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For Airbnb hosts · updated 21 October 2026
Airbnb’s new house rules: check your checkout list.
On 20 October 2026 Airbnb announced a new house rules policy. It takes effect on 20 November 2026. Guests can no longer be asked to do a cleaner’s job at checkout, and rules belong in one place: your listing.
Paste your checkout instructions below. The checker shows which requests Airbnb may flag and what you can ask instead. It runs in your browser; nothing is sent anywhere.
Checkout list checker
This is a quick word check, not legal advice or an Airbnb decision. Airbnb looks at your type of place and local conditions, and can grant exceptions.
What changed
- Seven standard rules. Maximum overnight guests, quiet hours, events, pets, smoking (including vaping), commercial photography, and locking up at checkout. You pick these in the Listing editor.
- Requests must be reasonable. Anything beyond the standard rules goes under Requests. Checkout instructions no longer have their own tab.
- Rules live in one place. Airbnb asks hosts not to write extra rules in the listing description, in messages, or on signs in the home.
- Flagged listings. Requests that break the policy are highlighted in the Listing editor, you get an email and can appeal, and guests may see a note such as “includes cleaning requests” on your listing.
- Contracts are limited. Only for a few cases, such as legal requirements, condo or HOA rules, monthly stays, Luxe listings or optional extras like a golf cart. They are uploaded under Contracts in your listing settings.
Swap this for that
The examples Airbnb gives, in plain words:
| Don’t ask guests to | You can ask them to |
|---|---|
| Wash and put away dishes | Put used dishes in the sink |
| Strip the beds or start a load of laundry | Gather used towels |
| Take garbage off-site | Sort garbage and recycling into the indoor bins |
| Avoid a listed amenity, like air conditioning | Turn it off when they leave |
Local exceptions can apply, for example bear-proof bins in bear country or shorter showers during a drought.
What it means for your welcome book
- Copy your rules, don’t add to them. If your guidebook has a rules section, keep it to the rules already in your Airbnb listing.
- Keep the useful stuff. Check-in steps, wifi, parking, how the heat pump works, trash day and local picks aren’t rules. Guests still need them.
- Make the door sign about information. A sign that says “scan for wifi and check-in” is fine. A laminated list of rules on the wall is what Airbnb is moving away from.
Keegix checks this for you
The Keegix editor flags these chores as you type and suggests the allowed version. The AI drafting on Pro leaves them out. The QR sign says “wifi, parking and everything else”, not “house rules”. Free forever for one property.
Questions
When does Airbnb’s new house rules policy start?
20 November 2026. The new house rules editor went live on 20 October 2026.
Can I still ask guests to take out the trash?
Not off the property. You can ask them to sort garbage and recycling into the indoor bins. Places with wildlife, like bear country, may get an exception.
Can I still have a welcome book or house manual?
Yes. Airbnb’s change is about rules and chores, not information. Check-in steps, wifi, appliances and local tips are what a welcome book is for. Keep any rules in it the same as your listing.
What happens if my listing breaks the policy?
Airbnb highlights the request in your Listing editor, emails you with tips, and lets you appeal. If it isn’t fixed, guests may see a note like “includes cleaning requests” on your listing.
Is this checker official?
No. It’s a free word check from Keegix based on Airbnb’s published examples. Airbnb makes the final call. Read Airbnb’s host resources for the policy itself.