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Airbnb's new checkout chores rule: what it means for cleaning fees, house rules and your listing
Published November 2, 2026 · Oscar Rowe
Short version: Airbnb has published a house rules policy that says which requests to guests are reasonable. For reservations booked on or after November 20, 2026, hosts generally can't ask guests to do work a cleaner would usually do, such as stripping beds, washing and putting away dishes or taking trash off-site. Light requests, like putting used dishes in the sink, are still fine. Airbnb told hosts about the change on October 20, 2026.
Reservations booked before November 20 keep the rules that were on the listing when the guest booked, according to RentalScaleUp's reading of Airbnb's policy pages. So you have a few weeks to clean up your listing, your messages and the signs in your home.
What Airbnb's policy says
The policy is in Airbnb's help center under "Reasonable House Rules and requests", with examples in Airbnb's Resource Center article "Important changes to house rules". Hosts may not ask guests to complete tasks that "require significant effort or time, or would typically be performed by a cleaner".
Airbnb's own examples:
| Topic | Still OK to ask | Not OK for new bookings |
|---|---|---|
| Dishes | OK: put used dishes in the sink | Not OK: wash dishes and put them away |
| Beds and laundry | OK: gather used towels | Not OK: strip the beds or start laundry |
| Trash | OK: sort trash and recycling into designated indoor bins | Not OK: take trash off-site |
| Air conditioning | OK: turn the AC off when leaving | Not OK: avoid using it during the stay |
The policy also says hosts generally may not:
- Restrict advertised features. If the listing shows a hot tub or a fireplace, guests get to use it. Fees for anything advertised as part of the listing have to be in the price shown at booking. Optional extras, like breakfast, can be described in your requests.
- Charge fines or penalties. If an HOA or the local government may fine guests, for example for parking or noise, you can tell guests about it in the local rules section of the listing.
Airbnb says it looks at context, including the type of listing, the stay and local conditions, and may allow exceptions. Its examples are animal-proof trash containers in bear country and shorter showers during drought restrictions.
House rules and requests are now different things
Fox Business reports that Airbnb grouped standard house rules into seven categories: limits on overnight guests, quiet hours, events, pets, smoking, commercial photography and locking up at checkout. Guests must follow house rules. They're only "encouraged" to follow requests.
That difference matters. According to Airbnb's Resource Center, you can cancel without fees or other consequences if a guest breaks a house rule during the stay, or says before check-in that they plan to. A guest who ignores a request doesn't give you the same option.
Two more requirements from the policy:
- One place only. Rules and requests have to be in the designated section of the listing at the time of booking. You can't add new ones later by message, with signs in the home or in person.
- Consistency. They have to match what the rest of the listing says.
Airbnb says requests that don't fit the policy get highlighted in the Listing editor, and hosts get an email with tips and a chance to appeal. If it isn't fixed, guests may see an alert such as "includes cleaning requests". For repeated problems, the policy mentions a notice on the listing or lower visibility in search.
Where checkout chores hide
Most hosts will find chores in more places than the checkout tab. Go through each one:
- The listing description and any "other things to note" text.
- Checkout instructions. Airbnb moved these into the Listing editor.
- Your guidebook or house manual, printed or digital.
- Signs in the home. The laminated "please strip the beds" card on the dresser counts as a request added after booking.
- Automated messages from your PMS. Repeating what's already in your listing is fine. A checkout message that adds chores isn't.
- Cleaning fee wording, such as "our low cleaning fee assumes you'll start the dishwasher".
Example: rewriting a checkout list
Before (not OK for new bookings): "Before you leave, please strip the beds and start a load of sheets, run and empty the dishwasher, and take the trash to the bins at the end of the drive."
After: "Before you leave, please put used dishes in the sink, leave used towels in the bathroom, sort trash and recycling into the bins under the sink, turn off the AC and lock the door."
Trash is the tricky one for rural cabins without pickup at the door. Airbnb hasn't said publicly how it treats that case beyond its general note about local conditions and exceptions. If you think one applies to you, ask Airbnb before relying on it.
Cleaning fees: what to rethink
The policy doesn't set limits on cleaning fees. It changes the work behind them, though. If your cleaner's time was planned around guests stripping beds and running the dishwasher, turnovers may take longer.
- Ask your cleaner how much longer a turnover takes when beds aren't stripped and dishes are in the sink, and what that costs you.
- Decide where the cost goes: into the cleaning fee or into the nightly rate. Airbnb's help center says its host fee is calculated on the nightly price plus host-charged fees, so the fee base is the same either way. What changes is how the price looks to guests on short and long stays.
- Keep it visible at booking. Any mandatory fee belongs in the price guests see before they book. A "dirty dishes" charge or a fine afterwards isn't allowed.
- Damage is a separate process. Skift notes that Airbnb points hosts to AirCover for property damage, which is part of why host fines are out.
If you want to see what a higher cleaning cost does to your profit, our break-even occupancy guide walks through the math with an example.
What about bookings on your own website?
Airbnb's policy covers Airbnb reservations. On your own website you set your house rules. Other rules still apply, though. The FTC's Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees, in effect since May 12, 2025, covers short-term lodging, and the FTC says a mandatory cleaning fee must be included in the total price you advertise. State and local rules may add more. This is a summary, not legal advice.
It also makes sense to keep your checkout requests similar across channels. A repeat guest who booked you on Airbnb last year and directly this year shouldn't find a very different list on the fridge.
Timeline
- October 20, 2026: Airbnb emails hosts and launches the house rules changes.
- November 20, 2026: the policy applies to reservations booked on or after this date.
- Earlier bookings: keep the rules that were on the listing when the guest booked.
Frequently asked questions
When does Airbnb's checkout chores rule start?
Airbnb's policy applies to reservations booked on or after November 20, 2026. Reservations booked earlier keep the rules that were on the listing when the guest booked.
What can I still ask Airbnb guests to do at checkout?
Airbnb's examples of reasonable requests are putting used dishes in the sink, gathering used towels, sorting trash and recycling into designated indoor bins and turning off the air conditioning when leaving.
Can I charge a fine if guests leave the place messy?
Generally no. Airbnb's policy says hosts may not impose fines or other penalties on guests. You can tell guests about possible HOA or local government fines in the local rules section. For damage, use Airbnb's damage process.
Should I raise my cleaning fee?
The policy doesn't set cleaning fee amounts. If turnovers take longer without guest chores, ask your cleaner what it costs and adjust the cleaning fee or nightly rate, keeping the full price visible before booking.
Can I keep a checkout sign in the cabin?
Airbnb says rules and requests must be in the designated section of the listing at booking, and new ones can't be added later through signs, messages or in person. A sign that only repeats the requests already in your listing is the safer option.
Does Airbnb's rule apply to bookings on my own website?
Airbnb's policy covers Airbnb reservations. On direct bookings you set your own rules, but US fee rules still apply, including the FTC rule requiring mandatory fees such as cleaning fees in the advertised total price for short-term lodging. This isn't legal advice.