Answered from the same sourced research behind the rankings.
Best airbnb property management companies in the Smoky Mountains?
Short Term Coops is our top pick for 2026, the only company here with both a published fee and a sourced review score. Elk Springs Resort and Cabins For You round out the top three on local depth and a published 10% rate. The full ranking above covers 7 companies of the 16 we evaluated.
Airbnb management companies in the Smoky Mountains with the lowest fees?
Only 2 of the 16 managers we evaluated publish a rate. Cabins For You publishes a 10% management fee, and Short Term Coops publishes a flat 20% of net rental revenue plus a $75 monthly technology fee. Every other company quotes privately.
Who should I hire to manage my Airbnb in the Smoky Mountains?
Match the manager to your property and how hands on you want to be. Short Term Coops suits owners who want a fully itemized fee in writing. Elk Springs Resort suits owners who want one company covering all four towns in a single published sentence. Fireside Chalets has the longest sourced tenure in this market, operating since 1999. Compare fees in the table above and call two or three.
Best full service airbnb management companies in the Smoky Mountains?
Full service picks on this list are Short Term Coops, Elk Springs Resort, Cabins For You, Compass Vacation Properties, Cabins of the Smoky Mountains, Fireside Chalets and Eden Crest Vacation Rentals.
Best airbnb co-hosting services in the Smoky Mountains?
We did not verify a dedicated co-hosting specialist among the 16 companies we evaluated in this market. Every ranked company here operates as a full service manager rather than a co-host. We will add a co-hosting pick if we verify one.
Best property management companies for cabins in the Smoky Mountains?
Elk Springs Resort, Eden Crest Vacation Rentals, Cabins of the Smoky Mountains and Compass Vacation Properties each name all four towns in this market, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville and Wears Valley, in their own published service areas.
Alternatives to Vacasa for Smoky Mountains vacation rental management?
Local alternatives include every other company on this list. The strongest contrast to a national brand is a Smoky Mountains only operator like Short Term Coops or Elk Springs Resort, where the book is smaller and the team is in market.
Best short term rental managers in Gatlinburg TN?
Every company we ranked names Gatlinburg in its service area. Our Gatlinburg town guide breaks down which of them are based there directly.
Best airbnb management companies near Pigeon Forge TN?
Compass Vacation Properties is based in Pigeon Forge, and Short Term Coops, Elk Springs Resort, Cabins For You, Fireside Chalets and Eden Crest all name Pigeon Forge in their service areas. Our Pigeon Forge town guide has the full breakdown.
Best vacation rental property managers near Sevierville TN?
Elk Springs Resort, Cabins For You, Compass Vacation Properties and Eden Crest Vacation Rentals all name Sevierville in their published service areas. Our Sevierville town guide compares them.
Do I need a permit to run an Airbnb in the Smoky Mountains?
Usually yes, and the rule depends on the town. Gatlinburg requires a Tourist Residency Permit, Sevierville a Short Term Rental Operational Permit, Pittman Center a Tourist Residency Permit under Ordinance No. 292 and unincorporated Sevier County a Short Term Rental Unit (STRU) Permit. Pigeon Forge is the exception we could not confirm. Rules read from city and county pages on October 8, 2026; confirm yours before you list.
What does a Gatlinburg short term rental permit cost?
Gatlinburg’s Tourist Residency Permit is $200 for a unit with two or fewer bedrooms, plus $75 for each additional bedroom, and the fee covers the fire and building inspection. The city’s page does not print a renewal cadence or an occupancy limit. Read from the city’s own permit page on October 8, 2026.
What does a Sevier County short term rental permit cost?
The county’s Short Term Rental Unit (STRU) Permit for unincorporated Sevier County is $250 per year for a unit that sleeps 12 or fewer, and units that sleep 13 or more pay $250 plus $25 per additional occupant. Properties inside Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville or Pittman Center follow their city’s rules instead. Read from the county’s own page on October 8, 2026.
Does Pigeon Forge require a short term rental permit?
Pigeon Forge’s Forms, License, Permits page and its Community Development page list no short term rental permit program as of October 2026. City commission coverage describes a proposed permit and inspection ordinance under review, not yet shown as adopted on the city’s own site, so check with the city before you list.
What lodging taxes do Smoky Mountains hosts owe?
Pigeon Forge charges a 2.50% city lodging tax on gross short term rental sales, and Sevierville adds a 3% lodging tax. A 3% Gatlinburg occupancy tax appears in a 2021 state survey but not on the city’s own site as of October 2026. Sevier County also reports a 10% county short term rental tax outside city limits, which conflicts with a state cap of 3% and is unresolved in the sources we checked. Read October 8, 2026.
What state sales tax applies to a Tennessee short term rental?
Tennessee’s 7% state sales tax applies to the full rental charge on stays under 90 days, including cleaning and booking fees, plus a local option sales tax capped at 2.75% by the state. Sevier County’s rate is reported at 2.75% by tax-rate aggregators but was not confirmed on the state’s own lookup. Read October 8, 2026. Ask any manager whether it files and remits for you.
What contract term and cancellation notice do Smoky Mountains managers state?
Of the 7 ranked managers, only Short Term Coops prints a notice period: its terms page says ending the agreement typically requires 30 days’ written notice. The other 6 state no contract term or cancellation notice on the pages we read on October 15, 2026, so ask for both in writing.
Does Sevierville require a short term rental permit?
Yes. Sevierville runs a Short Term Rental Operational Permit, a program the city created in August 2021, and it renews annually. The permit needs a life safety inspection by the Sevierville Fire Department. The city also publishes a limits verification map so you can check whether your property needs the city permit or the county one. Read from the city’s own page on October 8, 2026.
Does Pittman Center require a short term rental permit?
Yes. Pittman Center requires a Tourist Residency Permit under Ordinance No. 292. A March 2025 Planning Commission agenda shows a proposed amendment on which zoning districts allow short term rentals, and we have not confirmed it as adopted. Read from the town’s own page on October 8, 2026.
Does Wears Valley need a town permit for a short term rental?
No. Wears Valley is unincorporated, so a rental there falls under the Sevier County Short Term Rental Unit (STRU) Permit rather than a town permit. Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville and Pittman Center follow their own city rules instead. Read from the county’s page on October 8, 2026.
Does a Gatlinburg short term rental permit include an inspection?
Yes. Gatlinburg’s Tourist Residency Permit fee covers a fire and building inspection. The permit is allowed only where the property is zoned for overnight rental, and the Building and Planning Department confirms zoning before you file. Read from the city’s own permit page on October 8, 2026.
Is a Gatlinburg short term rental allowed in every zone?
No. Gatlinburg permits overnight rental only where the property is properly zoned for it, and applicants confirm zoning with the Building and Planning Department before filing. Third party guides report R-1A and R-2A as not allowed, which the city’s own permit page does not confirm. Read October 8, 2026.
When did the Sevier County short term rental permit start?
The county’s Short Term Rental Unit (STRU) Permit program took effect on January 1, 2024. The county adopted its fee schedule resolution on June 26, 2023. It applies only outside the city limits of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville and Pittman Center. Read from the county’s page on October 8, 2026.
How often does the Sevier County short term rental permit renew?
Every year, in the month the permit was first issued. An inspection is required before the first permit and then annually, and it covers smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, escape routes, structural soundness and electrical safety. Read from the county’s page on October 8, 2026.
Does the Sevier County permit replace zoning approval?
No. The county describes the STRU Permit as a life safety permit, not a zoning approval, and its separate zoning resolution was not part of our review. Check zoning with the county before you list. Read October 8, 2026.
What does a Sevier County short term rental re-inspection cost?
A third or later re-inspection in a permit cycle costs $25. The base STRU Permit is $250 per year for a unit that sleeps 12 or fewer, and larger units pay $250 plus $25 per additional occupant. Read from the county’s page on October 8, 2026.
What is the occupancy limit for a Sevier County short term rental?
The standard permit category covers 12 or fewer occupants. A notarized letter to the Fire Marshal’s office can temporarily cap occupancy at 12 while corrections are pending, and units that sleep 13 or more pay $25 for each additional occupant. Read from the county’s page on October 8, 2026.
Is the proposed Gatlinburg occupancy change in force?
Not as far as the city’s own site shows. Local coverage reported a 2026 proposal of two persons per bedroom plus two as under review, and the city’s permit page does not show it as adopted, so we do not record it as the current rule. Read October 8, 2026.
What does a Sevierville short term rental permit cost?
Sevierville’s page does not print the permit fee. It says the application requires a fee payment, with the amount set in a separate application guide we have not retrieved, so confirm the figure with the city before you apply. The permit renews annually. Read from the city’s own page on October 8, 2026.
What does a Pittman Center short term rental permit cost?
Pittman Center’s landing page does not print a fee, renewal cadence, inspection requirement or occupancy rule for its Tourist Residency Permit under Ordinance No. 292. The ordinance and application PDFs were not retrieved in our pass, so we show no figure rather than estimate one. Read October 8, 2026.
Which Smoky Mountains permit programs require an inspection?
Gatlinburg, Sevierville and Sevier County state an inspection in their rules: Gatlinburg covers a fire and building inspection in its fee, Sevierville requires a life safety inspection by its Fire Department, and Sevier County requires one before the first permit and then annually. Pigeon Forge lists no program, and Pittman Center’s page states no inspection requirement. Read October 8, 2026.