Extra guests are one of those Airbnb hosting issues that seem minor — until they aren’t. A couple of unexpected people can quickly turn into higher costs, neighbor complaints, or regulatory violations.
In many cases, guests aren’t trying to be malicious. They may assume short visits are fine, misunderstand house rules, or miss the occupancy limits on your listing page.
But whether it’s intentional or not, extra guests can expose you to avoidable risk. Every Airbnb host needs strategies for managing unauthorized visitors while still providing a smooth experience.
What counts as an extra guest on Airbnb
An extra guest is any person who stays overnight at your property beyond the number listed in the reservation. They’re not necessarily an issue provided they declare themselves.
Problems only arise when guests stay overnight without your approval. This happens when the booking party lies about the number of people in the group or invites someone to your property later without updating the reservation.
Not everyone on the property automatically counts as an extra guest. Many hosts allow visitors at the property in the daytime, provided they don’t sleep there, and it’s not for an excessive amount of time. It’s also common practice to treat infants and children differently or permit pets under a separate policy.
Risks and downsides of unauthorized extra guests
Unauthorized guests may seem harmless, but they can introduce many potential issues for Airbnb hosts:
- Bad reviews: Airbnb guests may respond to extra charges or requests to send extra visitors home by leaving you negative feedback.
- Neighbor complaints: More people mean more noise, which can lead to formal complaints and strain relationships with the local community.
- Increased liability: Whether guests are covered by your policy or not, anyone on the property could pursue claims for illness, injury, or lost belongings.
- Higher utility costs: Extra people drive up usage of utilities like water and electricity without contributing to the cost, affecting your business margins.
- More maintenance: When more people are staying in rooms and using amenities, properties experience more wear and tear.
- Regulatory issues: Many cities set occupancy limits for tourist accommodation, and exceeding them can result in penalties and license revocations.
What Airbnb’s policy says about extra guests
Airbnb doesn’t have a policy regarding extra guests. Instead, it supports the house rules you set in your listing and expects users to follow them.
As an Airbnb host, that means you’re responsible for stating how many people can stay, whether you accept extra guests, and what fees apply. You must also set up extra fees in advance and get users to update the reservation. Airbnb won’t automatically charge guests after the fact unless it goes through their system.
When issues arise, Airbnb can help enforce your rules. They can communicate with guests to ask them to pay extra charges or tell authorized visitors to leave and, failing that, cancel the entire booking without a refund.
How to add an extra guest fee on Airbnb
Adding an extra guest fee on Airbnb is reasonably straightforward. Here are the instructions as of 2026:
- Log in to your Airbnb account and navigate to your listing.
- Check the guest limit is correct.
- Go to your Pricing settings.
- Scroll down to Additional Charges and click Fees.
- Click on Extra guest fee and add the amount.
- Click Save.
Note that these changes only apply to future Airbnb bookings. Any reservations you already have in the system will have to follow your old policies.
How to prevent extra guests before check-in
Preventing extra guests from arriving is far easier than trying to get them to leave or pay the extra fee once a stay has started. Here are some strategies to make sure you always get the right number of people:
Reinforce Airbnb rules in messaging
Many problems involving extra guests start with a simple misunderstanding. Check that you’ve laid out the following clearly in your house rules:
- The maximum number of guests
- Whether extra guests are allowed
- Any additional fees
- Whether visitors are permitted in the daytime
- What happens if users break those rules
Relying on guests to read your house rules isn’t enough. Reinforce them in your pre-arrival messaging and go into more detail in your guidebook. For example, you can send everyone a link to your digital guidebook where you explain why you have occupancy limits in place and how to handle last-minute additions to the group.
Repeating the rules shows that they matter without sounding confrontational. If guests are trying to get away with paying less, it also removes the “we didn’t realize” excuse.
Confirm guest count ahead of arrival
Simple confirmation messages can prevent many issues before they start. Asking what time guests plan to arrive and how many people you should prepare the rental for encourages them to double-check their plans. You can use a Property Management System (PMS) with automated messaging features like Hostfully to create a template email and schedule it so you don’t forget.
This strategy works because it doesn’t feel accusatory. Guests who made an honest mistake can correct it before check-in, and those considering sneaking extra people in are more likely to reconsider. Either way, you gain clarity before the stay begins.
Check for red flags in communication
How guests respond matters just as much as what they say. The following all indicate potential problems with a group intending to stay at your property:
- Vague answers about guest numbers
- Last-minute changes to plans
- Reluctance to confirm details
- Inconsistencies between the messages and the booking
- Overly defensive or evasive replies
Identifying these red flags early gives you a chance to get ahead of issues. You can restate your rules, ask follow-up questions, or even arrange to drop by the property.
Guest screening tools can do a lot of the hard work for you. These platforms integrate with PMS like Hostfully to automatically run background checks. They can quickly tell you whether people have a history of violating house rules or hosting parties at rentals before you even confirm the reservation.
Invest in smart devices
Smart devices can deter guests from bringing unauthorized visitors onto the property and help you see when there are too many people at your property. For example, noise monitoring tools can track sound levels without recording conversations or invading privacy. Unusual spikes can alert you to overcrowding or unauthorized gatherings.
Many devices integrate directly with leading PMS like Hostfully, enabling you to manage everything from a single dashboard.
Used responsibly, CCTV can also help you to monitor your property. Just make sure you follow local privacy regulations as many countries only permit you to film the exterior of your property. You must ensure no cameras point into the rooms of your rental.
What to do if guests bring extra people without permission
Despite your best efforts, sometimes you still get unexpected visitors. Jumping straight to accusations can make the situation worse and increase the risk of a bad review, so always take a measured approach.
The steps below can help you reach a resolution without unnecessarily escalating:
1. Communicate with guests
Start with a friendly, neutral message. You can ask whether more people are coming and frame it as a possible misunderstanding rather than a rule breach. People are likely to respond better when they’re given the benefit of the doubt.
2. Request to update the reservation
If guests confirm that extra people have arrived, your next step is to ask them to update the reservation and pay the extra fee on Airbnb. This keeps everything official and transparent within the platform’s system.
In many cases, this resolves the issue quickly. Guests who made an honest mistake can correct it quickly, and those who were testing boundaries often back down.
3. Collect evidence of the rule violation
When guests deny the issue or refuse to update the booking, start collecting evidence. That might include:
- Neighbor complaints
- Noise alerts
- Smart door entry logs
- Message records
- CCTV footage of the exterior
Clear evidence strengthens your position when you take the problem to Airbnb. Similarly, contacting support when you don’t have any proof yet might make them more likely to dismiss your case.
4. Escalate to Airbnb
Contact Airbnb customer service directly to report the unauthorized guests. You can either use the chat to open a new case or call them.
After reviewing the evidence, Airbnb will reach out to the guest directly to try and update the reservation. They may take extra steps if they’re not successful, like asking everyone to leave or suspending the user’s account.
Escalation can take time and may increase the risk of a retaliatory review. Still, it’s sometimes necessary to protect your property, especially when local regulations are involved.
5. Prepare for interventions
Once Airbnb is involved, the situation moves out of your direct control. Be aware that resolution may take time, and you might not get the outcome you were hoping for.
In the meantime, Airbnb may ask you to keep hosting while they review the case, accommodate a reservation change, or wait until checkout to finalize updates. You should avoid taking the matter into your own hands until they follow up. For example, you shouldn’t confront guests, attempt to negotiate with them, or make any promises.
Manage extra Airbnb guests with confidence using Hostfully
Extra guests don’t have to turn into confrontations or costly surprises. Clear rules, upfront pricing, and consistent processes make it far easier to prevent issues — and resolve them quickly when they happen.
Hostfully PMS can support you with all of these things. Our software helps you set expectations early, spot problems faster, and stay in control without micromanaging every stay.
With Hostfully, you can:
- Automate pre-arrival messages that reinforce house rules
- Centralize guest conversations in a single inbox
- Confirm guest details through structured check-in flows
- Integrate noise monitoring and smart devices
- Track incidents and communication history in one place
Because when expectations are clear, and your systems work together, Airbnb hosting becomes less reactive and more predictable.
FAQs about Airbnb extra guests
Can Airbnb hosts charge for extra guests?
Yes, Airbnb lets you charge extra guest fees, as long as you set this up in advance and clearly state your rules in the listing. You must apply any charges at the booking or add them through the platform.
Can I cancel a booking if guests bring extra people?
Yes, you can cancel a booking in some cases where guests bring extra people, but make it a last resort. Airbnb generally expects you to try resolving the issue first, either by updating the reservation or involving support.
Will Airbnb remove guests who break occupancy rules?
Airbnb may step in when guests refuse to comply with house rules. Outcomes may vary depending on the rules broken, local regulations, and potential impact on the host. Clear evidence can help increase the chances of a fair resolution.
Do extra guests void Airbnb protection?
Extra guests don’t automatically void Airbnb protection but they can complicate claims. They may affect how the platform assesses coverage, which is why clear rules, documentation, and timely reporting matter.
Are pets considered extra guests on Airbnb?
Airbnb doesn’t count pets as guests but still makes them subject to house rules. If you allow pets, you can charge an extra fee and set conditions; if you don’t, bringing a pet can be treated as a rule violation and handled like any other unauthorized addition.
