Airbnb House Rules Template and Examples of Guest Rules
Good house rules are short, specific and friendly: a handful of clear rules guests can remember, with a reason for each. Below you will find a template, example wording for common situations and tips on where to display them. This is a template only, not legal advice; check your local rules and your platform's policies.
A template you can copy
House rules for [Home name] We want you to feel at home, and we want our neighbors to feel at home too. Please: 1. Check-in is after [3:00 p.m.]. Check-out is by [11:00 a.m.]. 2. Quiet hours are [10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.] so that everyone, including our neighbors, can rest. 3. No smoking or vaping indoors. There is a designated spot [outside]. 4. Registered guests only. The maximum is [number] guests. Please ask before inviting visitors. 5. No parties or events. 6. Pets: [not allowed / allowed with approval and a fee, as agreed in the booking]. 7. Please treat the home with care and tell us if something breaks. 8. Please [recycle / sort the trash] as shown in the guide. Thank you for helping us keep this a great place to stay.
Rule-by-rule examples
Quiet hours
- Short: "Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 8 a.m."
- Friendly: "We have friendly neighbors who work early. Please keep voices and music low after 10 p.m."
Smoking
- "This is a smoke-free home, including vaping. Please smoke outside, away from windows."
Pets
- "Pets are not allowed, except service animals as required by law."
- "Well-behaved dogs are welcome with prior approval. Please keep them off the furniture and clean up after them."
Parties and extra guests
- "No parties or events. Only registered guests may stay overnight. Daytime visitors are welcome with prior notice."
Property care
- "Please leave the home as you found it. Report breakage and we will handle it."
Shoes, keys and doors
- "Please remove shoes at the door."
- "Lock the door when you leave and when you go to bed."
Parking
- "One car in the driveway. Please do not block the neighbors."
Wording tips
- Say what to do, not only what not to do.
- Give the reason in half a sentence.
- Use "please" and avoid capitals.
- Be consistent across the listing, the welcome book and the signs.
- Keep consequences factual. If a rule has a fee, say it once in the listing, where the platform allows.
Where to display them
- Listing: the platform's house rules section.
- Welcome book: one page, easy to find. See what to include in a welcome book.
- Signs: place a quiet-hours sign where noise matters, a no-smoking sign by the door or balcony, and a pool or hot tub notice where needed. The signs guide has more.
- Pre-arrival message: a short reminder.
Handling a broken rule
Stay calm and factual. Message the guest, reference the rule they accepted and ask them to correct it. Keep a record of the messages. For serious issues, such as safety or damage, follow your platform's process. A friendly first message resolves most issues.
A review of your rules
Once a year, read your rules as a guest. Remove anything you do not enforce, merge duplicates and make sure every rule is legal and reasonable where you are. Ask a qualified professional about legal wording if you need it.
Printable versions
The Stayworks Host Kit includes a house rules page in its printable welcome book and 60 printable house signs, including quiet hours, no smoking and other rule signs, in US Letter, A4 and 5x7. Everything is editable in Google Docs or Word, so you can change the wording to fit your home. It is $19.00 one time. These are templates for your own use: they are not legal, tax or accounting advice. Check your local rules.
Quick checklist
- Keep it to five to eight rules.
- Explain the reason.
- Match listing, book and signs.
- Be kind in the wording.
- Check local rules.