Buying guide · Airbnb rules checked Nov 5, 2026
Outdoor cameras and video doorbells for Airbnb hosts.
Short answer. Airbnb allows exterior cameras, doorbell cameras included, if you disclose each one in your listing with where it is and whether it is on. Cameras indoors are banned even when switched off, and so is any camera over a more private outdoor space such as an enclosed shower or a sauna. Then choose by the job: a doorbell for arrivals, a battery camera for a driveway, a floodlight camera for a dark entrance.
Where Airbnb lets you put a camera
Allowed, once disclosed
- A video doorbell, including one that covers a shared building hallway
- The front yard, porch, driveway or garage entrance
- A patio or backyard, as long as no part of the frame covers a more private space
Never allowed
- Any indoor space: living rooms, hallways, bedrooms, bathrooms and guest houses
- Inside an enclosed outdoor shower or a sauna
- Any hidden camera, anywhere
- An indoor camera that is switched off or unplugged still counts
Three cameras, three jobs
Arrivals at the front door
Video doorbell
Shows who arrives and when, and lets you answer the door from your phone. It sits where guests expect a camera, which makes it the easiest one to disclose.
Watch out: A battery doorbell needs recharging, more often at a busy door; a wired one uses your existing doorbell wiring. In an apartment hallway it can see neighbors, so check your building’s rules first.
Check video doorbells on Amazon (opens in a new tab)A driveway, side gate or parking spot
Battery outdoor camera
No wiring, so it can go where there is no outlet, and it is easy to move if guests or neighbors raise a concern.
Watch out: Cold weather and frequent motion drain batteries faster. Without an outlet nearby, plan a solar panel or a charging round with each turnover.
Check battery outdoor cameras on Amazon (opens in a new tab)A dark driveway or back entrance
Floodlight camera
Light and camera in one, so guests arriving late see the path and you see the driveway. A good fit where a light fixture is already wired.
Watch out: It needs a wired outdoor junction box, often an electrician’s job. Aim the light and the camera away from neighbors’ windows.
Check floodlight cameras on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Four things to check before you buy
Where the video goes. Most brands keep recorded clips behind a monthly plan, priced per camera or per home. Others record to the device or a base station with no fee. That plan is a cost you pay at every property, every month, so read the maker’s current plan page before you buy.
One app for every home. With two or more rentals, check that one account can hold several locations and that alerts tell you which home they come from.
What the camera sees. Mount it so the frame stops at your property line, and keep windows, the hot tub and any outdoor shower out of view. Many cameras let you mask part of the image; use it for a neighbor’s yard, but do not rely on it to make a private area acceptable.
Alerts that help, not noise. A doorbell alert for every delivery wears thin. Schedules and motion zones let you get the alerts that matter, such as a car arriving after quiet hours.
How to disclose it
In the listing editor, open Your space, then Guest safety, then Safety devices. Tick “Exterior security camera present” and describe each device, where it is and whether it is on or off. Say the same in the listing description, in plain words:
Exterior cameras: a video doorbell at the front door and a camera on the garage covering the driveway. Both are always on. There are no cameras inside the home.
Questions hosts ask
Can I have a doorbell camera on Airbnb?
Yes. Airbnb allows exterior cameras, doorbell cameras included, as long as you disclose each one in your listing with where it is and whether it is on or off.
Where do I disclose an outdoor camera?
In the listing editor, under Your space, Guest safety, Safety devices: tick “Exterior security camera present” and describe each device. Airbnb also asks for the location in the listing description.
Do I have to disclose a camera that is switched off?
Airbnb’s disclosure asks whether each device is on or off, so list it either way. Indoor cameras are banned even when they are off.
Can an outdoor camera record sound?
Airbnb’s device article does not say. Turning audio recording off avoids the question; if you need audio, ask a local attorney first.
Do I need a camera if I have a noise monitor?
They answer different questions. A noise monitor tells you a party is starting, without recording anyone. A camera at the door shows arrivals and the number of cars.
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