What emergency information should an Airbnb have posted?

The emergency number, the full property address, your contact number, the nearest hospital, the location of the fire extinguisher, first aid kit and the utility shut-offs, and a simple escape plan.

What should be in an Airbnb first aid kit?

Plasters/bandages in assorted sizes, sterile dressings, antiseptic wipes, tape, scissors, tweezers, gloves, a burn dressing and an instant cold pack. Check expiry dates regularly and restock after each use.

How many exits does an Airbnb need?

Most US jurisdictions expect two means of escape from every sleeping room — the door, plus a window that meets the escape-opening rules. In the UK, the Fire Safety Order requires adequate means of escape from every part of the premises, which for a small holiday let usually means a protected route to the final exit. Check your local building and fire codes.

Can a window count as an emergency exit?

Yes, where it meets the escape-opening standard. Under the US model code that is a net clear opening of about 5.7 sq ft, at least 24 in high and 20 in wide, with the sill no more than 44 in above the floor. It must open from the inside without a key, a tool or special knowledge — which is why painted-shut sashes and window locks with missing keys are such a common failure.

Do I need emergency lighting in an Airbnb?

If the escape route is not adequately lit at night, yes. In a small self-contained let, a torch in every bedroom plus night lights on the landing and stairs usually covers it. Purpose-built emergency lighting is expected where there are shared corridors or a longer internal escape route — UK fire risk assessments pick this up specifically.

Do I need to post an escape route in every bedroom?

It is not universally required in the US, but fire authorities and insurers treat it as evidence of reasonable care, and UK fire safety guidance for paying-guest accommodation expects guests to be told how to escape. It costs almost nothing: a laminated A5 map on the back of each bedroom door.

Airbnb Emergency Exit Requirements & Checklist

In a fire, guests have seconds rather than minutes, and they are in a home they have never been in before — usually asleep, usually in the dark. They do not know which way the back door opens, whether the bedroom window has been painted shut, or where you keep the torches. This checklist makes sure every exit is clear, every escape route is posted, and the lighting works, with a photo of each one.

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 emergency egress checklist (4 items)

1
All exits clear & unobstructed
Doors, hallways and stairs are clear; exit doors open from inside without a key.
Every booking Photo proof
2
Emergency contact numbers posted
Emergency number, property address and host contact are posted in a visible place.
Monthly Photo proof
3
First aid kit stocked & accessible
Kit is in its labelled location, complete and in date. Photograph the open kit.
Every booking Photo proof
4
Flashlight in each bedroom
A working flashlight is in every bedroom. Switch each one on to confirm the batteries work.
Monthly Photo proof

Why it matters

Blocked exits and locked-in escape routes are a common finding in fire risk assessments for holiday lets and short-term rentals.
Posting the local emergency number (911 in the US, 999 or 112 in the UK) plus the property address helps guests give responders accurate information under stress.
A working flashlight in each bedroom helps guests evacuate safely during a power cut or at night.

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 emergency egress checklist

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

1. Exits and escape routes

Item	What to check	How often
Every exit clear	No furniture, luggage, bins, drying racks or decor in front of any exit door	Every booking
Exit doors open from inside without a key	Thumb-turn or lever, not a double-cylinder deadlock that needs a key to get out	Every booking
Doors open freely	No swollen frames, dropped hinges, sticking locks or missing handles	Monthly
Escape windows operate	Open fully by hand, stay open, and any restrictor releases without a tool	Monthly
Window keys accounted for	Where window locks are fitted, the key is on the hook beside the window	Every booking
Hallways and landings clear	The route out is walkable in the dark, with nothing left on the stairs	Every booking
Stairs and handrails sound	Rail firmly fixed along the full flight, treads and nosings intact, no loose carpet	Monthly
Escape ladder accessible	Upper-floor bedrooms in multi-storey properties, stored where a guest will find it	Quarterly

2. Lighting

Item	What to check	How often
Torch in every bedroom	Reachable from the bed, with batteries that actually work — test, don't assume	Monthly
Night lights on the route	Hallway, landing and stairs; guests unplug them for phone chargers and forget	Every booking
Outside light works	So guests can find the way to the meeting point and responders can find the door	Monthly
Emergency lighting tested	Where fitted, in shared corridors or longer internal routes	Monthly

3. Posted information

Item	What to check	How often
Escape map in each bedroom	Two ways out, extinguisher and blanket locations, the meeting point	Every booking
Emergency numbers posted	911 or 999/112, your number, and the nearest emergency department	Every booking
Full address displayed	Written where a panicking guest can read it out to a dispatcher	Every booking
House number visible outside	Legible from the street at night so the fire service finds you first time	Monthly
Utility shut-offs labelled	Gas, water and consumer unit marked and reachable	Quarterly

Emergency Egress requirements for short-term rentals: US vs UK

United States

Egress requirements come from the building code, the fire code and your insurer, and short-term rental permits often add inspections on top:

Two means of escape from every sleeping room — normally the door plus a compliant escape window
Escape windows of roughly 5.7 sq ft clear opening, sill no higher than 44 in
Exit doors openable from the inside without a key or tool
Escape routes kept clear, with working alarms along them
Posted emergency information where the local ordinance requires it

The violations that actually fail inspections are mundane: a sofa in front of the patio door, a bedroom window painted shut, a double-cylinder deadlock with the key kept elsewhere, and a missing house number.

United Kingdom

Paying-guest accommodation falls under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which makes means of escape a duty of the responsible person:

Adequate means of escape from every part of the premises, kept clear at all times
A recorded fire risk assessment that sets out the escape strategy
Emergency lighting where an escape route is not adequately lit
Fire doors, correctly fitted and self-closing, where the assessment calls for them
Guests told how to escape — normally a notice in each bedroom

Scotland's short-term let licensing and local council conditions can add further requirements, and a fire risk assessment must be reviewed after any change to the layout or occupancy.

How often should you run this check?

Before every bookingExits clear, doors open from inside, night lights plugged in, escape maps and emergency numbers posted
MonthlyDoors and windows operate, torch batteries, stairs and handrails, outside lighting and house number
QuarterlyEscape ladder, utility shut-off labelling, a walk of the full route in the dark
AnnuallyReview the escape plan and the fire risk assessment, especially after any change to layout or beds

Anything a guest would need at 3am in the dark gets checked before they arrive, not monthly.

5 mistakes hosts make

1
A deadlock that needs a key to get out
Double-cylinder locks on a final exit door trap guests. Fit a thumb-turn, or keep the key permanently in the lock.
2
Furniture in front of the second exit
The patio door behind the sofa, the escape window behind the wardrobe. Both count as blocked.
3
Assuming the torch works
Batteries die in a drawer as readily as in use. Switch it on, don't just look at it.
4
Night lights left unplugged
Guests unplug them to charge a phone and never plug them back in. It is a per-booking check, not a monthly one.
5
No house number visible at night
The fastest fire response still loses minutes if the crew drives past your door.

FAQs

What emergency information should an Airbnb have posted?: The emergency number, the full property address, your contact number, the nearest hospital, the location of the fire extinguisher, first aid kit and the utility shut-offs, and a simple escape plan.
What should be in an Airbnb first aid kit?: Plasters/bandages in assorted sizes, sterile dressings, antiseptic wipes, tape, scissors, tweezers, gloves, a burn dressing and an instant cold pack. Check expiry dates regularly and restock after each use.
How many exits does an Airbnb need?: Most US jurisdictions expect two means of escape from every sleeping room — the door, plus a window that meets the escape-opening rules. In the UK, the Fire Safety Order requires adequate means of escape from every part of the premises, which for a small holiday let usually means a protected route to the final exit. Check your local building and fire codes.
Can a window count as an emergency exit?: Yes, where it meets the escape-opening standard. Under the US model code that is a net clear opening of about 5.7 sq ft, at least 24 in high and 20 in wide, with the sill no more than 44 in above the floor. It must open from the inside without a key, a tool or special knowledge — which is why painted-shut sashes and window locks with missing keys are such a common failure.
Do I need emergency lighting in an Airbnb?: If the escape route is not adequately lit at night, yes. In a small self-contained let, a torch in every bedroom plus night lights on the landing and stairs usually covers it. Purpose-built emergency lighting is expected where there are shared corridors or a longer internal escape route — UK fire risk assessments pick this up specifically.
Do I need to post an escape route in every bedroom?: It is not universally required in the US, but fire authorities and insurers treat it as evidence of reasonable care, and UK fire safety guidance for paying-guest accommodation expects guests to be told how to escape. It costs almost nothing: a laminated A5 map on the back of each bedroom door.