Fannin County adopts revised short-term rental rules, sets new certificate deadlines and fees
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Summary
The Fannin County Board of Commissioners adopted a second reading of revisions to the county's short-term rental ordinance, setting new deadlines, fees and reporting rules for lodging tax certificates and requiring registration and online reporting through the county's system.
The Fannin County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 12 adopted the second reading of revisions to the county's short-term rental ordinance, setting a Sept. 1, 2025 deadline for owners to pay for 2026 lodging tax certificates and moving future expiration dates to Dec. 31 each year unless the board repeals that schedule.
County staff said the ordinance requires owners and management companies to register short-term rental properties on the county's online reporting system (referred to in the meeting as DIA), sets an application fee of $225 and establishes a $25 penalty for certificates not renewed by Dec. 31. Ownership changes will get a 30-day grace period to operate as a short-term rental if the new owner or management company submits the accommodation excise tax certificate application within seven days of the sale; the transfer fee is $50.
The ordinance text also says certificates that expire and are not renewed by Dec. 31 will be treated as initial applications, requiring the applicant to comply with all rules for initial issuance. Staff reiterated that owners are responsible for renewing certificates on the county's software platform and that management companies and marketplace facilitators must ensure properties they list are registered.
Lynn, identified in the meeting as a county presenter on the ordinance revisions, summarized the deadline change: "So the section in red, I just clarified it so everybody would understand that after September 1, they will need to get their certificate, but the due date is 12/31/2026." The board also discussed inserting a 60-day delinquency rule to clarify when expired certificates must be refiled as initial applications; staff said they would add and finalize that language before publishing the ordinance.
Commissioner Ashland and other commissioners moved and seconded adoption of the second reading. The board approved the second reading by voice vote.
What the ordinance requires and what remains to be finalized: owners must register and renew using the county's software, pay the $225 application fee, and ensure management companies report lodging taxes on their behalf. Staff said they will finalize cross-references and timing language (including the proposed 60-day delinquency clarification) before the ordinance goes "live."
