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Airbnb allows hosts to use indoor noise decibel monitors, but there are specific rules on what these devices can measure, where they can go, and how hosts must disclose them.
This guide explains the Airbnb noise monitor policy, including the difference between decibel monitoring and audio recording, placement restrictions, and disclosure requirements.
Yes. Airbnb allows indoor noise decibel monitors that measure sound levels and duration without recording audio. Disclosure and placement rules apply, and each one is covered below.
Airbnb bans indoor security cameras as well as any indoor recording devices, even if they're switched off or disconnected. That means you can't have an indoor camera that gets turned off during a stay.
Hidden cameras are, of course, strictly prohibited. The only type of camera that Airbnb allows is an outdoor camera, and they have to be disclosed and kept away from privacy-sensitive areas, like enclosed outdoor showers.
Noise decibel monitors aren’t included in this device ban because they don't record sound. They monitor the decibel levels at a property, and for how long a threshold has been crossed. They don’t hear conversations and can’t identify people, so they’re a privacy-safe way to maintain respectable noise levels.
Airbnb breaks compliance into three parts: the device, the disclosure, and the placement.
Airbnb draws a clear line between general living areas and places intended for privacy or sleep.
These areas are generally acceptable when the monitor is disclosed on your listing.
These are the spaces where guests expect the most privacy, which is why Airbnb excludes them from permitted indoor placement.
Always remember that Airbnb's platform policy isn't a substitute for local law. Check applicable local privacy and property rules before you decide on final placement, to make sure you’re compliant with both.
A noise decibel monitor measures how loud it is and for how long. It doesn't know what anyone said, can't identify anyone, and doesn't capture content. An audio recorder, on the other hand, does capture sounds, including spoken words and identifiable noises.
So detecting noise alone doesn't settle whether a device is acceptable. The real test is whether it gives you usable sound-level information without capturing private conversations.
Airbnb draws the line here because guests expect privacy inside the home they've booked. Measuring volume respects that expectation; recording what people say doesn’t respect it.
A compliant scenario looks like this: your listing has a disclosed noise monitor in the living room. It shows sound levels staying high late at night, but you don't know whether the noise is people shouting or the television volume being too loud.
A non-compliant scenario: a device that captures audio clips after a threshold breach. You can choose to listen in whenever you want, and can hear identifying sounds including conversations and phone calls.
Airbnb is clear that indoor noise decibel monitors need to be disclosed on the listing page, meaning guests know about them before they make their reservation, but the precise location doesn’t need to be included:
Home hosts are allowed to have noise decibel monitors in the home's interior as long as the host discloses their presence and they are not located in bedrooms, bathrooms, or sleeping areas. Hosts are not required to disclose where their noise decibel monitors are located.
Exterior security cameras work differently. For those, Airbnb requires hosts to disclose both their presence and general location, and states that external cameras are not permitted “over exterior areas to the home where users have a greater expectation of privacy, such as the inside of an enclosed outdoor shower or in a sauna.”
Airbnb expects your listing to accurately reflect what's on the property. If you add a device after the listing is published, or remove one, update the listing.
Compliance isn't one checkbox. You need the right device, the right placement, and the right disclosure, so use this quick pre-install check to make sure you’re following the rules.
The Airbnb noise monitor policy allows hosts to use privacy-safe decibel monitoring, provided the device meets Airbnb's requirements for measurement, disclosure, and placement. Before installing a monitor, check Airbnb's latest device policy and any local requirements that apply to your property.
Yes. Airbnb allows indoor noise decibel monitors that measure sound levels and duration without recording audio. They must be disclosed and kept out of bedrooms, bathrooms, and sleeping areas.
Yes, Airbnb requires you to disclose the presence of indoor noise decibel monitors on your listing, but not its exact location.
No. Airbnb doesn't allow noise monitors in bedrooms, bathrooms, or any sleeping areas.
Yes, noise monitors are allowed in common areas like living rooms, kitchens, and hallways, as long as they measure decibel levels only and are disclosed.
No, recording of any kind is prohibited. A device that records conversations doesn't meet Airbnb's definition of a noise decibel monitor.
No. You must disclose indoor noise decibel monitors on your listing. Hiding any device is a serious violation.
No. Airbnb's policy covers its platform only. Local privacy laws, building rules, and short-term rental regulations may add their own requirements.
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