Airbnb will generally prohibit hosts from asking guests to wash and put away dishes, strip beds or take trash off-site for reservations booked on or after November 20, 2026. The Airbnb checkout changes form part of its new house rules policy, which allows exceptions based on the listing, stay and local conditions. Airbnb announced the update on October 20.
The booking date determines which reservations the new policy covers. Meanwhile, hosts can still make simpler requests, such as asking guests to put used dishes in the sink or gather used towels. Airbnb distinguishes those requests from house rules that guests must follow.
Which Airbnb checkout requests are allowed?
Under the policy, hosts generally cannot assign work that takes significant time or effort, or that a cleaner would normally handle. Airbnb’s examples include stripping beds, carrying trash off-site, and washing and putting away dishes. Its guidance for hosts also says guests should not have to start a load of laundry.
However, Airbnb allows hosts to ask guests to gather used towels and separate trash from recycling into designated indoor bins. Hosts can also ask guests to turn off air conditioning when they leave. They generally cannot ask guests to avoid using an amenity advertised in the listing.
Exceptions depend on the type of property or stay and relevant local factors. For example, Airbnb says a host in bear country may reasonably request disposal in an animal-proof container. Local drought restrictions may also justify asking guests to limit shower time. Those examples qualify the general guidelines.
House rules must be visible before booking
All rules and requests must appear in the designated listing section when a guest books. They must also match the rest of the listing and comply with Airbnb’s policies and terms. Hosts cannot introduce new requirements elsewhere on the listing or after booking through messages, signs inside the home or conversations.
Meanwhile, Airbnb has brought seven standard rule categories and additional requests together in the Listing editor. Checkout instructions no longer occupy a separate tab. The standard categories cover overnight guest limits, quiet hours, events, pets, smoking, commercial photography and locking up at checkout. Smoking includes vaping and e-cigarettes; the photography category also covers filming.
Airbnb says guests can find house rules more prominently on listings, in the Trips tab and in reservation reminders. Additionally, hosts can send existing rules as a quick reply during a stay. That reminder option does not permit adding new requirements after a booking.
How Airbnb says it will enforce the policy
Airbnb may educate hosts, request listing changes or issue warnings when rules or requests breach the policy. If a violation continues, it may flag the issue on the listing, reduce search visibility or take other action under its terms. The host guidance also describes editor highlights, email notifications, correction tips and an opportunity to appeal.
However, the update preserves a distinction between obligations and requests. Guests must comply with house rules, while Airbnb encourages them to respect hosts’ requests. Repeated or severe house-rule violations may bring consequences for guests. Hosts can contact Airbnb for help when a guest fails to follow a rule or request.
The policy applies to all reservations booked from November 20, 2026; it does not set out separate country rollout dates. Its checkout provisions do not announce a change to cleaning fees. The stated change concerns what hosts may ask guests to do and how they must disclose those expectations.
