For Airbnb reservations booked on or after November 20, 2026, most property managers can no longer ask guests to sign a rental agreement, upload an ID, or register in an app to get in the door.
Airbnb has rewritten its policy on what property managers can require from guests. The new rules are in a Help Center article called Limiting host-imposed contracts and other requirements. They apply to every Airbnb reservation booked on or after November 20, 2026.
The change reaches well past the rental agreement. It also covers ID checks, guest screening, contact details, check-in apps, Wi-Fi login pages, and review requests. For many property managers, that is most of the pre-arrival process they have built over the last few years.
This guide covers what the policy says, what it allows, and which tools it affects. It quotes the policy where the wording matters.
The Short Answer
For Airbnb bookings made on or after November 20, 2026:
- Rental agreements are not allowed, except in four cases (listed below).
- ID uploads, selfies, and background checks before arrival are not allowed, except where a law or HOA rule requires them.
- Required apps or website sign-ups to get into the home are not allowed. Keyless entry apps are fine if the guest can ask for another way in.
- Contact details like a guest’s email, phone number, or home address can’t be requested.
Reservations booked before November 20 stay under the old policy, even if the stay is months away.
When the New Airbnb Policy Starts
The cutoff is the booking date, not the stay date. A guest who books on November 19, 2026 for a stay next July is covered by the old rules. A guest who books on November 20 for a stay that same weekend is covered by the new ones.
That means property managers will run two sets of rules side by side for months. A booking made in October for a summer stay can still carry a signed agreement. A booking for the same home made in December can’t.
When Airbnb Still Allows a Rental Agreement
Airbnb says property managers “generally may not ask guests to sign a separate contract or rental agreement.” There are four exceptions. A contract is allowed when it is:
- Required by law or community association rules, such as an HOA or building security rule
- Needed to give access to an optional amenity, such as a golf cart rental
- Tied to a monthly stay of 28 nights or more
- Related to a stay at a Luxe listing
Even when a contract is allowed, the rules are strict. The terms must be relevant to the stay. They must follow Airbnb’s own policies. And property managers “may be asked to provide evidence” that the contract fits one of the four cases.
How allowed contracts work now
An allowed contract is uploaded to the listing as a PDF. Airbnb’s guide to adding a contract to your home listing walks through it: open the listing editor, go to Settings, then Contract.
Three details matter here:
- The contract is public. Anyone who views the listing can read it, so it can’t contain personal information.
- It only applies to future bookings. Airbnb says you “can’t ask guests to sign a contract that wasn’t on your listing when they booked.”
- Airbnb won’t enforce it. Collecting the signature is the property manager’s job. Airbnb “doesn’t require guests to sign host-imposed contracts, and doesn’t help enforce the terms.”
The Personal Data Airbnb Guests Can’t Be Asked For
The policy says property managers “may not solicit personal data at any point during the booking process or stay.” That covers five groups of information:
- Contact details: phone number, home address, or email address
- ID details or documents: passport, driver’s license, Social Security number, or photo
- Financial data: credit card or bank details, except where Airbnb’s payment policy allows it
- Background check or credit history
- Biometric or health data: fingerprints, facial recognition, or medical records
The in-person ID check that’s still allowed
A property manager can still look at a guest’s ID in person at check-in. The requirement has to be listed in the requests section of the listing. But the policy is clear that they “may not, however, retain a digital or physical copy of the ID.”
So a front desk or greeter can check an ID. A photo of it can’t be kept.
The two exceptions for collecting data
Personal data can still be collected when it’s needed to:
- Follow a law or a documented community association rule, or
- Get an allowed contract signed
In both cases, the listing has to say what is collected and why, in the requests section, so guests see it before they book. Property managers can’t collect more than the rule requires. They’re responsible for storing it safely and deleting it. Airbnb may ask for proof that the exception applies.
The Rules on Required Apps and Website Sign-Ups
Property managers “may not require use of a third-party app or registration on another website to gain entry to a listing or access a critical amenity.”
There are some carve-outs:
- Keyless entry apps that need registration are allowed. But the guest must be given another way in if they ask.
- Optional apps that improve the stay are allowed. Airbnb names Sonos, Nest, and concierge apps as examples.
- Wi-Fi login pages that ask for an email or other personal details are not allowed, unless the listing is a hotel or resort.
The key word is “require.” An app the guest can skip is fine. An app that stands between the guest and the door code is not.
Other Requests the Policy Limits
Two more rules round out the policy.
Property managers can’t ask guests to review an Airbnb stay or fill out a survey on another website, unless the listing is a hotel. That includes asking an Airbnb guest for a Google review of the stay.
They also can’t require or pressure guests into activity unrelated to the stay, such as a timeshare presentation or a membership. Recommending local restaurants or experiences is still fine. Any referral fee or ownership stake has to be disclosed.
Which Property Management Tools Are Affected
The policy doesn’t name any software. But it reaches almost every step of a typical pre-arrival flow. Here is how it lines up against common tools, for Airbnb reservations booked on or after November 20.
Rental agreements sent from a PMS
Platforms like OwnerRez, Guesty, and Hospitable can send an e-sign rental agreement after booking. On Airbnb reservations, that automated send now only fits the four allowed cases. Anything else should be switched off for the Airbnb channel.
ID and selfie verification
Tools like Autohost and Truvi verify guests with a photo of a government ID and a live selfie. That is an ID document plus facial recognition, both on the restricted list. On Airbnb bookings, it now needs a legal or HOA requirement behind it, disclosed on the listing.
Screening that runs in the background, without asking the guest for anything, is less clear. The policy bans soliciting background checks. It’s worth asking your provider how they read it.
Pre-check-in forms
Platforms like Boom and ChargeAutomation offer online check-in that bundles an ID upload, an e-signature, and payment details. On Airbnb bookings, each piece of that bundle now runs into the policy.
Guest apps and portals
Guest apps like Enso Connect, Operto, and Happy Guest are fine as optional tools. They become a problem when registration is the step that unlocks the door code.
Security deposits
Deposits fall under a separate rule, Airbnb’s pricing and payment transparency policy. It says “most hosts are not allowed to charge a security deposit.” Some software-connected property managers can collect one off Airbnb if it’s disclosed in the right fee field before booking. It must be refunded within 7 days of checkout if there’s no damage. Otherwise, damage claims go through Airbnb’s Resolution Center.
What Airbnb Allowed Before November 20
The old rules are still at the bottom of the same Help Center page. Under them, property managers could ask any guest to sign a contract. They just had to disclose the terms in the listing and share the full terms in the message thread.
The old policy already limited ID photos. It barred “asking guests to send photos of their government ID prior to arrival,” except for legal or compliance reasons. Many verification tools have relied on that exception. What’s new is the near-total ban on contracts, the wider list of protected data, and the stricter rules on apps.
What Happens if You Don’t Comply
Airbnb lists its options for enforcement. They include educating the property manager, warnings, suspending or removing listings, and suspending or removing the account for repeat offenses.
How to Prepare Before November 20
- Find every automation that touches Airbnb guests. That means agreement sends, verification links, pre-check-in forms, and app invites. Check which channels each one fires on.
- Turn off what no longer fits, for the Airbnb channel only. Direct bookings and other channels follow their own terms.
- Check if an exception applies. A city ordinance, HOA rule, or building security rule may still require ID or a contract. If so, document it and disclose it in the listing’s requests section.
- Move key terms into house rules. Airbnb’s house rules and requests cover pets, events, smoking, quiet hours, and maximum guests. Guests agree to them when they book.
- Upload any allowed contract to the listing. Do it before bookings come in, since contracts added later only apply to future reservations.
- Offer a backup to app-based entry. If a smart lock needs an app, have a code or lockbox ready for any guest who asks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still require a rental agreement on Airbnb?
Only in four cases: a law or HOA requires it, it covers an optional amenity, the stay is 28 nights or longer, or it’s a Luxe listing. This applies to reservations booked on or after November 20, 2026.
Does the new policy apply to bookings I already have?
No. Reservations booked before November 20, 2026 are covered by the previous policy, even if the stay happens later.
Can I ask an Airbnb guest for a photo of their ID?
Not unless a law or community association rule requires it, and the requirement is disclosed on the listing. You can check an ID in person at check-in if your listing says so, but you can’t keep a copy.
Can I require guests to download an app to check in?
Not to get into the home. A keyless entry app is allowed if you offer another way in on request. Optional apps for the stay are fine.
Can I still collect a security deposit from Airbnb guests?
In most cases, no. Some software-connected property managers can, if the deposit is disclosed in the fee field before booking and refunded within 7 days when there’s no damage.
Does this affect my direct bookings or Vrbo?
No. This is Airbnb’s policy and covers Airbnb reservations only. Bookings on your own website follow your own terms. Other channels have their own rules.
Why This Is a Reason to Invest in Direct Bookings
The rental agreement, the ID check, and the deposit were never just paperwork. They’re how a property manager sets the terms of a stay and holds a guest to them. On Airbnb, more of that now sits with Airbnb.
On a direct booking, it still sits with you. You decide what the guest signs, how they’re verified, and what deposit you hold. You also keep their email and phone number, so a good guest can book with you again. Every share of the calendar that moves to your own site is a share you control.
If November 20 has you rethinking how much of your business runs through one channel, start with the site that works for you. See how CraftedStays builds direct booking websites for property managers →
