What are normal check-in and checkout times and rules for vacation rentals?
Many vacation rentals check guests in between 3 pm and 4 pm and out between 10 am and 11 am, leaving the cleaner four to six hours; Airbnb's defaults are 3 pm and 11 am. Normal checkout requests are light: dishes in the sink, used towels gathered, trash in the indoor bins and the door locked.
By StayPerk Team · Last checked · Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com details checked against the sources below
How to set your own times and guidelines
- Time a full turnover, then pick a checkout and check-in that leave that long plus an hour to spare.
- Set the same times everywhere you list, in your booking page and in your guest guide, so a guest never sees two versions.
- Keep checkout to three or four light requests guests can do in ten minutes.
- Say how early check-in and late checkout work, and what they cost, before guests ask.
- On Airbnb, put every guideline and request in the listing before booking; from November 20, 2026 you can't add new ones later by message or sign.
Common times and what they leave your cleaner
| Checkout | Check-in | Time for the turnover | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 am | 4 pm | 6 hours | Larger homes, laundry on site, hot tubs |
| 11 am | 4 pm | 5 hours | Most two and three bedroom homes; OwnerRez's default times |
| 11 am | 3 pm | 4 hours | Smaller places with an experienced cleaner; Airbnb's default times |
| 12 pm | 4 pm | 4 hours | Places where late leavers are common and turnovers are quick |
Check-in and checkout pairs and the cleaning window between them
10 am
- Check-in
- 4 pm
- Time for the turnover
- 6 hours
- Suits
- Larger homes, laundry on site, hot tubs
11 am
- Check-in
- 4 pm
- Time for the turnover
- 5 hours
- Suits
- Most two and three bedroom homes; OwnerRez's default times
11 am
- Check-in
- 3 pm
- Time for the turnover
- 4 hours
- Suits
- Smaller places with an experienced cleaner; Airbnb's default times
12 pm
- Check-in
- 4 pm
- Time for the turnover
- 4 hours
- Suits
- Places where late leavers are common and turnovers are quick
Airbnb's help says its defaults are 3:00 PM check-in and 11:00 AM checkout, local time, when a listing doesn't set times. OwnerRez, a rental software company, uses 4 PM and 11 AM as its defaults.
Normal checkout requests
| Topic | A normal request | Ruled out on Airbnb |
|---|---|---|
| Dishes | Put used dishes in the sink | Wash and put away dishes |
| Laundry | Gather used towels | Strip the beds or start a load |
| Trash | Sort trash and recycling into the indoor bins | Take trash off site |
| Leaving | Lock up and return keys to the lockbox | Fines for leaving late |
Light requests most hosts make, and what Airbnb's policy rules out from November 20, 2026
Dishes
- A normal request
- Put used dishes in the sink
- Ruled out on Airbnb
- Wash and put away dishes
Laundry
- A normal request
- Gather used towels
- Ruled out on Airbnb
- Strip the beds or start a load
Trash
- A normal request
- Sort trash and recycling into the indoor bins
- Ruled out on Airbnb
- Take trash off site
Leaving
- A normal request
- Lock up and return keys to the lockbox
- Ruled out on Airbnb
- Fines for leaving late
Airbnb's house rules and requests policy covers Airbnb reservations booked on or after November 20, 2026. On direct bookings your own terms apply, but light requests keep reviews good everywhere.
Guest guidelines that hosts commonly set are short: how many guests can stay overnight, quiet hours, whether events, pets and smoking are allowed, and locking up at checkout. Write them once and keep the same wording on every site and in your guest guide.
See check-in and checkout in a guest guide
A demo guest guide shows check-in steps, checkout requests and Wi-Fi the way a guest opens them, from a link or QR code with no app.
What StayPerk does here
StayPerk's guest guide holds your check-in steps, checkout requests and guest guidelines in one place, and the booking page shows the same times before guests book.
Early check-in and late checkout can be sold as paid extras, and the bookings calendar shows the time between each checkout and the next arrival.
Frequently asked questions
What is Airbnb's default check-in and checkout time?
Airbnb's help says that when a listing doesn't set times, check-in is 3:00 PM and checkout is 11:00 AM, local time. Hosts change them in the listing editor's Arrival guide.
Is a 10 am checkout too early?
Not for larger homes or places with laundry on site, where the cleaner needs more time. Offer a late checkout as a paid extra for guests who want longer.
Can I ask guests to strip the beds at checkout?
Not on Airbnb stays booked from November 20, 2026: its policy rules out tasks a cleaner would usually do. Ask guests to gather used towels instead.
Still have a question?
Write to us and a person will reply, or look it up in the Help Center.
Sources
- Request an early check-in time - Airbnb Help Center
- Change the check-in and checkout times for your listing - Airbnb Help Center
- House rules and requests policy - Airbnb Help Center
- Check-in and check-out - OwnerRez