Can I have a camera inside my Airbnb if it is turned off?

No. Airbnb's policy, as published on its Help Center as of August 2026, prohibits interior cameras 'even if they're turned off or disconnected.' The ban covers every interior space, including hallways and living rooms, and the common areas of private-room listings.

Do I have to tell guests about my doorbell camera?

Yes. Airbnb requires the location of every exterior camera and recording device under your control to be disclosed in the listing description, and its own example wording covers doorbell cameras. The disclosure is entered under Guest safety, then Safety devices, in listing settings.

Are noise monitors allowed inside the listing?

Yes, outside of sleeping and bathing spaces. Airbnb permits noise decibel monitors in a listing's interior because they measure sound levels without recording audio, but they are not allowed in bedrooms, bathrooms, or sleeping areas. Their presence must be disclosed to guests, though Airbnb does not require disclosing exactly where they are placed.

Should my exterior cameras record audio?

In several states (California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Washington, per Justia's 50-state survey), recording a private conversation requires the consent of all parties. Because guests have not consented, many hosts disable audio recording on exterior cameras, which is the conservative choice anywhere.

What happens if a guest finds an undisclosed camera?

Hidden cameras are strictly prohibited under Airbnb policy, and an undisclosed device is a policy violation that guests can report to Airbnb, on top of potential legal exposure under state surveillance laws. Disclose every device before it becomes a dispute.

Airbnb Host Security Cameras: What the Rules Actually Allow in 2026

Airbnb prohibits any camera or recording device that monitors the interior of a listing, even if the device is turned off or disconnected, per its policy page as of August 2026. Exterior cameras are allowed, but you must disclose their location in the listing description, and they cannot cover areas with a greater expectation of privacy such as an enclosed outdoor shower or sauna. Separately from Airbnb's rules, state recording laws apply: several states require the consent of everyone recorded for audio, so many hosts disable audio recording on exterior cameras entirely.

Figures researched 2026-08-19; each source below carries its access date. Prices change; treat any price here as "as of" its date.

Airbnb's camera rules, from the policy itself

Airbnb's rules are stricter than many hosts assume, and they tightened when the platform banned all indoor cameras. Verified against Airbnb's policy page (Help Center article 3061) as of August 2026, the rules are:

Device	Allowed?	Conditions
Indoor cameras (any interior space)	No	Banned even if turned off or disconnected. Applies to hallways, living rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, and guest houses, and to common areas of private-room listings
Hidden cameras	No	Strictly prohibited, anywhere
Exterior cameras (front yard, patio, pool, doorbell)	Yes	Location must be disclosed in the listing description
Cameras over privacy-expectation exterior areas	No	Example given by Airbnb: inside an enclosed outdoor shower or a sauna
Noise decibel monitors	Yes, with limits	These measure loudness without recording audio; presence must be disclosed, and they are not allowed in bedrooms, bathrooms, or sleeping areas
Smart devices (locks, thermostats, etc.)	Yes	Subject to the same guidelines and applicable laws

A 'recording device' is defined broadly: anything that records or transmits video, images, or audio, which includes baby monitors and doorbell cameras. The one narrow exception is certain listings in Japan holding a Hotel Business License, where local law may require an entryway-only interior camera; that exception does not apply to US listings.

Disclosure is not a courtesy, it is a requirement. Airbnb's policy says hosts 'are required to make sure their location is disclosed in the listing's description,' with examples like 'I have a camera over my patio' or 'I have a doorbell camera monitoring my front door and the hallway of my apartment building.' The disclosure lives under Guest safety, then Safety devices, in your listing settings. Airbnb's companion article on informing guests (article 2914) repeats that hallway or building cameras under your control must also be disclosed.

Recording law is separate from Airbnb policy, and audio is the trap

Complying with Airbnb does not mean you have complied with the law. Two layers matter for US hosts.

Video of your own exterior is generally the lower-risk layer, provided cameras do not point where people reasonably expect privacy. Airbnb's own carve-out (no cameras on enclosed outdoor showers or saunas) tracks that principle.

Audio is the trap. Federal law follows one-party consent for recording conversations, but a number of states require the consent of all parties to a private conversation, including California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Washington, per Justia's 50-state survey of recording laws (accessed August 2026). A doorbell or exterior camera that records guests' conversations on a patio could implicate those statutes, and your guests have obviously not all consented. The conservative move, and the one many hosts take, is to disable audio recording on every exterior device in an all-party-consent state, and to consider doing so everywhere. We are not lawyers and this is not legal advice; if you host in an all-party-consent state, it is worth a short consultation with one.

Also check your local short-term rental ordinance. Some cities impose their own surveillance and disclosure requirements on licensed short-term rentals, and those are published by the licensing authority, not by Airbnb.

A compliant camera setup that still protects the property

Losing indoor cameras does not leave hosts blind. A workable, policy-compliant stack:

Doorbell or entry camera. Covers check-in, guest count disputes, and package theft from one angle. Disclose it in the listing description.

Exterior perimeter camera. For driveways, patios, or pool areas, a wire-free solar unit avoids running power. The eufy SoloCam S220, a 2K solar-charged camera with local storage and no required subscription, lists at $99.99 (down from $129.99) on eufy.com as of August 2026; note it needs 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi coverage where it is mounted. Since guests may unplug routers, cameras that store footage locally rather than only in the cloud are covered in no-subscription security cameras, and options for spots your Wi-Fi cannot reach are in security cameras without wifi.

Noise decibel monitor. These report loudness levels without recording audio, which is why Airbnb allows them indoors, with one placement rule: they are not allowed in bedrooms, bathrooms, or sleeping areas. They are the standard tool for catching parties early. Disclose that one is present.

Smart lock. Solves key handoff and lets you rotate codes per guest.

Two honest caveats. First, none of this substitutes for the safety basics you owe guests anyway (working smoke and CO alarms, clear exits); do not position security hardware in ways that block or complicate emergency egress. Second, remember that guests can see your disclosures before booking, and a listing bristling with cameras reads poorly. Cover entrances and exteriors, disclose plainly, and leave it there.

Frequently asked questions

Can I have a camera inside my Airbnb if it is turned off?: No. Airbnb's policy, as published on its Help Center as of August 2026, prohibits interior cameras 'even if they're turned off or disconnected.' The ban covers every interior space, including hallways and living rooms, and the common areas of private-room listings.
Do I have to tell guests about my doorbell camera?: Yes. Airbnb requires the location of every exterior camera and recording device under your control to be disclosed in the listing description, and its own example wording covers doorbell cameras. The disclosure is entered under Guest safety, then Safety devices, in listing settings.
Are noise monitors allowed inside the listing?: Yes, outside of sleeping and bathing spaces. Airbnb permits noise decibel monitors in a listing's interior because they measure sound levels without recording audio, but they are not allowed in bedrooms, bathrooms, or sleeping areas. Their presence must be disclosed to guests, though Airbnb does not require disclosing exactly where they are placed.
Should my exterior cameras record audio?: In several states (California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Washington, per Justia's 50-state survey), recording a private conversation requires the consent of all parties. Because guests have not consented, many hosts disable audio recording on exterior cameras, which is the conservative choice anywhere.
What happens if a guest finds an undisclosed camera?: Hidden cameras are strictly prohibited under Airbnb policy, and an undisclosed device is a policy violation that guests can report to Airbnb, on top of potential legal exposure under state surveillance laws. Disclose every device before it becomes a dispute.

Sources

Airbnb prohibits interior cameras even if turned off, prohibits hidden cameras, allows disclosed exterior cameras, bans cameras on privacy-expectation exterior areas, allows noise decibel monitors except in bedrooms, bathrooms, or sleeping areas; Japan Hotel Business License exception: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/3061 (accessed 2026-08-19)
Disclosure requirements and example wording for exterior cameras and noise monitors; building/hallway cameras under host control must be disclosed: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2914 (accessed 2026-08-19)
Federal law is one-party consent; all-party consent states include California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Washington: https://www.justia.com/50-state-surveys/recording-phone-calls-and-conversations/ (accessed 2026-08-19)
eufy SoloCam S220 price $99.99 (list $129.99), 2K, solar-charged, requires 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, no monthly fee: https://www.eufy.com/products/t8134121 (accessed 2026-08-19)