Does my Airbnb need a carbon monoxide detector?

If the property has any fuel-burning appliance (gas, oil, wood, coal), a fireplace or an attached garage, you should have CO alarms — and in many US states and UK nations it's the law. Airbnb also asks hosts to disclose whether a CO alarm is installed.

Where should CO detectors be placed?

Outside each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms, on every level of the home, and in rooms with a fuel-burning appliance. Height depends on the model and the jurisdiction — UK guidance generally puts the alarm on the ceiling or high on the wall, while many US manufacturers allow any height. Follow the instructions that came with your alarm.

How long do CO detectors last?

Typically 5 to 10 years depending on the model, with the end-of-life date printed on the back. The electrochemical sensor degrades whether or not the alarm has ever been triggered, so replace it by that date even if the test button still sounds.

Does the test button prove the detector works?

Not entirely. The test button confirms the horn, battery and circuitry — it does not confirm the sensor can still detect carbon monoxide. That is why the replacement date matters more than the test, and why both belong on your checklist.

What happens if I don't have a CO detector?

In England a local authority can impose a penalty of up to £5,000 for breaching the alarm regulations, with comparable enforcement across the other UK nations. In the US, penalties are set state by state. The bigger exposure is civil: if a guest is harmed and no working alarm was fitted, your insurer may decline the claim.

Airbnb CO Detector Requirements & Checklist

Carbon monoxide is invisible, odourless and tasteless, and guests asleep in an unfamiliar property are especially vulnerable — unintentional CO poisoning kills roughly 400 people a year in the US and around 30 in the UK. If your rental has any fuel-burning appliance — gas hob, furnace or boiler, water heater, fireplace or wood stove — or an attached garage, a working CO alarm is not optional. It is a legal requirement across much of the US and in every UK nation.

Use it on paper, or in our Airbnb safety checklist software to assign it to your cleaner, require a photo for every item and generate a compliance report.

Use this template free Download printable PDF

The carbon monoxide detection checklist (3 items)

1
CO detector present in sleeping areas
A carbon monoxide alarm is installed outside each sleeping area and on every level with bedrooms.
Every booking Photo proof
2
CO detector tested
Press and hold the test button until the alarm sounds. Photograph the alarm after testing.
Monthly Photo proof
3
CO detector within expiry date
Photograph the 'replace by' date on the back or side of each CO alarm.
Quarterly Photo proof

Why it matters

Most US states have carbon monoxide alarm laws for homes with fuel-burning appliances or attached garages, and many short-term rental permits require CO alarms outside every sleeping area.
In Scotland, CO alarms are required wherever there is a fixed carbon-fuelled appliance or flue, and they are a condition of short-term let licensing.
CO alarms expire. Most have an end-of-life date printed on the back and should be replaced by then even if the test button still works.

This checklist reflects common US and UK safety guidance and is not legal advice. Requirements vary by city, state and UK nation — check with your local authority, fire service and insurer.

The complete carbon monoxide detection checklist

Print it, save it to your phone, or track it digitally so every item carries a photo and a timestamp.

1. Placement — where the alarms go

Item	What to check	How often
One alarm on every level	Including basement and any habitable loft	Every booking
Within earshot of every sleeping area	Inside the bedroom or immediately outside the door, per your local rule	Every booking
In every room with a fuel-burning appliance	Boiler, furnace, water heater, wood stove, open fire, gas hob where required	Monthly
Correct height for the model	UK: usually ceiling or high on the wall. US: check the manual — many allow any height	Quarterly
Clear of the appliance itself	Roughly 1–3 m horizontally, to avoid nuisance alarms from start-up fumes	Quarterly
Not in a dead spot	Not boxed in a cupboard, behind curtains, above a window or beside an extractor	Every booking

2. Condition — does it still work

Item	What to check	How often
Test button sounds the alarm	Press and hold until it sounds loudly	Every booking
Battery fresh	Replace every 6 months, or confirm the sealed long-life unit still tests	Monthly
Within its service life	Read the replace-by or manufacture date on the back — typically 5 to 10 years	Quarterly
No fault or end-of-life chirp	An intermittent chirp usually means battery or sensor end-of-life, not a CO alert	Every booking
Nothing obstructing it	Furniture moved back, no paint over the vents, no decor hung across it	Every booking

3. The appliances themselves

Item	What to check	How often
No signs of incomplete combustion	Sooty or yellow-brown staining around an appliance, a lazy yellow flame instead of crisp blue	Monthly
No unexplained condensation	Excessive moisture on windows near a boiler or heater can indicate poor ventilation	Monthly
Flues and vents unobstructed	Outside terminals clear of nests, leaves and snow	Quarterly
Annual appliance service	UK: Gas Safe registered engineer, with the record kept on file	Annually
Chimney swept	Where there is an open fire or solid fuel stove	Annually

Carbon Monoxide Detection requirements for short-term rentals: US vs UK

United States

CO alarm law is set state by state, and roughly half the states require alarms in dwellings — commonly where there is a fuel-burning appliance or an attached garage. Typical requirements:

An alarm outside each separate sleeping area, in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms
An alarm on every level of the home, including habitable basements
Alarms in properties with gas, oil, wood or coal appliances, or an attached garage
Many short-term rental permits impose their own alarm conditions on top of state law

Which appliances trigger the duty, and whether rentals are treated differently from owner-occupied homes, varies considerably. Check your state statute and your city's short-term rental ordinance rather than relying on a national summary — Airbnb also asks hosts to declare whether an alarm is fitted.

United Kingdom

Every UK nation now requires CO alarms in rented accommodation, but the trigger differs:

England: an alarm in any room used as living accommodation containing a fixed combustion appliance, excluding gas cookers (since October 2022)
Scotland: an alarm where there is a fixed carbon-fuelled appliance or a flue, and a condition of short-term let licensing
Wales: an alarm in any room with a gas, oil or solid fuel appliance, under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act standards
Northern Ireland: required for solid fuel appliances in newer and refurbished dwellings, with wider guidance elsewhere

In England, enforcement sits with the local authority, which can impose a penalty of up to £5,000. A landlord's gas safety duties (annual Gas Safe record) are separate from, and additional to, the alarm rules.

How often should you run this check?

Before every bookingPress the test button, confirm the alarm is present, unobstructed and not chirping
MonthlyBatteries, and a look at the appliances for soot, yellow flames or unexplained condensation
QuarterlyReplace-by dates, mounting position and height, outside flue terminals
AnnuallyAppliance service by a qualified engineer (Gas Safe in the UK), chimney sweep, alarm replacement when due

The test button proves the horn works. Only the replacement date proves the sensor does.

5 mistakes hosts make

1
Treating a smoke alarm as a CO alarm
They detect completely different things. A combined unit does both; a smoke alarm alone does not.
2
Trusting the test button
It checks the horn and battery, not the sensor. An expired alarm can pass its test and still miss carbon monoxide.
3
Fitting it right next to the boiler
Start-up fumes cause nuisance alarms, so guests take the battery out. Keep it roughly 1–3 m away.
4
Ignoring the chirp
An intermittent chirp is usually end-of-life or a flat battery — it means replace the unit, not ignore it.
5
Forgetting the alarm has an expiry date
Sensors degrade on a clock, not on use. Write the replace-by date on your calendar, not just on the unit.

FAQs

Does my Airbnb need a carbon monoxide detector?: If the property has any fuel-burning appliance (gas, oil, wood, coal), a fireplace or an attached garage, you should have CO alarms — and in many US states and UK nations it's the law. Airbnb also asks hosts to disclose whether a CO alarm is installed.
Where should CO detectors be placed?: Outside each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms, on every level of the home, and in rooms with a fuel-burning appliance. Height depends on the model and the jurisdiction — UK guidance generally puts the alarm on the ceiling or high on the wall, while many US manufacturers allow any height. Follow the instructions that came with your alarm.
How long do CO detectors last?: Typically 5 to 10 years depending on the model, with the end-of-life date printed on the back. The electrochemical sensor degrades whether or not the alarm has ever been triggered, so replace it by that date even if the test button still sounds.
Does the test button prove the detector works?: Not entirely. The test button confirms the horn, battery and circuitry — it does not confirm the sensor can still detect carbon monoxide. That is why the replacement date matters more than the test, and why both belong on your checklist.
What happens if I don't have a CO detector?: In England a local authority can impose a penalty of up to £5,000 for breaching the alarm regulations, with comparable enforcement across the other UK nations. In the US, penalties are set state by state. The bigger exposure is civil: if a guest is harmed and no working alarm was fitted, your insurer may decline the claim.