired by an outside company. Whether or not you agree, that’s the framing driving a lot of the public comment.
The 500-foot rule is scaring individual owners. In Battery Point specifically, the proposed 500-foot separation has homeowners worried that a single nearby licensed rental could permanently block them from ever getting their own certificate — while the grandfathered rental next door keeps operating.
Transferability confusion. A lot of listings and marketing are treating STR certificates as if they transfer on sale. Under current Tybee rules, they generally don’t. That mismatch between marketing and law is exactly where an out-of-state buyer overpays.
Process frustration. The July 9 postponement annoyed everyone — pro-STR and anti-STR alike — because people took time off to show up and got sent home. Expect a bigger, more charged crowd on August 13.
Sentiment is genuinely split. Some residents want strict enforcement to protect neighborhood character; some agents and owners want the rules to go further toward restoring equal STR rights for all homeowners; a petition against a batch of new STRs is still circulating. The point for an investor isn’t to pick a side — it’s to recognize that this is an active, contested political process, which means the rules can still move in either direction.
How to actually underwrite around Chatham County STR rules
Understanding the current Chatham County STR rules matters here. This is informational, not legal advice — verify everything below in writing with the jurisdiction and run it past your own attorney. But here’s the practical framework Team 912 is using with buyers right now.
For a Tybee purchase:
- Treat any “transferable certificate” claim as unverified until the city confirms it in writing.
- Before you’re comfortable, get written verification from Tybee Community Development or Code Compliance that: the certificate is active and in good standing; the property meets all current rental-activity requirements; there are no pending violations; and any ownership transfer qualifies under the law effective on your closing date — not the proposed law.
- Model the higher fee as a downside case. Do not model the 2028 transfer window or the sector caps as a benefit.
For an unincorporated Chatham County purchase:
- If the property has no existing STVR certificate, underwrite it as not currently eligible to start a new STR during the moratorium. Any STR income in your model is speculative until the pause lifts or is replaced.
- If a property is advertised as having a pending application, get all of it in writing: the submission date, proof it was accepted before July 10, confirmation it was complete (not merely started), and written county confirmation that it falls within the “in process” exception. Given the application rush, this is where deals will fall apart or get repriced.
The bigger strategic read on Chatham County STR rules: Tybee is considering rules that could eventually restore or expand transferability in some areas, while Chatham County has moved in the opposite immediate direction by stopping new applications while it considers stricter rules. Same region, two governments, opposite short-term trajectories. Know which one your property sits in.
If you’re weighing where to deploy capital while this shakes out, the Savannah Neighborhood Investment Guide breaks down 25+ neighborhoods by strategy, and the Team 912 7-Point Investor Checklist is the screening framework we run every deal through.
Frequently asked questions
Did Chatham County ban short-term rentals under the new Chatham County STR rules? No. It passed a 120-day moratorium on new STVR applications in unincorporated areas, running through roughly November 7, 2026. Existing permitted rentals, annual renewals, and applications already in process are not affected.
Can I buy a property and start a new STR in unincorporated Chatham County right now? Not during the moratorium — new applications aren’t being accepted. Underwrite any such property as not eligible to begin a new STR until the pause lifts or is replaced.
Did Tybee Island pass its new STR ordinance? No. As of mid-July 2026, the 2024 framework still controls. The rewrite — sectors, caps, transfer provisions — remains proposed, with a public hearing rescheduled to August 13, 2026.
Will a Tybee STR certificate transfer to me when I buy? Not under current rules; certificates generally do not transfer on sale. The proposed transfer provisions are not law yet. Confirm status in writing with the City of Tybee before relying on it.
Does any of this affect the City of Savannah or the Historic District? No. This update covers Tybee Island and unincorporated Chatham County only. The City of Savannah operates under its own separate STR rules. For the broader buy-side picture, see Is 2026 a Smart Time to Buy a Short-Term Rental in Savannah?
About the author
Julie Gates has been investing in the Savannah, GA market since 2004, through the 2008 downturn, COVID, and the 2024–25 STR consolidation. She is a licensed RE/MAX broker and leader of Team 912, an investor-focused real estate team, and founder of Sid Was Here, a Savannah-based property management company. She is a Forbes Business Council member and a contributor to BiggerPockets’ The 30-Day Stay (2023). Team 912 represents investor buyers and sellers across the Savannah market and tracks local STR regulation as part of underwriting.
This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal, tax, or investment advice. Short-term rental regulations in Tybee Island and Chatham County are actively changing; confirm current requirements directly with the applicable jurisdiction and consult your own attorney before relying on any rule discussed here. No permit approval, rental income, or investment outcome is guaranteed.
Team 912 is a real estate team affiliated with RE/MAX Accent, 6602 Abercorn St, Suite 102, Savannah, GA 31405 · (912) 756-5888. Each office independently owned and operated.
Want the regulatory tracker for your specific property or neighborhood? Team 912 monitors both governments and can tell you exactly which rules apply to a given parcel before you write an offer. Reach out at julie@team912.com or (912) 600-2893.
Image: Chatham County Courthouse, Savannah. Photo by Billy Hathorn, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
