Airbnb House Rules Template: Copy, Customize, and Send to Every Guest

Most hosts either skip house rules entirely (and regret it after their first party), or write something so long and aggressive that guests feel like they're checking into a minimum-security facility.

There's a middle ground. Below is a complete Airbnb house rules template covering 12 categories. Copy it, swap the brackets for your specifics, and you're done in 15 minutes.

The Complete Airbnb House Rules Template

Here's the full template. Copy it as-is, then customize the sections that apply to your property. Delete anything that doesn't.

That's the template. Now let's break down why each section matters and how to customize it for your situation.

Why Each Rule Category Matters

Check-in & Check-out

This isn't really a "rule" — it's logistics. But putting it at the top of your house rules sets the frame: this is practical information, not a list of threats.

Keep the tone warm here, and the rest of the rules will feel less heavy-handed.

Quiet Hours

Noise complaints are the number one way to lose your short-term rental permit. If your city has specific noise ordinances, reference the actual hours. Most hosts use 10 PM to 8 AM as the standard.

If you're in a condo or apartment with shared walls, be specific: "Our neighbors can hear footsteps and music through the walls. Please be mindful after 10 PM."

Guests & Visitors

The occupancy limit protects your furniture, your plumbing, and your insurance. Most homeowner's insurance policies have occupancy limits, and violating them can void your coverage.

Set the max to what's on the Airbnb listing. Don't inflate it.

No Parties

Say it plainly. Don't soften it with "we prefer" or "we'd appreciate." This is the one rule that needs to be unambiguous.

Airbnb itself bans parties across all listings globally, so you have their policy backing you up.

Smoking

Even if you're personally fine with smoking, your next guest probably isn't. Smoke smell embeds in soft furnishings and takes professional cleaning to remove. Most hosts ban indoor smoking entirely and offer a designated outdoor spot.

Pets

If you allow pets, charge for them. A $25–50 pet fee covers extra cleaning and gives guests skin in the game to keep their animal in check.

If you don't allow pets, say it clearly. Guests who show up with an undisclosed pet are violating your rules, and Airbnb supports hosts in this situation.

Kitchen

This one is less about rules and more about setting expectations. Guests will use your kitchen — tell them what you expect at checkout. "Please start the dishwasher" is better than "leave the kitchen as you found it" because it's specific and actionable.

Thermostat & Utilities

Summer electricity bills can spike dramatically if guests leave the AC on with windows open. Give them a specific temperature to set when leaving. If you have a smart thermostat, mention that it auto-adjusts — it removes the rule feeling entirely.

Checkout Procedure

Three tasks maximum. That's the sweet spot. More than three, and guests start ignoring all of them. Pick the three things that save you the most time between turnovers: dishes, towels, trash.

5 Tips for Writing House Rules That Guests Actually Follow

1. Keep it under 500 words. If your house rules are longer than this blog post, they're too long. Guests skim. Make every sentence earn its place.

2. Use "please" — not "do not." "Please keep noise down after 10 PM" works. "DO NOT make noise after 10 PM" makes guests feel like they're being yelled at before they've done anything wrong.

3. Explain the why. "Our neighbors are 20 feet away" is more compelling than "quiet hours are enforced." People follow rules when they understand the reason.

4. Front-load the most important rules. Quiet hours and no-parties should be near the top. Parking instructions can live lower down.

5. Update seasonally. Add pool rules in summer. Add fireplace instructions in winter. Remove them when they're irrelevant — stale rules make all your rules feel ignored.

Where to Put Your Airbnb House Rules

Your rules should live in at least three places:

1. Your Airbnb Listing

Go to your listing → House rules section. Airbnb gives you a text field and some pre-set toggles (no smoking, no pets, etc.). Use the toggles AND write your custom rules. Guests see these before booking, which filters out people who won't comply.

2. Your Pre-Arrival Message

Include a link to your house rules in the pre-arrival message you send 24 hours before check-in. This is the message guests actually read. Don't paste the full rules — link to them.

3. Inside the Property

Put a printed copy near the entrance, or better yet, include them in a digital guidebook guests can access from their phone. The advantage of digital: it's always available, never gets lost, and you can update it without reprinting.

The Problem With Printed House Rules

Laminated house rules on the kitchen counter worked in 2018. They still work if you have one property and rarely change anything.

But if you manage more than a couple listings, printed rules create problems: they go out of date, guests ignore paper they have to physically pick up, and you can't track whether anyone actually read them.

A digital guidebook solves this. You share a link, the guest opens it on their phone, and your house rules are right there alongside WiFi, check-in instructions, local recommendations, and checkout procedures. One link replaces the laminated sheet, the welcome binder, and half the messages you send.

Quick Reference: Airbnb House Rules Checklist

Before you publish your rules, make sure you've covered these essentials:

• ✓ Check-in and checkout times
• ✓ Quiet hours with specific times
• ✓ Maximum occupancy
• ✓ Party policy (explicit)
• ✓ Smoking policy (inside and outside)
• ✓ Pet policy
• ✓ Kitchen expectations at checkout
• ✓ Thermostat/energy guidelines
• ✓ Parking instructions
• ✓ Trash and recycling locations
• ✓ Checkout procedure (3 tasks max)
• ✓ How to contact you

If you've got all twelve covered, you're ahead of most hosts. Copy the template above, customize it tonight, and you'll have one less thing to figure out before your next guest arrives.

---

Want to put your house rules, WiFi, check-in instructions, and local recommendations in one shareable link? Try HostGuide free — takes about 10 minutes to set up your first guidebook.

---