Anyone letting out a spare property, a granny annexe or a full-time holiday let through Airbnb needs to know that the platform’s own security camera rules are stricter than what UK or US privacy law alone would require. Getting them wrong risks a suspended listing, not just an unhappy guest — and the rules changed substantially in 2024, so advice written before then is likely out of date.
Indoor cameras are banned outright
Since 30 April 2024, Airbnb has banned security cameras and recording devices inside every listing worldwide, with no exceptions. The policy is explicit that this covers bedrooms, bathrooms, hallways and living areas, and that it does not matter whether the device is switched off or disclosed in the listing — a disconnected camera sitting on a shelf is still treated as a violation, because a guest has no way to confirm it is actually inactive. If a device is capable of recording or transmitting from inside the property at all, Airbnb’s position is that it needs to be physically removed, not just disabled or hidden.
This closed a gap that had previously allowed disclosed indoor cameras in common areas such as living rooms, provided guests were told about them before booking. That disclosure route no longer exists for anything inside the property.
What’s still allowed outside
Outdoor cameras remain permitted, but with two conditions. First, hosts must disclose the presence and general location of any outdoor camera in the listing before a guest books — a note such as “camera covering the front door” or “camera in the driveway” is the kind of disclosure Airbnb expects. Second, an outdoor camera cannot be angled or positioned to monitor indoor spaces through windows or doors, and it is not allowed to cover certain outdoor areas where guests have a heightened expectation of privacy, such as an enclosed outdoor shower or sauna.
Doorbell cameras are treated as a normal outdoor camera for these purposes and remain permitted with the same disclosure requirement. Noise decibel monitors — devices that measure sound levels in common areas to flag parties, without recording or transmitting actual audio or conversations — are also allowed, and their presence must be disclosed, though hosts are not required to state their exact location. Smart home devices that are not primarily surveillance tools, such as smart speakers or thermostats, are permitted and disclosure is encouraged but not mandatory.
What happens if a host gets it wrong
Airbnb’s enforcement route for this is guest reporting rather than routine inspection: a guest who discovers an undisclosed camera, or any camera inside the property, has explicit grounds to report the listing. Airbnb’s stated consequences range up to listing suspension or removal from the platform, and a pattern of complaints about a host’s use of cameras is the kind of trust-and-safety issue that can affect an entire account, not just one listing.
For hosts converting an existing home security setup into a holiday let, the practical implication is that any camera originally installed to watch the interior — a hallway camera used when the property was a normal home, for example — has to be removed or permanently disabled, not just turned off during guest stays, before the property is listed. An indoor camera that is only active between bookings still falls foul of the rule the moment it is capable of recording during a guest’s stay, so most hosts find it simpler to relocate or remove indoor units entirely rather than try to manage a switching schedule.
Where this leaves security-conscious hosts
The practical workaround most Airbnb hosts adopt is to concentrate security monitoring on entry points and exterior perimeter — front door, driveway, garden gates — where cameras are still allowed, clearly disclosed in the listing description, and genuinely useful for detecting unauthorised access or unexpected extra guests. Interior monitoring, if it is needed at all for a genuine business reason, has to happen through means Airbnb doesn’t restrict, such as noise monitors, rather than cameras.
The bottom line
Airbnb’s policy is now simpler than it used to be, even if it’s stricter: no cameras or recording devices inside a listing, full stop, regardless of disclosure; outdoor cameras and doorbell cameras are fine provided they’re disclosed and don’t look inward; and noise monitors are the disclosed alternative for indoor activity monitoring. Hosts who set up their listing’s security under the pre-2024 rules should specifically check for any indoor camera still installed, since that is the change most likely to catch out an existing host.
Sources
- Airbnb Help Center, “Restrictions on security cameras and other devices in homes” — airbnb.com/help/article/3061
- Airbnb Newsroom, “An update on our policy on security cameras” — news.airbnb.com