Departure is the last memory your guests keep of their stay, and it is also the moment when you lose the most time if nothing is written down: keys that cannot be found, rubbish left behind, a guest who left without telling you while the cleaning is waiting. Short, clear check-out instructions solve most of these situations.
This article relies on Airbnb's official pages read for the occasion: the Help Center articles on adding instructions, on times, on scheduled messages and on the basic guest rules, the Resource Center guide "A clear and simple checkout" (April 2026), the November 2022 announcement in the Airbnb newsroom and the guest page "How Airbnb checkout works".
Last verification of sources: 15 October 2026. Airbnb's menus change: check them in your account.
Update of 23 October 2026. Airbnb's Help Center now publishes a new policy, "Reasonable house rules and requests", which applies to reservations booked on or after 20 November 2026: hosts are generally no longer allowed to ask guests to strip the bed, take trash offsite or wash and put away dishes, and rules and requests are now managed under "House rules and requests" in the listing editor. The menus and checkboxes described below reflect the previous layout; review your instructions before that date.
Where do you write check-out instructions on Airbnb?
Check-out instructions are written in the listing editor, under "Arrival guide". According to the Airbnb Help Center, you open your listings, choose the listing concerned, click "Arrival guide", then "Checkout instructions" and "Add instructions", before saving. The exact wording may vary depending on the language of your interface.
Airbnb offers six checkboxes:
- return the keys (where to leave them);
- lock up: doors and windows;
- turn everything off: lights, heating;
- throw away rubbish (sorted if necessary);
- gather the used towels;
- additional requests specific to your home.
For each task, you can add up to 140 characters of details, for example "yellow bin to the left of the entrance" or "keys in the key box, code 0000 sent by message". Write precise instructions, but never an access code in a public listing: see the self check-in guide for how to pass codes on.
The check-out time is set in the same place: in "Check-in Checkout" of the arrival guide, you choose your arrival and departure times and then save (Airbnb Help Center, article "Change the check-in and checkout times for your listing").
Who sees these instructions, and when?
Guests see your check-out instructions before they book. The Help Center article states that check-out instructions are available before booking, whereas detailed arrival instructions are only shown 48 hours before the start of the stay. The Resource Center guide adds that after booking, guests find the instructions in the "Trips" tab, together with the house rules, the Wi-Fi and other useful information.
On the guest side, the official page gives the path: "Trips", the reservation, "My stay", "House manual", then the "Before you go" section (labels from the French version of Airbnb). If your instructions are empty, that section is empty too: the guest then has to ask you, which is exactly what you want to avoid.
Airbnb also sends an automatic reminder: a notification on the guest's phone the day before departure at 5 pm (local time of the home), with the check-out time and your instructions. It assumes the guest has the app and notifications turned on (Resource Center, April 2026).
Which tasks can you ask guests to do?
Airbnb asks you to stay reasonable: turning off the lights, throwing away food waste and closing the door are acceptable, whereas remaking beds, starting a load of laundry or vacuuming are not. This line comes from Airbnb's announcement of 7 November 2022: instructions must be reasonable and shown before booking, and guests should not have to do unreasonable check-out tasks, given as examples: remaking beds, doing laundry, vacuuming. Airbnb does, however, consider it reasonable to ask guests to turn off the lights, put food in the bin and lock the doors, as they would at home.
| Task | Airbnb's position | Our advice |
|---|---|---|
| Turn off lights and heating | Reasonable | Ask for it |
| Lock doors and windows | Reasonable | Ask for it |
| Throw away rubbish | Reasonable | Specify (where, which sorting) |
| Gather the towels | Checkbox offered by Airbnb | One word is enough ("in the bathtub") |
| Return the keys | Checkbox offered by Airbnb | Give the exact spot |
| Remake beds, laundry, vacuuming | Unreasonable | Do not ask |
The "Our advice" column is our reading, not an Airbnb rule.
There is a practical consequence. The Resource Center guide explains that, after departure, the guest can rate your communication and report "excessive checkout tasks"; listings that repeatedly receive bad ratings for unreasonable tasks may be removed from Airbnb. A long list of chores is therefore a risk for your listing, not only for your rating.
Can you charge a guest who did not do the tasks?
No: Airbnb's basic rules specify that the cleaning fee set by the host only covers standard cleaning between two stays (linen, vacuuming, etc.) and that the host cannot charge the guest a fee because they did not carry out a specific cleaning or check-out task. You can, however, take cleanliness into account in your review.
Two cases remain possible, still according to the official pages:
- Excessive mess: the guest must not leave the home in a state that requires excessive or deep cleaning (mouldy dishes, stained carpet, animal traces). Airbnb expects the guest to settle reasonable reimbursement requests for damage, missing items or unforeseen cleaning fees;
- Guest who does not follow the rules: you can report them to Airbnb support or leave them a low rating for cleanliness or for following the house rules.
To document an abnormal state, take dated photos at the guest's arrival and departure; see the guide to cleaning between two stays. These rules are Airbnb's: they do not replace your contract or the applicable law, to be checked according to your situation.
How do you set the check-out time and handle delays?
The check-out time is shown on the reservation, and according to Airbnb's basic rules, the guest must have completed their departure, keys returned, before the stated time, and must not leave belongings in the home after that time without the host's agreement. So write the time clearly and explain why: the Resource Center quotes a host who specifies that the cleaning arrives at 11 am to prepare the home for the next guests.
For late check-out requests, Airbnb's guest page says the guest can contact you in advance and that you accommodate them if possible. Decide your answer in advance: a polite refusal, a free agreement when the home is vacant afterwards, or a paid late check-out. Prices and organisation are detailed in the article on late check-out.
What message should you send the day before departure?
A message scheduled the day before acts as a reminder for guests who do not have the app. Airbnb offers scheduled quick replies for this: the Help Center explicitly cites the example of a check-out reminder sent the morning before, with the departure date as a variable. Messages are sent at the time of the home's time zone, and you can skip, edit or send a message earlier for a specific reservation.
The Resource Center adds a useful detail: a "checkout card" can be attached to a quick reply; it links to your instructions. When you schedule this reply, the guest also receives an email in addition to your message, even if they do not have the app or notifications.
Here is a template to adapt (text written by Majordia, not an Airbnb text):
Hello [first name], I hope your stay is going well! A quick reminder: check-out is tomorrow before [time]. Before leaving: 1) leave the keys [place], 2) turn off the lights and heating, 3) close doors and windows, 4) put the rubbish in [bin], 5) leave the towels in the bathroom. No need to remake the beds or clean. Please send me a quick message once you have left, and safe journey home!
Five points at most: a short message gets read, a page of instructions does not. The thank-you message that asks for a review works better the next day: see the article on the 5-star review and the one on message automation.
How do you know the guest has left?
Simply ask. Airbnb's guest page recommends sending a message to the host once the departure is done, and the Resource Center specifies that once they have left, the guest can let you know with one click or tap. This confirmation lets your cleaning team start without calling anyone, and lets you know whether the home is free.
Without this confirmation, avoid entering the home before the check-out time: a guest may simply be running late. Keep a clear rule: you wait until the stated time, then you ask.
Should you also put the instructions in the welcome book?
Yes: the welcome book is the place where instructions stay visible throughout the stay, including on platforms other than Airbnb. Majordia's welcome book shows your arrival and departure times; see the welcome book guide and the one on house rules. The free welcome book generator lets you create a PDF booklet and its phone version without an account.
Use exactly the same instructions in both places: listing, welcome book and message must say the same thing, otherwise you multiply the questions.
Key takeaways
Information
- Where: arrival guide of the Airbnb listing, check-out instructions section; six checkboxes (keys, doors, turning off, rubbish, towels, specific requests) and 140 characters of details (Airbnb Help Center).
- Visibility: guests see the check-out instructions before booking; Airbnb sends an automatic reminder the day before at 5 pm (local time) if the app is installed and notifications are on.
- Limits: turning off, throwing away rubbish and locking up are acceptable; remaking beds, laundry and vacuuming are not (Airbnb, November 2022). Repeated ratings for excessive tasks may get the listing removed.
- Fees: no fees charged to a guest for a check-out task not done; cleanliness and excessive mess are handled through the review, reporting and reasonable reimbursement.
- Message: schedule a reminder the day before, in five points at most, with the check-out time and the place of the keys.
FAQ
Where do I find check-out instructions in my Airbnb listing?
In the listing editor, under "Arrival guide", then "Checkout instructions" and "Add instructions". You tick the proposed tasks and add up to 140 characters of details.
Do guests see my check-out instructions before booking?
Yes. The Airbnb Help Center states that check-out instructions are available before booking, unlike the detailed arrival instructions, which only appear 48 hours before the stay.
Can I ask guests to make the beds and start a machine?
Airbnb clearly advises against it: remaking beds, doing laundry and vacuuming are cited as unreasonable tasks, and repeated ratings for excessive tasks can lead to the listing being removed according to Airbnb's Resource Center.
Can I charge a guest who leaves the home dirty?
Not for a simple check-out task not done. For excessive mess or damage, Airbnb's rules expect the guest to settle reasonable reimbursement requests, and you can report the case to support and leave a cleanliness rating. Check your situation and your supporting evidence (dated photos).
What time does Airbnb send the check-out reminder?
The Resource Center indicates a notification the day before departure at 5 pm in the home's time zone, for guests who have the app and notifications turned on. A scheduled quick reply serves as a backup: the guest also receives an email.
How do I handle a guest who asks for a late check-out?
The guest can ask you in advance and you accept if possible. Set your rule before the first request (free if the home is vacant, paid otherwise) and write it in your welcome message.
Instructions written once, useful at every departure
Five simple actions, a clear time, a reminder the day before and the same information in the listing, the welcome book and the message: that is all it takes for a departure with no phone call and no bad surprise. To put these instructions into a booklet that your guests open on their phone, start with the free welcome book generator, then discover the Essential (free, add-ons à la carte) offer and the other plans on the Pricing page.
Image credits. Cover: photo "A person is holding a key to a door" by Jakub Żerdzicki, Unsplash, Unsplash licence. Inside photos: “White bath towel on white ceramic bathtub” by the blowup and “Brown wooden door with padlock” by iMattSmart, Unsplash and Unsplash, Unsplash licence.
