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Airbnb House Rules Examples That Protect Your Home

The house rules that protect your home best are short, specific and tied to a real risk: no parties or events, no smoking of any kind indoors, a clear guest limit, quiet hours, a pet policy and simple checkout expectations. Start with Airbnb's standard rules, then add a handful of written rules for anything particular to your property.

I have rewritten my own house rules more times than I can count. The versions that worked were never the longest. They were the ones a tired guest could read in thirty seconds and understand why each rule existed.

How Airbnb house rules work

Airbnb gives hosts a set of standard rules you switch on in your listing settings. According to Airbnb's guide to writing house rules, the standard categories are:

• Pets
• Events
• Smoking, vaping and e cigarettes
• Quiet hours
• Check in and checkout times
• Maximum number of guests
• Commercial photography and filming

Airbnb says any rule you choose from that standard list can be enforced, and its ground rules for guests tell guests to respect no pets, no smoking, quiet hours, the approved guest count and checkout times. On top of those, you can add your own written rules.

Your rules show up in the listing, the booking screen, automated emails to the guest and the Arrival Guide, per Airbnb's help article on adding house rules. That is why clarity matters so much: guests see them several times before they arrive.

Two limits on what you can write:

• Additional rules must align with Airbnb's policies, terms of service and nondiscrimination policy.
• Service animals are not pets under Airbnb's Accessibility Policy, so a no pets rule does not apply to them.

House rules examples you can adapt

Below are examples I would actually use. Change the details to fit your home, and cut anything that does not apply. Every extra rule dilutes the ones that matter.

Parties and events

No parties or events of any kind. Only registered guests may be on the property, and visitors are not permitted after 9pm.

Airbnb's Community Disturbance Policy already prohibits open invite parties and disruptive gatherings, but your rule makes it personal and specific to your home. For a full prevention plan, see how to prevent parties in your Airbnb.

Guest count

The maximum number of guests is 6, including children. Anyone staying overnight must be listed on the reservation.

Smoking

No smoking, vaping or cannabis anywhere inside the home or on the balcony. Smoking is allowed only at the fire pit in the back yard.

If you allow smoking somewhere outdoors, say exactly where. Guests are much more likely to comply when there is a clear alternative. If a guest does smoke inside, this guide to smoke smell and claims walks through cleaning and documentation.

Quiet hours

Quiet hours are 10pm to 8am. Our neighbors are families with young kids, so please keep music and voices low outside.

A short reason ("our neighbors are families") does more than a longer rule.

Pets

Up to 2 dogs under 50 lbs are welcome with approval. Please keep them off beds and sofas, and pick up after them in the yard. No other pets.

Or, if you do not allow pets:

No pets. Service animals are always welcome.

If you do allow pets, decide how you will charge for the extra cleaning. Pet cleaning fees on Airbnb covers that.

Check in and checkout

Check in is after 4pm. Checkout is by 10am. Please message us if you need more time and we will do our best.

Checkout expectations

Before you leave: start the dishwasher, put used towels in the bathtub, take trash to the outdoor bins and lock the front door.

Keep this list reasonable. Asking guests to strip beds, vacuum and mop on top of a cleaning fee is a common source of complaints. See what you can ask guests to do at checkout for a fair list.

Property specific safety rules

The hot tub is for guests 12 and older. Please keep the cover closed when not in use and do not use glass near the tub.

The dock has no railing. Children must be supervised by an adult at all times near the water.

These are the rules that genuinely protect people, and they are worth the space.

Care of the home

Please do not move furniture between rooms, and use the coasters on the wood tables.

Please use the dark makeup towels in the bathroom for makeup removal.

Small, practical rules like the towel one prevent a lot of stained white linen.

A simple house rules template

Here is a compact version you can paste into your listing and adjust.

How to write rules guests actually follow

1. Keep it under ten rules. Airbnb itself advises against overwhelming guests with too many rules.
2. Give a reason for the unusual ones. "No shoes on the white carpet" lands better with "it is hard to clean."
3. Put the most important rule first. Usually parties and guest count.
4. Use plain, friendly language. Capital letters and "ABSOLUTELY NO" read as hostile and do not improve compliance.
5. Repeat key rules where they apply. A small card by the hot tub or the thermostat helps more than one line in the listing.
6. Match your rules to your house manual. Your house manual can explain the how, while the rules set the what.

What to do when a rule is broken

Airbnb recommends talking to the guest first when a house rule is broken and trying to resolve it directly. In practice that means:

1. Message the guest through Airbnb so there is a written record.
2. Describe what happened factually and ask them to stop or fix it.
3. If there is damage or extra cleaning, document it right away with dated photos.
4. Use the Resolution Center if you need to request payment.

The hardest part is usually proving what the home looked like before the guest arrived. I solve that with a turnover photo record: my cleaners photograph each room in the Clyn app, the AI checks the photos, and I end up with a dated set showing the home was clean and undamaged at check in. When a rule break leads to a claim, that "before" evidence is already on file. If you do not have that yet, read how to prove guest damage on Airbnb.

FAQ

Can Airbnb hosts enforce house rules?

Airbnb says any rule selected from its standard list can be enforced, and it asks guests to follow house rules in its ground rules for guests. Repeated or severe violations can lead to warnings, suspension or removal of the guest.

Can I ban pets but still get service animals?

No. Under Airbnb's Accessibility Policy, service animals are not pets, so a no pets rule does not apply to them. Check the current policy in Airbnb's house rules help article.

How many house rules should an Airbnb have?

Enough to cover your real risks, usually six to ten. Use the standard rules first, then add only what is specific to your home, such as a hot tub or water safety rule.

If you want every turnover checked before check in, you can try Clyn free on one property at clyn.com.