Questions about Airbnb's Nondiscrimination Policy

As explained in our Nondiscrimination Policy, it is against Airbnb’s policy to treat members of the Airbnb community differently or deny service to someone because of their protected characteristics or the perception that they have a protected characteristic. This includes rejecting a guest based on their race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or other protected characteristics. Below are some FAQs to help support what this looks like in practice. If you have any questions or witness or experience behavior that goes against our policies, please let us know.

What if I’m uncomfortable with a prospective guest? Is that discrimination?

• It is against Airbnb’s policy to reject a guest based on their race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or other protected characteristics. We encourage you to use the communication tools we've provided on the platform such as your listing description to explain house rules or requirements related to your service or experience, set expectations, and build peace of mind. If you have a specific concern about a guest, please let us know.

As a host, do I have to accept guests of the opposite gender?

• For homes, if no common spaces (for example, bathroom, or kitchen) are shared with your guests, you can’t decline a guest based on their gender. However, if you share common spaces with your guests, then you can choose to make a home available only to guests of your same gender. If you have a specific question, please let us know.
• For experiences and services, you can limit your experience or service to a single gender,, when approved by Airbnb in advance and in specific circumstances, such as to promote safety, privacy, or to comply with applicable law.

I’ve had bad experiences with guests from a certain country. Am I allowed to stop hosting guests from that country?

• Hosts may not decline guests based on their nationality or ethnic background, or otherwise discriminate against users from a given country. While your prior experience may not have been positive, it is important to remember that each person is different. We encourage you not to assume that a past bad experience will happen again with a different guest. We encourage you to keep an open mind and to communicate with guests about the expectations of your listing in a manner free from bias.

I have a home that is physically challenging to access or a service or experience that is physically strenuous. Can I decline a reservation with older guests?

• Hosts may not decline guests because they are or appear to be older. Instead, they should provide factually accurate descriptions of the features at their home (ex: a treehouse, a walk-up with no elevator or ramp, a loft bed, a narrow spiral staircase) or the conditions, skills, or abilities required to participate in their service or experience, so prospective guests can make an informed decision for themselves about whether your home, service, or experience will suit their needs.

Can I decline a guest with a disability if I don’t think my home, service, or experience is suitable for them?

• Hosts may not decline guests based on an actual or perceived disability. Instead, provide factually accurate information about your home’s accessibility features (or lack of them), or the conditions, skills, or abilities required to participate in your service or experience and allow guests with disabilities to decide for themselves whether your home, service, or experience is appropriate to their individual needs.

I have strong religious objections to hosting LGBTQ+ guests. What should I do?

• Hosts may not decline guests based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. While your views may be different than those of your guests, please remember that being an Airbnb host does not require that you endorse how your guests live. Instead, we ask hosts to respect the fact that different types of people exist and to be inclusive and welcoming, despite personal differences.

What is the difference between Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals?

• A Service Animal is generally a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. These can include, for example, guide dogs (also known as seeing eye dogs). Dogs that are not trained to perform tasks that assist an individual with a disability do not qualify as Service Animals.
• An Emotional Support Animal is an animal that provides emotional support or assistance to a person to help manage the symptoms or effects of their disability. Unlike Service Animals, Emotional Support Animals do not need to be trained to perform a particular task.

Am I allowed to charge a separate cleaning fee or deny service for a guest with a Service Animal?

• No, our Accessibility Policy prohibits hosts from charging extra fees or applying any differential treatment or unique rules to guests with Service Animals. Our Accessibility Policy also explains expectations for hosts in accommodating e Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals.

Am I allowed to charge a separate cleaning fee or deny service for a guest with an Emotional Support Animal?

• Not in jurisdictions that prohibit it. Under our Accessibility Policy, hosts in New York and California may not charge additional fees for Emotional Support Animals for Homes, and we require hosts in Quebec and Ontario not to charge additional fees for Emotional Support Animals for homes, services, and experiences reservations

I am allergic to animal hair. How should I handle requests from guests with Service Animals or Emotional Support Animals?

• Guests are generally allowed to be accompanied by Service Animals and are not required to disclose the presence of a Service Animal before booking.
• However, if a Service Animal would constitute a significant risk to your health or safety, or that of a roommate or family member, you may be eligible for an exemption from Airbnb to hosting guests who travel with Service Animals. You must contact Airbnb to obtain an exemption. Until we approve your exemption, you may not refuse guests with Service Animals.
• If you have an Airbnb exemption, please be clear and polite when communicating with guests about this. We also suggest you include the exemption information in your listing description in order to better inform prospective guests.
• These same guidelines regarding Service Animals also apply to Emotional Support Animals in any jurisdiction that requires it. Under our Accessibility Policy, we expect Emotional Support Animals to be accommodated by hosts in California and New York for homes reservations and in Ontario and Quebec for homes, services, and experiences reservations.
• Find out more about Service Animals, Emotional Support Animals, and how to request an exemption in our Accessibility Policy and in our article about hosting guests with Service Animals or Emotional Support Animals on Airbnb

There are laws in my area about vacation rentals for people under a certain age (ex: 25 years old). Am I allowed to post this restriction on my home’s listing description?

• You may restrict guests under a certain age from booking your home only if applicable laws in your area, an HOA rule, or other similar restrictions (ex: hotel rule, condo association rule) prohibit vacation rentals for people under that age. If the law simply permits such restrictions or an HOA simply encourages such restrictions, Airbnb’s Nondiscrimination Policy prohibits such restrictions. Restrictions on guests under 25 may also be permitted in homes in Florida subject to specific requirements. Where applicable, hosts are allowed to post language explaining legal or regulatory restrictions that prohibit vacation rentals for people under a certain age in a clear, factual and non-derogatory manner.
• Such age restrictions cannot be used as a means of excluding guests with children.
• Airbnb guests, regardless of age, must be respectful of local communities. See our Community Disturbance Policy for more information.

Am I allowed to post an age restriction on my service or experience’s listing description?

• Yes, hosts can restrict experiences guests only up to age 21 or where applicable law or regulation requires restricting the age for the experience. For services guests, hosts are allowed to set age minimums in their listing description, up to 18 or as required by applicable law or regulation. Such restrictions should be noted to guests before they book and applied universally to all guests. Age restrictions requiring participants to be under a certain age (ex: under 50 years old) are not permitted unless legally required.

Do I have to break my local laws if they conflict with the Nondiscrimination Policy?

• We don’t require hosts to violate local laws, nor to accept guests that could expose the hosts to a demonstrable risk of legal liability or physical harm. Hosts who live in such areas are allowed to explain any legal restriction that is important for guests to know in a clear, factual, non-derogatory manner. Slurs and insults have no place on our platform or in our community.

What if I don’t agree to the policy?

• The principles of inclusion and respect are important to us and to our community, and we require that all our users abide by our Nondiscrimination Policy. If you do not agree to comply with the policy, you won’t be able to host, travel, or otherwise use Airbnb. If necessary, you can learn how to cancel your account.