Please contact our office at 251-861-5525 x222 for additional information.

Definitions:

Short Term Rental (STR): A residential dwelling unit or portion thereof, that is rented or leased to transient individuals or families for temporary lodging accommodations in exchange for compensation for no more than a maximum of 179 consecutive days. Such use may or may not include an on-site manager. For the purposes of this definition, a residential dwelling shall include all housing types and shall exclude group living or other lodging uses. This term includes lodging accommodations rented and/or leased through rental services such as Vacation Rental by Owner (VRBO), AIRBNB, and other similar rental services. Short term rentals include all housing types, but motels, hotels, and bed and breakfasts (which are typically rented on an overnight basis), or other lodging uses.

Long Term Rental (LTR): A long term rental is typically considered any type of lodging that is rented and/or leased for a time period of one hundred eighty (180) consecutive days or more.

Description of Districts

STR Regulations

Required Minimum Nightly stays for STR Overlay Districts:

STROD1: required minimum three (3) night consecutive days

STROD2: required minimum three (3) night consecutive days

STROD3: required minimum two (2) night consecutive days

(Click on images to enlarge)

All property owners that engage in the rental of their property in the town’s corporate limits are required to complete and submit a rental business license application.

Dear Rental Property Owner/Manager,

The Town of Dauphin Island has recently taken steps and introduced new programs to better manage Short & Long-Term Rentals within our community.
First, the town now requires an annual Business License for each rental property
whether managed by owner or agent. The 2024 license fee is $135 (for annual gross receipts under $50,000) and must be in place prior to March 1, 2024 to avoid any late fees and penalties.
Second, the town has recently modified the Rental Safety Inspection Program to allow owners/agents the ability to contract with qualified individuals and/or companies to perform such work. Inspections are required once every three (3) years beginning January 1, 2023 and a copy of the completed safety checklist must be provided to town hall.
As our barrier island community continues to grow in population and popularity, these and other programs should serve to encourage an improved quality of life for property owners, residents, and visitors alike. Please visit the town
website https://www.townofdauphinisland.org/rentallicenses or contact our office at 251-861-5525 x 222 for additional information. Thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter.

Best regards,

Jeff Collier
Mayor

Rental Licenses

Be aware that business licenses expire December 31st. Renewals are due January 1st and are delinquent after January 31st.

If you are a returning portal user, follow these steps:

Go to: https://www4.citizenserve.com/dauphinisland
Log in and go to services, business license, click "renew my license" on the left-hand side.
Verify information, make changes as needed, upload required documents, enter gross receipts for Dauphin Island only, sign and submit.
"Make a payment" will be on the next screen.
Once your information is submitted, paid for and approved, your license will be issued. After they are issued, you can print them directly from the portal.

Online Application Process

For an easy, step-by-step business license application process visit our Town of Dauphin Island portal. (https://www4.citizenserve.com/dauphinisland)
Find the Rental License Application in the Licensing section of the portal.
Fill out the online application and attach all required documents.
Review/Approval process starts once completed application is received.

Approval Process

All new rentals are required to get approval from the Planning Commission.
After completing the online process, please upload the following forms to your application;

1. Application for review

2. Deed or property tax statement.

3. If you are a property management company, a copy of the agreement between you and the property owner(s) is needed along with a letter authorizing you to act as their agent.

4. Safety Inspections and Hold Harmless (can be performed by owner), Parking plan and Floor plan drawings (can be hand drawn) are required documents.

Planning Commission schedule and deadlines:

Planning Commission Meetings and Deadlines

Fees:

Rental/Lease-Private House, Cottage, Apartment, Duplex, Condominium, Mobile Home Park

a) Less than $50,000 per year gross..........................................................$125.00

b) $50,000 to $150,000 per year gross……………….……….…………………..…. $150.00

c) Over $150,000 per year gross……………………………………..…………..…..…$225.00

(plus a $10 issuance fee)

Safety Inspections

The Town of Dauphin Island requires Safety Inspections for all Short & Long-Term
Rental Properties be performed once every three (3) years beginning January 1, 2023. Property owners are responsible for ensuring inspections are completed by a qualified agent. A copy of the executed Safety Inspection Checklist must be submitted to the Building Inspection Department upon completion for our records. In addition, the following safety information must be posted in a highly visible location within each Short & Long-Term Rental;

The following information must be posted inside every rental property:

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, DIAL 911
The name, telephone number and email address of the local owner/agent contact;
The maximum occupancy of the unit;
The maximum number of vehicles that may be parked at the unit;
Local Fire and Police phone numbers
The Dauphin Island “Good Neighbor Policy”
Trash collection times and return of empty cans
Rip Current Information

NOTE: Property managers’ name and contact number posted visibly on the exterior front of the property.

Our goal is to insure all rental properties on Dauphin Island are in good, safe, and sanitary condition, and do not create a nuisance for the neighborhood, while aiding in the enforcement of property maintenance codes, building safety codes, Zoning Ordinances, and other relevant regulations.