Airbnb Services and Experiences standards and requirements

Airbnb Service and Experience hosts, including co-hosts, must meet applicable standards and requirements before their listing is published, and must continue to uphold them after their listing goes live. Airbnb determines at its sole discretion whether a service or experience meets the standards and requirements, and meeting them does not guarantee approval.

All hosts and co-hosts must also comply with Airbnb’s Terms of Service, the Additional Terms for Service and Experience Hosts, and Community Policies.

Some activities are prohibited or restricted on Airbnb. Learn more about prohibited and restricted activities.

What is needed before a service or experience listing is published

Services and experiences on Airbnb are vetted to help ensure they meet our standards. To host a service or experience on Airbnb, both the host and the listing must meet the following criteria and requirements.

Host criteria for services and experiences

• Identity and background: Hosts must complete our identity verification process and, where applicable, criminal background checks or other vetting.
• License and certification: Hosts must maintain valid licenses, insurance, and certifications as appropriate for the activity. Hosts may be required to provide proof of maintaining these credentials and insurance.
• Experiences hosted by businesses: Business hosts must maintain valid licenses and insurance for their business and ensure their personnel who host reservations also meet these requirements. Business hosts must also conduct identity verification and, where applicable, criminal background checks on their personnel.

Services: Basic standards

• Experience: Minimum of 2 years of relevant experience, education, career achievements, and expertise.
• Reputation: High-quality professional reputation, reflected in guest feedback. Additional consideration given to awards and features in publications, or other forms of recognition.
• Portfolio: Photos demonstrating professional experience are required for photography, chefs, catering, prepared meals, personal trainers, hair styling, makeup, and nails.

Services: Listing standards

• Photos: Minimum of 5 high-quality photos, including one photo for each offering, that set clear guest expectations for the service provided. For photographers, we need at least 15 photos from your portfolio. For massage and spa listings, you must use photos Airbnb approves.
• Title: Clearly describe what the service is and who’s providing it.
• Description: Clearly describe what guests will experience.
• Expertise: Explain why you’re uniquely qualified to host your service. Be concise and specific.
• Offerings: Minimum of one offering per listing, with 3 recommended (entry, standard, and premium) per listing. For example, a service listing with 3 offerings may have an entry-level price of $50 or less for a shorter service, a standard offering in the middle, and a premium offering at the highest price point. Each offering should include a clear, detailed description and its own thumbnail image. Highlight specifics like ingredients, techniques, equipment, or materials so guests know exactly what they’re getting.

Experiences: Basic standards

• Knowledge: Host has formal training or relevant background to their experience. We evaluate this by checking if the host meets at least one of the following:
  • Minimum of 5 years of hands-on experience in their field.
  • Multi-generational knowledge, family background, or heritage.
  • Media coverage, press, or endorsements from established outlets demonstrating leadership in their field.

Business hosts must ensure personnel who host reservations are properly trained and have the requisite licensing, experience, and education.

• Activity: Connected to what a city is known for and has ties to the local culture, cuisine, or people. The experience is connected to the host’s expertise. It encourages participation and connection with other guests and the host.
• Place: The location for the experience must be safe, clean, and comfortable. All features needed for the activity are included. It should be a space typically used for this activity and appropriately sized for the group.

Experiences: Listing standards

• Photos: Minimum of 5 high-quality color photos with no text on the images. Add additional photos, if needed, to set clear expectations. Include one distinct photo for each agenda item in your experience itinerary.
• Title: Lead with the experience’s main focus and start with an action like “Explore,” “Discover,” or “Taste.” Ensure the title clearly reflects the nature of the experience.
• Description: Use language that complements the title, highlights the experience’s appeal, and helps guests understand what to expect.
• Itinerary: Outline the sequenced activities from start to finish so guests know what to expect and can decide if it’s a good fit. Include at least 3 activities and enough detail to set clear expectations. Each itinerary should cover only one experience.

What is needed after a service or experience listing is published

To continue to host a service or experience on Airbnb, you and your listing must meet the following criteria and requirements on an ongoing basis:

• Hosts are expected to honor booked reservations and communicate with guests in a timely fashion prior to the reservation. If they don’t, the Host Cancellation Policy for services and experiences outlines the fees and other consequences that may apply, and guest refunds will be handled in accordance with the Refund Policy for services and experiences.
• Hosts must also maintain safe and high-quality services and experiences. Learn more about Airbnb’s Host Ground Rules and Hosting Safety policies for services and experiences.
• Airbnb reviews guest feedback, host cancellations, and reports to customer service about the safety and quality of services and experiences. Actions we may take include issuing warnings, suspending or removing listings, or removing host accounts.
• Service and experience hosts are responsible for ensuring that any co-hosts that host reservations meet these standards and requirements as well.
• Business hosts are responsible for ensuring that all their personnel who host reservations meet these standards and requirements as well.
• Trust is the cornerstone of our community, and Airbnb verifies the identity of booking guests. To help maintain this trust, it’s recommended that hosts not mix guests from Airbnb and other platforms on the same instance of an experience.
• If a host chooses to have an onsite assistant perform support functions during the activity, the host must provide advance notice to guests as detailed in Airbnb’s Host Ground Rules and Hosting Safety policies.

Keep in mind that if you make significant changes to your listing (ex: to location or offerings) after it’s published, it will be vetted again.