Free template · updated November 3, 2026

Cabin house rules template

Cabin rules have a different job from city rules. Most problems at a cabin come from the setting: a wood stove left roaring overnight, food left out for raccoons or bears, wipes flushed into a septic tank, or a campfire lit on a dry, windy day.

This template covers the standard rules Airbnb lets you set, then adds a short list of cabin-specific requests, each with a one-line reason so guests understand why it matters. The checkout list sticks to what guests can fairly be asked to do.

The template

Replace anything in [brackets] with your own details.

Check-in and checkout

Check-in is from [Check-in time]. Checkout is by [Checkout time].
Need a little more time? Message us and we'll do our best.

Guests and noise

Up to [Max guests] guests can stay overnight.
Quiet hours are [Quiet hours start] to [Quiet hours end]. Sound carries a long way in the woods.
No parties or events, please.

Pets, smoking and photos

Pets: [Pet rule, e.g. sorry, no pets / dogs welcome, please tell us first].
No smoking or vaping inside the cabin or on the deck. If you smoke, please use [Smoking spot] and put butts in the metal can; dry needles catch easily.
No commercial photography or filming without asking us first.

A few cabin requests

Wood stove: please never leave a fire burning when everyone is out or asleep, and leave the ash for us. Instructions are [Stove instructions location].
Campfires only in the fire pit, and never on a windy day or during a fire ban. Check [Where to check fire bans].
The cabin is on a septic system, so please flush only toilet paper. Everything else goes in the bin.
Please don't leave food, coolers or garbage outside, even for an hour. Animals will find it. [Wildlife bin location]
The carbon monoxide and smoke alarms are [Alarm locations]. Please never cover or unplug them.

Locking up

Please lock the door when you go out, and at checkout.

Before you leave

Put used dishes in the sink.
Gather used towels in [Towel spot].
Sort trash and recycling into the indoor bins.
Turn off the lights and turn the heat down to [Heat setting].
Close the windows and lock the door.
Return the key to [Key return spot].

Thanks for looking after the cabin!

Tips

Write the fire ban source into the rules, because guests rarely know where to check.
Put the septic rule on a small card in the washroom too; that is where it gets forgotten.
Say exactly where garbage goes overnight, since "keep it inside" is clearer than "be bear aware".
Leave a metal can with sand for cigarette butts so smokers have no excuse to flick them.
Test the carbon monoxide alarm between stays if the cabin has a wood stove or propane appliances.

Put it on one guest page instead of a binder

Keegix turns your welcome book into one link and a QR sign by the door. Upload the binder you already have and AI drafts the page in about a minute, or paste this template in. Free forever for one property.

Upload my binder, free See a sample guest page

Questions

What house rules should a cabin rental have?

Start with Airbnb's standard rules: guest numbers, quiet hours, events, pets, smoking and photography. Then add a few cabin-specific requests with a reason, such as fire safety, septic and keeping food away from wildlife.

Can I ask cabin guests to take the garbage to the dump?

Not under Airbnb's house rules policy from 20 November 2026, which counts that as a cleaner's job. You can ask guests to sort trash into the indoor bins and to keep garbage inside so animals can't reach it.

Should guests be allowed to use the wood stove?

Many hosts allow it with clear instructions and a rule never to leave a fire unattended. If you allow it, keep working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and a fire extinguisher where guests can see them.

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Copy it, change it, print it, use it with any platform. Sharing it with a host group, on a blog or in a forum? A link back to this page helps other hosts find the latest version:

https://keegix.com/house-rules/cabin/