Fairfield County Auditor
Lodging Tax
This division of the Fairfield County Auditor is responsible for the administration of the county lodging tax. The main functions include the collection and distribution of tax receipts and the conducting of audits of hotels and motels to ensure compliance with the tax regulations. The total county lodging tax is 4.5% and is distributed as follows:
- 3% (effective July 1981) is used primarily to support the Fairfield County Visitors and Convention Bureau, whose mission is to positively impact the Fairfield County area economy through tourism and travel.
Please contact Executive Director Jonett Haberfiled at director@visitfairfieldcounty.org for additional stakeholder information available to lodging owners.
*Lodging within Reynoldsburg will be exempt from paying the 3% towards the Visitors Bureau.
- 1.5% (effective September 1993) is used to support the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio, who also promotes what makes our county unique.
Please contact Executive Director Jason Crabill at crabill@decartsohio.gov for additional information about the museum and sponsored tourism events.
NOTE: Please check with the local taxing and zoning authority (city/village or township) for additional information related to lodging establishment rules/regulations specifically to the rental location. Fairfield County: Full list of city/village and townships.
A NEW WAY TO PAY AND REGISTER
Fairfield County partners with GovOS/MuniRevs to provide property owners an easy-to-use online portal.
GovOS is a leading provider of transaction and compliance software for state and local governments. In 2024, GovOS was named to the GovTech 100 list by Government Technology for the second time.
All lodging establishments are REQUIRED to submit their quarterly tax returns through the GovOS/MuniRevs solution.
For assistance, contact GovOs Support
WHEN IS LODGING TAX DUE?
Lodging Tax payments are due the last day of the month following the quarter end. If there was no rental activity for the quarter, you are still required to submit the completed Lodging Tax form to show no amount is due.
January 1 – March 31
April 30th
April 1 – June 30
July 31st
July 1 - September 30
October 31st
October 1 - December 31
January 31st of the following calendar year
LODGING TAX FAQ’S
The Ohio Revised Code section 5739.08 permits local governments to levy a tax on lodging furnished to transient guests by hotels and motels within that local jurisdiction. The lodging tax (bed tax) is collected by the operators of hotels, motels, rooming houses, and other facilities providing lodging accommodations for transient guests.
In December 2021, the Commissioners amended the definition of a hotel to include ALL establishments that provide overnight accommodations to a paying guest (including the previously exempted five or less rooms), regardless of whether each room is accessible through its own key. The amendment includes establishments using Airbnb and other types of short-term or long-term lodging reservation platforms.
The tax collected from the establishment guests is remitted, by the property operator/owner, to Fairfield County on a quarterly basis for distribution. Lodging Tax is an equitable way to ensure all overnight guests are contributing to support and promote tourism in Fairfield County.
Every establishment (hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, Airbnb rental, house rental, room rental etc.) kept, used, maintained, advertised, or held out to the public to be used as a lodging establishment where sleeping accommodations are offered to transient guests.
Lodging Tax payments are due the last day of the month following the quarter end. If there was no rental activity for the quarter, you are still required to submit the completed Lodging Tax form to show no amount is due.
The County does not have a lodging permitting process.
Please reach out to the appropriate township or city/village office to inquire about the jurisdiction’s zoning rules/regulations on short-term rental operations.
To obtain an on-line account to complete and file the quarterly lodging tax returns, please register with GovOS for your Account # and Activation Code:
GovOS Support
When contacting GovOS support, be sure to include the jurisdiction (Fairfield County) and your account number in all emails or voicemails. This will help us assist you as promptly as possible.
Please contact the municipality where the establishment is located for information on reporting and remitting taxes under their ordinances.
Please reach out to the appropriate township or city/village office to inquire about the jurisdiction’s zoning rules/regulations on short-term rental operations.
The County provides several methods to submit the lodging tax payments.
Physical check mailed
- Please save your quarterly tax return in GovOS/MuniRevs, print a copy of the completed tax return and mail the tax return form with a check made payable to the Fairfield County Treasurer. Upon receipt of payment, the Auditor’s Office will mark your return as Submitted and apply the payment.
Mailing Address:
Fairfield County Auditor
Attn: Lodging Tax Collections
210 East Main Street, STE 206
Lancaster, OH 43130
Electronic (e-Check) check – through GovOS/MuniRevs web portal
- Please select this option and follow the instructions within the GovOS.
Please note: $2.50 convenient transaction fee is applied at the time of payment.
Credit/Debit card – through GovOS/MuniRevs web portal
- Please select this option and follow the instructions within the GovOS.
Please note: $2.50 convenient transaction fee is applied at the time of payment.
Yes! You can select your e-check during checkout. In doing so, you authorize your bank to send the payment electronically to Fairfield County, Ohio.
Please email Fairfield County at FCLodgingTax@fairfieldcountyohio.gov. Please include the closure date and the reason you are closing the account.
Please email FCLodgingTax@fairfieldcountyohio.gov letting us know you need to file an amended return. In the email please include:
- What tax the amendment is for, along with your six-digit license/account number and owner’s name.
- Period you need to amend (i.e., Q1 2024 form due April 30th)
- If you overpaid or underpaid your original form.
- Brief explanation as to why the form needs to be amended.
- Once we receive this email, we will review your account and send you further instructions.
MUNIRevs can assist you with all your system and account questions. You can reach MUNIRevs at blt.str.support@govos.com and by phone at (888) 751-1911.
- Whether you have a question about your account or technical questions about how to do something in MUNIRevs, please reach out to the support team.
Your tax forms will be available on the 1st day of the month following the last day of the tax period. For example, the Quarter 1 (January-March) tax forms will be available in your Action Center on April 1. If you do not see the forms you expected, simply contact MUNIRevs support for assistance.
Yes- to do so, click “add accounts” from your user login under “manage your account(s)”. You will need your 6-digit Account Number and the LODGINGRevs Activation Code to connect to an existing property record.
Yes, each property can have an unlimited number of users. Each user is required to provide the 6-digit Account Number and the LODGINGRevs Activation Code to be authorized to connect to an existing property record.
Contact MUNIRevs blt.str.support@govos.com or by phone at (888) 751-1911 for assistance.
You will need to confirm account details to be verified for the account. To protect the security on property accounts, you will need written (e-mail) permission from a registered owner or officer of the property for us to provide you with a new activation code.
To file a zero-file tax form, select your tax form from your Action Center. Then, complete the required information on the remittance, including Gross Rents and any deductions. You will be prompted to confirm your desire to complete the return as a Zero File return.
The county accepts e-check as well as the following major credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, and Discover.
For your security, MUNIRevs does not store any payment information in the system. You will need to enter your desired payment information each time you check out.
All users need to register, just as you did, by going to the home page for that jurisdiction (i.e. https://fairfieldcountyoh.munirevs.com). They will click on the “Go” button under “New Users”. They will also need the 6-digit account number and Activation Code for the property.
From the Log In page, click the “Forgot your password” link and follow the instructions that will be e-mailed to the User’s registered e-mail address.
No. All alerts are e-mailed to your authenticated e-mail address. When you login to the system, you will also see any open alerts that need to be addressed in your Action Center.
When contacting support, be sure to include the jurisdiction (Fairfield County, Ohio) and your account number in all emails or voicemails. This will help us assist you as promptly as possible. By email blt.str.support@govos.com or by phone (888) 751-1911.