Failure to register guests in the visitor management system

I'm wondering if there are actually any real penalties if you don't register guests through the e-visitor system. Honestly, it feels like such a chore, and from what I can see, my guests find it a total hassle too. Just to be clear, I pay all my taxes on time and everything is reported properly—including all commissions on invoices—so nothing is being done under the table. I mean, the IRS isn't going to come after me because every single night stayed is fully paid for. The only thing they could potentially flag is not logging people into the digital system, but since there’s zero financial loss to the government there, I guess it shouldn't really be considered a major offense...

Unless they’ve gone and changed some laws recently, my landlord ended up getting slapped with a fine just because she filed my paperwork a little late—even though she did eventually report me. The inspectors showed up and, boom, there it was.

I mean, I honestly don't get how anyone thinks that isn't a violation. It makes zero sense. Just... whatever.

To be fair though: if you know the right people in the right offices, you can pretty much get away with anything. That's just how things work here in America.

You won't be facing tax violations, but you still have to contend with federal immigration laws, residency statutes, and tourism service regulations.

How long does it take you to register a guest in the system?

It takes me less than a minute.🤷

Why would tourists even care... you just snap photos of their IDs and file everything online in a few minutes from home. The fines are massive, and heaven forbid something happens to them while they aren't registered... I'd be absolutely crushed if I messed that up.☕

Under privacy laws, you aren't supposed to take photos of guests without getting their written consent first. When shifts are back-to-back, it becomes such a massive headache for exhausted staff who just want to kick off their shoes after a long day. They’re stuck waiting for everyone to dig out their IDs—which they shouldn't even be photographing if we're strictly following the law—just to manually log everything. I mean, if something actually happens, no crime was committed and nobody is getting hurt. In my opinion, the only thing being affected is some local tourism board's statistics, which is totally irrelevant to me personally. Not to mention, a ton of guests are so eager to get into their rentals that they barely even interact with the owners. What exactly are they supposed to be photographing to send over? Sure, they could, but there will always be people who won't, can't, or just forget...

Daniel Thompson11 said:Under privacy laws, you aren't supposed to take photos of guests without getting their written consent first. When shifts are back-to-back, it becomes such a massive headache for exhausted staff who just want to kick off their shoes after a long day. They’re stuck waiting for everyone to dig out their IDs—which they shouldn't even be photographing if we're strictly following the law—just to manually log everything. I mean, if something actually happens, no crime was committed and nobody is getting hurt. In my opinion, the only thing being affected is some local tourism board's statistics, which is totally irrelevant to me personally. Not to mention, a ton of guests are so eager to get into their rentals that they barely even interact with the owners. What exactly are they supposed to be photographing to send over? Sure, they could, but there will always be people who won't, can't, or just forget...

I think you hit the nail on the head. It isn't like you have to submit everything the exact second someone walks through the door; I'm sure there's a reasonable window of time, and I'd imagine filing things a day later wouldn't be considered a violation. Have you thought about maybe putting up an informational flyer to explain things?

Raymond Newman2 said:I think you hit the nail on the head. It isn't like you have to submit everything the exact second someone walks through the door; I'm sure there's a reasonable window of time, and I'd imagine filing things a day later wouldn't be considered a violation. Have you thought about maybe putting up an informational flyer to explain things?

The whole point is that if you don't send anything at all, you're completely missing the entire philosophy behind this post.

Daniel Thompson11 said:The whole point is that if you don't send anything at all, you're completely missing the entire philosophy behind this post.

Don't send it. It's fine.

Raymond Newman2 said:Don't send it. It's fine.

Well, that's exactly what I'm trying to figure out—what kind of penalties actually exist if you don't send it? Like, is it even worth risking shady business just to avoid some tiny fine?

Fines can hit $10,000 or even up to $33.
My guests all know they have to register through the e-visitor system.
Some show up with printed copies of their IDs, some let us snap a photo on the spot, and others just shoot them over via Viber or WhatsApp later in the day... honestly, no one ever makes an issue out of it.
Compared to the old days when you had to haul physical documents down to the local sheriff's office just to check in, this is actually pretty easy.
It’s just not worth the risk.
Do whatever works for you.

Anthony Fowler28 said:Fines can hit $10,000 or even up to $33.
My guests all know they have to register through the e-visitor system.
Some show up with printed copies of their IDs, some let us snap a photo on the spot, and others just shoot them over via Viber or WhatsApp later in the day... honestly, no one ever makes an issue out of it.
Compared to the old days when you had to haul physical documents down to the local sheriff's office just to check in, this is actually pretty easy.
It’s just not worth the risk.
Do whatever works for you.

I guess those fines are specifically for failing to register a rental or running an off-the-books vacation rental.

The fine for failing to report through the e-visit system can reach up to $3.25. It’s a classic case of "letter of the law" versus common sense—the government doesn't care if there was zero impact on the federal budget. If (or when) you get caught, you're on the hook.