Open the Checkout chore checker →
Every house rule and request now has to be in the designated House rules and requests section of your listing at the time of booking. You can't add new rules later by message, by a sign in the home, or in person. Airbnb also says hosts may not fine or penalize guests.
Airbnb announced the policy in October 2026. It applies to reservations booked on or after November 20, 2026. A stay booked before Nov 20 is not covered by it, even if the stay is later.
What the policy says about signs and messages
Airbnb's policy puts it this way:
"Hosts may not communicate new house rules or requests in other sections of their listing page or after booking, including by message, signs in the home, or in person."
Rules and requests also have to match what the rest of your listing page says.
Our practical reading, not an Airbnb quote: a sign can still remind guests of a rule that is already in your listing. A sign that adds a new rule is the problem. The same goes for pre-arrival messages, welcome books, and door code texts.
Chores
Requests must be reasonable. Hosts generally may not ask guests to do tasks that take significant effort or time, or that a cleaner would typically do. Airbnb's examples are stripping the bed, taking trash offsite, and washing and putting away dishes. Guests must follow house rules and are encouraged to follow requests.
Paste your checkout list and signs into the Checkout chore checker. It flags chores like stripping beds and doing dishes.
Fees for things you advertise
Hosts may not restrict access to any feature advertised as part of the listing. Any fee for an advertised part of the listing must be in the price guests see at booking. You can mention fees for optional add-ons, like breakfast service, in your requests.
Fines, contracts, and ID
- Fines. Hosts may not impose fines or other penalties on guests. For damage, Airbnb points hosts to AirCover. If an HOA, building security, or local government might fine a guest, you can give notice of that in the designated section of your listing.
- Contracts and ID. Hosts may not ask guests to sign separate contracts or give personal information such as a government ID, except where the law requires it and in other limited cases.
Exceptions
Airbnb says it looks at the listing's context and local rules, and may grant exceptions. Its examples are asking guests to limit showers during drought water limits, or to use an animal-proof trash bin in bear country. What counts as reasonable in your area is not spelled out.
What happens if a rule breaks the policy
Airbnb may explain the policy to the host, ask for listing updates, and issue warnings. If a violation persists, it may add a notice on the listing page flagging the issue to guests, reduce the listing's visibility in search, or take other action. This is an Airbnb policy. It does not cover Vrbo or your direct bookings.
Worked example
A made-up host. The listing's House rules say: no smoking, no pets, quiet hours 10 PM to 8 AM. Rules also live in four other places.
- Fridge sign: "Max 8 guests after 11 PM. $250 fine for parties." The 8-guest limit is not in the listing. Fix: move the guest limit into the House rules section and delete the fine. If the HOA or city can fine for parties, put that notice in the listing's designated section.
- Pre-arrival message: "Please sign and return the attached rental agreement and a photo of your ID." Fix: drop the contract and ID request unless a law requires it.
- Checkout sign: "Strip the beds, run the dishwasher, take all trash to the dumpster on the corner." Fix: cut stripping beds and the trip to the dumpster, which is taking trash offsite. A softer ask like "please leave dishes in the sink" is our suggestion in place of the dishwasher line.
- Welcome book: "Pool towels are $10 a day." The listing advertises the pool. Fix: Airbnb says fees for an advertised part of the listing belong in the booking price, so include the towels or drop the charge.
After these fixes, the signs only repeat rules that are already in the listing.
Steps
- Open the House rules and requests section of each listing. Move every rule and request you rely on into it.
- Check that each rule matches the rest of the listing page.
- Gather every sign, welcome book page, and scheduled message. Delete or move any rule that is not in the listing.
- Remove fines and penalty amounts. Put HOA or city fine notices in the designated section instead.
- Drop contract and ID requests unless a law requires them.
- Run your checkout list through the Checkout chore checker.
- Finish before Nov 20, when new bookings fall under the policy.
For the checkout list itself, see our guide to Airbnb checkout chores.
Sources
- Airbnb Help: House rules and requests policy (article 4168)
- Airbnb Help: Ground rules for guests (article 2894)
Last checked Oct 26, 2026. This is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Check your own platform terms and dashboard.