Airbnb House Rules: 30 Examples and How to Enforce Them

23 Oct 20268 min read
Airbnb House Rules: 30 Examples and How to Enforce Them

Good Airbnb house rules are short, clear and polite. They tell guests what you expect on noise, visitors, smoking, pets, parties, check-out and safety – and they give you a fair basis to act if something goes wrong. Below are 30 example rules you can copy, tips on wording, how to add them on Airbnb, and how to enforce them calmly.

Why house rules matter

House rules protect three things: your property, your neighbours and your guests’ experience. Clear rules also help you choose the right guests. A family looking for a quiet stay will like a 10:00 pm quiet-hours rule; a group planning a party will book somewhere else. That is a good result for you.

Rules work best when they are:

  • Specific – “Quiet hours 10:00 pm–8:00 am” is better than “Be respectful”.
  • Short – 8–15 rules is enough for most homes. A long list is rarely read.
  • Consistent – the same in your listing, your messages and your welcome book.
  • Legal where you are – local laws on noise, occupancy, smoking and short-term rentals differ by country and city. Check your local rules and any building or strata regulations.
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30 Airbnb house rules examples (house rules template)

Use this list as a house rules template. Pick the rules that fit your property, change the details in brackets, and delete the rest.

Quiet hours

  1. Quiet hours are [10:00 pm–8:00 am]. Please keep voices and music low during this time.
  2. Please do not use the hot tub or pool after [10:00 pm].
  3. We share walls with neighbours. Please close doors gently and avoid loud music at any time.
  4. Outdoor speakers are not allowed. Indoor music is fine at a low volume.

Guests and visitors

  1. The maximum number of overnight guests is [4], as shown in the booking.
  2. Only registered guests may stay overnight.
  3. Day visitors are welcome until [9:00 pm], up to [2] people. Please ask us first.
  4. The booking guest must be [18]+. Children are welcome when travelling with the booking guest.
  5. Please share the full names of all guests before arrival, where local law requires guest registration.

Smoking and vaping

  1. No smoking, vaping or e-cigarettes inside the property.
  2. Smoking is allowed only on the [back terrace]. Please use the ashtray provided and close the door.
  3. Smoking indoors will lead to an extra cleaning charge, as set out in our listing.

Pets

  1. Pets are welcome – up to [1 dog under 15 kg]. Please tell us about your pet when you book.
  2. Please keep pets off beds and sofas. Pet blankets are in the [hall cupboard].
  3. Please do not leave pets alone in the property for more than [3 hours].
  4. Please clean up after your pet in the garden and on walks.

Parties and events

  1. No parties or events of any size.
  2. Please do not invite people you do not know, or advertise a gathering on social media.
  3. Small celebrations (for example, a birthday dinner for the registered guests) are fine. Please ask us first.
  4. Commercial photography and filming need our written approval before your stay.

Check-out

  1. Check-out is by [11:00 am]. Please ask us if you would like a late check-out; we will say yes when we can.
  2. Please put used towels in the [bathroom basket].
  3. Please take rubbish to the [outdoor bin by the gate].
  4. Please load and start the dishwasher, or leave dishes in the sink.
  5. Please lock all doors and windows and return the key to the [key box].

Safety and care of the home

  1. Please do not use candles or open flames indoors.
  2. Please supervise children near the pool at all times. The pool gate must stay closed.
  3. Please do not move or cover smoke detectors or carbon monoxide alarms.
  4. Please tell us straight away about any damage or breakage. Accidents happen; we just need to know.
  5. Please keep the front door locked when you are out and at night.

Most hosts end up with 10–15 rules once they remove the ones that do not apply to their home.

How to word house rules politely

The same rule can sound friendly or cold. Guests follow friendly rules more willingly, and they are less likely to mention “too many rules” in a review.

Cold wording Polite wording
NO NOISE AFTER 10 PM!!! Quiet hours are 10:00 pm–8:00 am, as our neighbours have young children.
Do not smoke. You will be fined. This is a non-smoking home. Smoking indoors leads to the extra cleaning charge shown in our listing.
No extra people. The maximum number of overnight guests is 4. Please ask us before inviting visitors.
Strip the beds and clean the kitchen. Please leave used towels in the basket and dishes in the sink. We will take care of the rest.

Four simple techniques:

  • Start with “Please” and use full sentences, not capital letters.
  • Give a short reason where it helps (“because sound carries to the flat below”).
  • Say what guests can do, not only what they cannot (“Smoking is fine on the terrace”).
  • Be clear about consequences once, calmly, without threats.

How to show house rules on your Airbnb listing

As of 2026, Airbnb has a dedicated section called House rules and requests in the listing editor (Airbnb: Adding house rules and requests to your listing). The standard house rules include:

  • Pets
  • Events
  • Smoking, vaping and e-cigarettes
  • Quiet hours
  • Maximum overnight guests
  • Commercial photography and filming
  • Lock up at checkout

Anything else goes in as a request. Airbnb lets you set a request for “During the stay” or “Before checkout” – for example, “Please remove your shoes indoors” or “Please take the rubbish out”. Guests can see your house rules and checkout requests in their trip details.

Follow these steps on desktop (menu names can change, so check the help page if yours looks different):

  1. Go to Listings and select your listing.
  2. Under Listing editor, click House rules and requests.
  3. Click Add house rule, or click an existing rule to edit it.
  4. For extra rules, go to Requests and click Add requests, then choose when it applies.
  5. Click Save.
  6. Copy the same rules into your welcome book and pre-arrival message so the wording matches everywhere.

Your own rules must also follow Airbnb’s policies. For example, Airbnb’s Community Disturbance Policy prohibits disruptive gatherings and open-invite parties, and does not allow listings to be advertised as party friendly. Other platforms such as Booking.com and Vrbo have their own house-rule settings, so set your vacation rental rules there too.

In the property, place the rules in your welcome book, not as signs on every wall. One short “house rules” page is enough. The Guest Welcome Book Kit includes a ready-designed house rules page you can edit, and our free guest welcome book generator can help you draft the text.

How to enforce house rules without conflict

Most guests follow rules they can see and understand. When someone does not, a calm, step-by-step approach works best.

  1. Share the rules early. Mention the key rules in the booking confirmation and again in the pre-arrival message.
  2. Ask guests to confirm. A simple “Please reply to confirm you have read the house rules” works well for larger groups.
  3. Send a friendly reminder first. If a neighbour reports noise, message the guest: “Hi [Guest name], a neighbour mentioned music late tonight. Could you please keep it low after 10:00 pm? Thank you.”
  4. Keep everything in writing on the platform’s messaging system. It protects you if there is a dispute later.
  5. Record evidence of damage with dated photos, receipts and your cleaner’s notes.
  6. Use the platform’s process. For damage or serious rule breaks, contact the platform’s support team and follow its claims process within its time limits.
  7. Write an honest review. Stick to facts, not emotions.

If a conversation gets difficult, the techniques in our guide to handling angry guests apply to rental hosts too. Ready-made reminder messages are also in our WhatsApp message templates.

A note on noise monitors and cameras: rules for these devices are strict and vary by platform and country. As of 2026, Airbnb does not allow security cameras that monitor the inside of a home, and it requires hosts to disclose outdoor cameras and noise decibel monitors. Check the platform’s current policy and your local privacy law before you install anything.

Vacation rental rules checklist

  • Quiet hours with exact times
  • Maximum overnight guests matches your listing and local limits
  • Visitor policy (allowed or not, until what time)
  • Smoking and vaping rule, with a permitted area if you have one
  • Pet rule with size or number limits
  • Parties and events rule in line with platform policy
  • Check-out time and three to five simple tasks
  • Safety rules: flames, pool, alarms, locking up
  • Rules added on every platform you use
  • Same wording in listing, messages and welcome book

FAQ

How many house rules should an Airbnb have?

Most homes need 8–15 rules. Start with the standard topics – guests, smoking, pets, parties, quiet hours and check-out – and add only what is specific to your property.

Can I charge guests for breaking house rules?

Only in the ways the platform allows. Fees must normally be disclosed in the listing before booking, and damage claims go through the platform’s resolution process. Check the current policy of each platform you use.

Should I allow pets?

It depends on your property, flooring, garden and local rules. Pet-friendly homes can appeal to more guests, but set clear limits and plan for extra cleaning time.

Where should I display house rules in the property?

Put a single house rules page in your welcome book and, if needed, one small sign for the most important rule (for example, quiet hours or the pool gate).

What is the difference between house rules and requests on Airbnb?

House rules are the standard options Airbnb offers, such as pets, events and quiet hours. Requests are your extra expectations, set for during the stay or before checkout.

Conclusion

Strong Airbnb house rules are short, specific and kind. Choose the rules that fit your property from the 30 examples above, word them politely, add them to Airbnb under House rules and requests, and use the same wording in your messages and welcome book. When a rule is broken, stay calm, stay in writing and use the platform’s process.

If you want the complete welcome book with a designed house rules page and 27 other editable pages, see the Guest Welcome Book Kit.

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Guest Welcome Book Kit
A welcome book your guests will actually read
28 editable pages in 5 designs for PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote and Canva.
See the templates
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Md Arif Ahamed

Md Arif Ahamed is the Founder & Managing Director of Revgrow360 Hospitality Private Limited. An MBA with 14+ years of experience in hotel revenue management, OTA distribution and hotel operations, he and his team of 100+ experts have helped 500+ hotels, resorts and homestays grow bookings and revenue.

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