Airbnb and Vrbo Camera Policy ComparisonLocal workspaceA plain-language matrix of the current public Airbnb and Vrbo surveillance-device pages, with direct official links and the exceptions worth reading before you rely on a summary.
| Policy question | Airbnb | Vrbo / Expedia vacation rentals |
|---|---|---|
| Indoor cameras or recording devices | Not allowed Airbnb says hosts may not have security cameras or recording devices monitoring any part of a listing interior, even if off or disconnected. | Not allowed Vrbo says surveillance devices such as cameras and audio recorders are not allowed inside a vacation rental. |
| Hidden or disguised devices | Prohibited The public policy explicitly prohibits hidden security cameras. | Prohibited The Expedia Group policy says hidden or disguised surveillance devices are never allowed. |
| Exterior cameras and doorbells | Conditional Exterior devices may be allowed when they do not monitor areas where guests have a greater expectation of privacy. | Conditional Limited exterior use may be allowed for security when placement, coverage, disclosure, privacy, and data rules are met. |
| Location or coverage disclosure | Required Hosts must disclose the location of exterior security cameras. | Required The property description must disclose device location and coverage; a device visible only in a photo is not enough. |
| Noise monitoring | Conditional Interior noise-decibel monitors may be allowed when disclosed, but not in bedrooms, bathrooms, or sleeping areas. | Conditional Noise monitoring must be disclosed in advance and should measure sound level rather than record private conversations. |
| Important exception or boundary | Read source Airbnb describes a limited Japan hotel-business-license exception for an interior entryway camera, with disclosure and no audio. | Read source Vrbo distinguishes vacation-rental interiors from certain building common spaces and describes limited smart-device exceptions. |
Airbnb says hosts may not have security cameras or recording devices monitoring any part of a listing interior, even if off or disconnected.
Vrbo says surveillance devices such as cameras and audio recorders are not allowed inside a vacation rental.
The public policy explicitly prohibits hidden security cameras.
The Expedia Group policy says hidden or disguised surveillance devices are never allowed.
Exterior devices may be allowed when they do not monitor areas where guests have a greater expectation of privacy.
Limited exterior use may be allowed for security when placement, coverage, disclosure, privacy, and data rules are met.
Hosts must disclose the location of exterior security cameras.
The property description must disclose device location and coverage; a device visible only in a photo is not enough.
Interior noise-decibel monitors may be allowed when disclosed, but not in bedrooms, bathrooms, or sleeping areas.
Noise monitoring must be disclosed in advance and should measure sound level rather than record private conversations.
Airbnb describes a limited Japan hotel-business-license exception for an interior entryway camera, with disclosure and no audio.
Vrbo distinguishes vacation-rental interiors from certain building common spaces and describes limited smart-device exceptions.
Policies change. Save the page you relied on and record when you accessed it rather than relying only on this comparison.
Read the property description, safety section, house rules, photos, and host messages together. A disclosure may be split across several places.
Platform policy does not inspect the room. Compare visible devices and complete the separate on-site workflow after arrival.
No. It summarizes selected public platform pages for trip planning. Platform rules and local laws are separate and may change.
No. A rule describes platform expectations. Save the listing and written disclosure, ask the property for details, and compare the actual space after arrival.
The matrix includes platforms with a current, directly citable public policy page specific enough for a useful comparison. Generic accommodation safety language is not presented as an equivalent camera policy.