Can Airbnb hosts have security cameras?

Airbnb's current policy bans indoor security cameras in all listings. Exterior cameras must be disclosed and must not view indoor spaces or areas with a greater expectation of privacy. Always check Airbnb's latest policy and your local laws.

Should I change the locks between guests?

Smart locks with unique codes per booking are the best practice. If you use physical keys, keep a key log and re-key after a key is lost or not returned.

Do I need to disclose a video doorbell?

Yes. A doorbell camera is a recording device, and it must appear in your listing before anyone books — not be mentioned on arrival. Guests consistently report doorbell cameras they were not told about, and "it was obviously visible" is not a defence under platform rules or data protection law.

Can I record audio at my rental?

Treat the answer as no. Audio law is stricter than video: California, Washington, Illinois and several other US states require every party to consent, and recording a conversation without it can be a criminal matter. In the UK, capturing guests' conversations is very hard to justify under UK GDPR. Noise monitors that report decibel levels without recording sound are the usual alternative, and still need disclosing.

What happens if a guest finds a camera I did not disclose?

Expect the listing to be removed and the account suspended, frequently permanently. On top of that sit civil claims and, where the camera covered a bedroom or bathroom, criminal exposure under voyeurism law. In the UK the footage is personal data, so the ICO can take enforcement action too. There is no version of this that ends well — disclose everything, and put nothing indoors.

How often should I change the entry code?

Between every single guest. Give each booking its own code, set it to expire at checkout if your lock supports that, and never recycle a code. An old code that still works is how a previous guest walks back in — and it makes any insurance claim considerably harder to argue.

Airbnb Security Checklist & Hidden Camera Policy

Security runs both ways: guests need to feel safe inside your property, and you need to protect it from unauthorised access. But the two directions carry very different risk. A lock left on the last guest's code is a loss you can insure against. A camera in the wrong place is an account ban, a civil claim and, in many places, a criminal offence. This checklist covers locks, codes, cameras and disclosure — with a dated attestation for the part that matters most.

Use it on paper, or in our Airbnb safety checklist software to assign it to your cleaner, require a photo for every item and generate a compliance report.

Use this template free Download printable PDF

The security & privacy checklist (5 items)

1
Door locks functional
Every exterior door locks and unlocks smoothly; smart lock battery OK and a new guest code is set.
Every booking Photo proof
2
Window locks functional
Ground-floor and accessible windows latch and lock.
Monthly Photo proof
3
Peephole/door viewer working
The front door viewer or video doorbell gives a clear view of the doorstep.
Monthly Photo proof
4
No hidden cameras in private areas (attestation)
I confirm there are no cameras or recording devices in bedrooms, bathrooms or any other private area of the property.
Every booking Signed attestation
5
Safe/secure storage for valuables
Guest safe works and has been reset to the default/open state.
Every booking Photo proof

Why it matters

Airbnb's policy prohibits security cameras inside listings and requires hosts to disclose any exterior devices. Check the current policy on Airbnb's Help Center.
Broken window locks and faulty door locks are common causes of insurance claim disputes after a break-in.
A written attestation that no recording devices are in private areas is useful evidence if a guest ever raises a privacy complaint.

This checklist reflects common US and UK safety guidance and is not legal advice. Requirements vary by city, state and UK nation — check with your local authority, fire service and insurer.

The complete security & privacy checklist

Print it, save it to your phone, or track it digitally so every item carries a photo and a timestamp.

1. Locks and access

Item	What to check	How often
Entry doors lock securely	Deadbolt throws fully, strike plate solid, frame not split	Every booking
Code changed for this guest	Unique code, not a recycled one, and not 1234 or the house number	Every booking
Previous codes disabled	Old guest codes expired or deleted, not just left unused	Every booking
Accessible windows lock	Ground floor and anything reachable from a flat roof, balcony or bin store	Monthly
Door viewer or camera doorbell works	Lens clear, view unobstructed	Monthly
Backup key secured	Held off-site or in a lockbox whose code also changes; never under the mat	Monthly
Safe or lockbox works	Where provided: opens, closes, and is reset to a neutral code	Monthly
Outdoor lighting works	Motion or timer lighting on approach paths and parking	Monthly

2. Cameras and privacy

Item	What to check	How often
No indoor cameras at all	Airbnb bans indoor cameras outright — disclosure does not make one permissible	Every booking
No recording devices in private areas	Walk every bedroom and bathroom, including anything a previous guest left behind	Every booking
Smart devices audited	Smart displays, baby monitors, laptops and TVs with cameras — removed or lens covered	Every booking
Outdoor cameras disclosed	Named in the listing before booking, not mentioned on arrival	Every booking
Outdoor cameras aimed correctly	Not through a window, not into a hot tub or garden changing area, minimal spill onto neighbours or pavement	Monthly
Signage at the entrance	A notice that cameras operate, with who to contact — expected practice in the UK	Monthly
Audio disabled	Microphone off on any outdoor camera unless you have taken legal advice	Monthly
Curtains and blinds intact	Every bedroom and bathroom closes fully, with no gaps or broken slats	Every booking
Footage retention respected	Recordings deleted on schedule, typically within about 30 days	Monthly

Security & Privacy requirements for short-term rentals: US vs UK

Platform rules and US law

Airbnb's policy is stricter than most local law, and breaching it costs you the account regardless of what your state permits:

Indoor security cameras are prohibited in all listings, anywhere inside, disclosed or not, on or off
Outdoor cameras and video doorbells are permitted but must be disclosed in the listing before booking
Outdoor cameras must not monitor indoor spaces or places with a greater expectation of privacy, such as an outdoor shower or enclosed hot tub
Decibel-level noise monitors are permitted in common areas when disclosed, because they do not record sound
State voyeurism and surveillance statutes apply on top, and recording in a bedroom or bathroom is a criminal offence in many states
Audio is treated more strictly than video: California, Washington and Illinois among others require all-party consent

Airbnb's indoor camera ban took effect in April 2024 and replaced an earlier policy that allowed disclosed cameras in common areas. Guidance written before then is out of date — a disclosed living-room camera is now a violation.

United Kingdom

Footage of identifiable people is personal data, and letting commercially means you cannot rely on the household exemption:

You need a lawful basis under UK GDPR to operate a camera, and a genuine justification for each one
Tell guests before they book and again on arrival, with signage at the entrance
Position cameras to minimise capture of neighbouring property, gardens and the public pavement
Keep footage only as long as you actually need it and delete it on a defined schedule
Be ready to handle a guest's request for a copy of footage of themselves, within the statutory deadline
Audio capture is far harder to justify than video and is best avoided entirely

The ICO publishes guidance on domestic and small-business CCTV. Enforcement against a single host is proportionate rather than headline-grabbing, but an undisclosed camera is both a data protection problem and, separately, grounds for removal from the platform.

How often should you run this check?

Before every bookingNew entry code and old ones disabled, private-area camera walkthrough, disclosure still accurate, curtains and blinds intact
MonthlyWindow locks, door viewer, outdoor lighting, camera aim and signage, footage deletion
QuarterlyAudit every smart device in the property, review who holds keys and lockbox codes
AnnuallyRe-read the platform's current camera policy — it changes — and review your privacy notice

The code changes for every guest, and the private-area walkthrough happens for every guest. Neither is a monthly task.

5 mistakes hosts make

1
Relying on last year's camera rules
Airbnb banned indoor cameras outright in April 2024. A disclosed common-area camera used to be allowed; it is not now.
2
Reusing the entry code
Every past guest still has working access. It is the most common security failure and the easiest to fix.
3
Forgetting devices with lenses
Smart displays, baby monitors and a laptop left on a shelf are all cameras as far as a worried guest is concerned.
4
Mentioning the doorbell on arrival
Disclosure has to come before booking. Telling someone at check-in is too late under platform rules.
5
Leaving the microphone on
Audio is the part that turns a disclosed outdoor camera into a legal problem. Switch it off.

FAQs

Can Airbnb hosts have security cameras?: Airbnb's current policy bans indoor security cameras in all listings. Exterior cameras must be disclosed and must not view indoor spaces or areas with a greater expectation of privacy. Always check Airbnb's latest policy and your local laws.
Should I change the locks between guests?: Smart locks with unique codes per booking are the best practice. If you use physical keys, keep a key log and re-key after a key is lost or not returned.
Do I need to disclose a video doorbell?: Yes. A doorbell camera is a recording device, and it must appear in your listing before anyone books — not be mentioned on arrival. Guests consistently report doorbell cameras they were not told about, and "it was obviously visible" is not a defence under platform rules or data protection law.
Can I record audio at my rental?: Treat the answer as no. Audio law is stricter than video: California, Washington, Illinois and several other US states require every party to consent, and recording a conversation without it can be a criminal matter. In the UK, capturing guests' conversations is very hard to justify under UK GDPR. Noise monitors that report decibel levels without recording sound are the usual alternative, and still need disclosing.
What happens if a guest finds a camera I did not disclose?: Expect the listing to be removed and the account suspended, frequently permanently. On top of that sit civil claims and, where the camera covered a bedroom or bathroom, criminal exposure under voyeurism law. In the UK the footage is personal data, so the ICO can take enforcement action too. There is no version of this that ends well — disclose everything, and put nothing indoors.
How often should I change the entry code?: Between every single guest. Give each booking its own code, set it to expire at checkout if your lock supports that, and never recycle a code. An old code that still works is how a previous guest walks back in — and it makes any insurance claim considerably harder to argue.