Airbnb’s Age Restrictions [Under 18, 25, FAQ]

Airbnb
Written By Taz Zaidi

Airbnb’s Age Restrictions

Airbnb’s age restrictions protect its hosts and guests.

Because Airbnb allows hosts to rent out their homes to strangers, one of its major challenges is figuring out how to be inclusive to young guests while protecting hosts (and neighbors) from disruptive experiences.

In this guide, we’ll cover Airbnb’s age restrictions.

I’ll explain Airbnb’s current age restriction policy, why it was introduced, how to book an Airbnb if you’re under 25 years old, what your options are if you’re under 18 years old, plus important FAQ regarding age restrictions on Airbnb.

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Does Airbnb Have Age Restrictions?

As of 2023, Airbnb has two age restrictions:

  • Guests under the age of 18 are not allowed to create an Airbnb account or book a rental for themselves, but they can accompany other guests as part of a group (if they’re a registered guest on that booking). To learn how to register guests on an Airbnb booking, click here.

  • Guests between the ages of 18 and 24 can create their own personal Airbnb account. In a few countries (Canada, US, UK, France, Spain), guests under the age of 25 are restricted from booking an “entire home” listing if they live locally and don’t have at least 3 positive reviews with 0 negative reviews.

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Why Age Restrictions Were Introduced

It is no secret that unauthorized, open-invite Airbnb parties occurred for years.

While these parties sometimes upset neighbors and damaged property, they were still a tiny percentage of Airbnb’s total bookings (0.05% of listings reported safety-related issues, according to Airbnb). However, Airbnb still sought to lower that percentage.

The final straw may have been the Halloween party shooting of late 2019, a single-night rental resulting in five deaths, and which took place despite a “no-party agreement” between the guest and host. Within a year, Airbnb introduced this policy to limit parties.

This new policy restricts guests under the age of 25 from booking an entire home, if they live locally and don’t have at least 3 positive reviews with 0 negative reviews. It was introduced in Canada, followed by the US, UK, France and Spain. Criticism of the policy has come from users under 25, as well as from hosts willing to rent to younger guests, and from people who claim the policy is unfairly age discriminatory.

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How To Book An Airbnb If You’re Under 25 Years Old

So what does this mean for you, if you’re under the age of 25 and live in a country where Airbnb’s newest policy is enforced (Canada, US, UK, France, Spain)?

Luckily, you can still book non-local Airbnb listings. But for local listings, you can only book a “private room” or “hotel room” listing, not an “entire home” - unless you have at least 3 positive reviews and 0 negative reviews on your Airbnb account.

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What To Do If You’re Under 18

If you’re under 18 years old, you are not allowed to create your own Airbnb account.

However, you can still stay in an Airbnb as part of a group, as long as you’re registered as a guest on that booking, and the booking is made by someone over the age of 18. For exactly how to add guests to an existing booking, click here. For Airbnb’s words on guests under the age of 18, click here.

*For the 5 things you should bring to an Airbnb stay, click here.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Does Airbnb Have An Upper Age Limit?

As of 2023, Airbnb does not have an upper age limit preventing older guests from renting. In other words, no guest that is 25 years or older (who has a healthy account) faces any booking restrictions on Airbnb.

How Does Airbnb Know My Age?

New Airbnb users must verify their identity to Airbnb before they're allowed to book a stay. For exactly how to create and verify your Airbnb account, click here.

Is The Age Policy Working?

According to Airbnb, their new policy has resulted in a “meaningful drop” in the number of unauthorized house parties in Canada since its introduction. Of course, it’s still possible for someone’s “friend” to rent on their behalf to get around Airbnb’s rules, but this new policy has probably dissuaded many people.

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Can Hosts Set Age Restrictions?

Apart from Airbnb’s under-25 policy, hosts can not set further age restrictions on listings or discriminate against guests based on age (or other attributes). To read Airbnb’s Nondiscrimination Policy, click here.

Are Under-25 Restrictions Permanent?

It’s difficult to predict whether Airbnb will apply their under-25 policy to even more countries, or eliminate the policy in countries where it’s currently enforced. But Airbnb has acknowledged that the policy has led to fewer unauthorized parties in Canada, where it was first introduced - so there’s no reason to assume the restrictions will be lifted any time soon.

Are There Restrictions On Children?

If you’re a family with children (under 18), no rule prevents them from being part of your stay/group. However, you must include your children as counted guests in your booking. Remember, some properties are unsuitable for infants or toddlers.

Typically, no guest fee is charged for children under 2 years old (depending on host’s policy). But to avoid being charged a guest fee for your infant or toddler, inquire with potential hosts prior to booking. For Airbnb’s words on traveling with children, click here.

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Conclusion

Hopefully you found this guide helpful.

Airbnb is quite flexible for hosts and guests. In fact, flexibility is a major reason Airbnb has become one of the most popular booking platforms. Follow the rules above and your stay should go smoothly! To learn more about Airbnb, explore our other guides below.

Enjoy your travels!

Learn More About Airbnb

Introduction To Airbnb

Understand Your Options

Get Started With Airbnb

Know Before You Go

Specific Types Of Bookings

Cancellations, Refunds And Changes

Airbnb’s Other Listing Categories

Airbnb’s Other Features

Help With Your Account

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Taz Zaidi [Author]
Taz Zaidi [Author]

Taz Zaidi is an American travel writer and the founder/creator of TRVLGUIDES.com. Connect with him on Instagram (@tazzaidi) or on his personal website, at tazzaidi.com.

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Taz Zaidi
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