Airbnb’s New House Rules Policy (Nov. 20, 2026): What Owners Need to Know

Updated October 2026. This is a plain-English summary of Airbnb’s published policies for homeowners. It is not legal advice. Airbnb can change its policies, so check the official pages linked below for the current wording.

On October 20, 2026, Airbnb told hosts it is changing how house rules work. A new house rules policy and an updated policy on contracts and guest information take effect on November 20, 2026. They apply to reservations booked on or after that date. Bookings made before November 20 stay under the old rules. The changes have hosts talking: the headline item is that you can no longer ask guests to wash dishes or strip the beds. But the bigger shift for owners is about rental agreements, guest IDs and fees. Here’s what changes and what to do before the 20th.

1. House rules move to 7 standard options

House rules now live in one place in the listing editor, and guests see them more prominently: on the listing, in their Trips tab and in reservation reminders. You choose from seven standard rules:

• Maximum overnight guests
• Quiet hours
• Events (allowed or not)
• Pets (allowed or not, and how many)
• Smoking, including vaping and e-cigarettes
• Commercial photography and filming
• Lock up at checkout, with optional details on where keys go

Anything else goes under “Requests.” Checkout instructions no longer have their own tab.

2. Requests must be “reasonable,” and Airbnb has defined what that means

This is the first time Airbnb has published a list of what it considers reasonable. In general, guests shouldn’t be asked to do work a cleaner would normally do:

• Dishes: you can’t ask guests to wash and put away dishes. You can ask them to put used dishes in the sink.
• Laundry: you can’t ask guests to strip beds or start laundry. You can ask them to gather used towels.
• Trash: you can’t ask guests to take garbage off-site. You can ask them to sort trash and recycling into indoor bins.
• Utilities: you can’t ask guests not to use a listed amenity, such as air conditioning. You can ask them to turn it off when they leave.

Airbnb says it considers the type of stay and local factors, and may allow exceptions. Its own example is asking guests to use an animal-proof trash container in bear country.

3. Rules must be in the listing before the guest books

All house rules and requests must be in the designated section of the listing at the time of booking, and must match the rest of the listing. Hosts can’t add new rules later by message, with signs in the home, or in person. A laminated “checkout chores” sheet on the fridge that isn’t in the listing is now a problem.

4. Separate rental agreements are mostly out

Under the updated policy, hosts generally can’t ask Airbnb guests to sign a separate contract or rental agreement unless it is:

• Required by law or by community association rules (for example, an HOA or building security requirement)
• Needed for an optional amenity, such as a golf cart rental
• For a monthly stay of 28 nights or more
• For an Airbnb Luxe listing

Where a contract is allowed, it must be uploaded under Contracts in the listing settings, where its terms are publicly visible. Airbnb doesn’t require guests to sign it and doesn’t help enforce it.

5. No collecting guest IDs or contact details

With limited exceptions, hosts can’t ask Airbnb guests for personal data during booking or the stay. That includes phone numbers, home addresses, email addresses and copies of a driver’s license or passport. Hosts may check an ID in person at check-in if that requirement is disclosed in the listing’s requests section, but they can’t keep a copy unless an exception applies, such as a legal or HOA requirement.

6. No extra fees for listed items, and no host fines

Hosts can’t charge guests for anything already included in the listing, and can’t impose their own fines. Airbnb points hosts to AirCover for property damage instead.

What happens if a listing doesn’t comply

According to the policy and industry coverage, hosts who repeatedly break these rules could see a notice on their listing or lower placement in search. Further steps include canceled bookings, loss of Superhost or Guest Favorite status, or account suspension. Visibility is income, so it’s worth getting this right.

A checklist for owners before November 20

1. Rebuild your house rules using the seven standard options, and move everything else into Requests.
2. Cut chore-style checkout tasks (dishes, stripping beds, hauling trash) and budget for your cleaner to handle them.
3. Check signs and guidebooks in the home so they don’t add rules that aren’t in the listing.
4. Review any rental agreement or guest ID step in your booking process for Airbnb guests. Keep it only if one of the exceptions applies, and if it does, upload it in the listing settings.
5. Look at your fees. Anything advertised as included can’t be charged for separately.
6. Don’t forget the fee change. Airbnb also moved hosts using property management software to a single 15.5% host-paid service fee on October 13, 2026. If prices weren’t adjusted, nightly payouts are now lower.

Where a professional manager helps

Changes like this are part of running a vacation rental today. A good manager updates every listing, every guidebook and every cleaner checklist at the same time, so owners don’t have to track platform policy themselves. That’s what The House Kee does for homeowners in Ocean City and the Delaware beaches, Annapolis and Haines City and Central Florida. If you want to see what your home could earn with professional management, request a free earnings analysis.

Sources

• Airbnb, Important changes to house rules (October 20, 2026)
• Airbnb Help Center, House rules and requests policy
• Airbnb Help Center, Contracts and guest information policy
• Airbnb, Simplifying Airbnb service fees