In Summary
| 📜 Section | Description |
|---|---|
| 🏠 Introduction | Overview of the importance of registering your Airbnb property with the local authorities for legal compliance and to avoid penalties. |
| 🔢 What is the Airbnb registration number? | Explanation of the unique 13-digit code provided by local authorities to regulate and monitor short-term rentals. |
| 🎯 Goals of the registration number | Discussion on how the registration number helps municipalities control and monitor rental activities, ensuring compliance with local laws such as the 120-day limit for primary residences. |
| 🚫 Mandatory registration | Details explaining why the registration number is compulsory in many cities to maintain transparency and compliance in the housing market. |
| 🛡️ Protection of the rental market | Exploration of how the registration number helps preserve residential housing by preventing excessive commercial use of properties for tourism purposes. |
| 🏛️ Why register? | Explanation of the necessity of registration to control rental days, preserve housing access, regulate tourist rentals, and prevent market abuses. |
| ✍️ How to obtain a registration number | Step-by-step guide on how to access the municipal website, fill out the required form, submit the application, and include the number in your listing. |
| ❌ Consequences of non-compliance | Highlights fines and potential removal of listings for non-compliance with registration requirements. |
| 📌 Conclusion | Summarizes the importance of obtaining and maintaining a registration number for legal and ethical operation of Airbnb rentals. |
Renting a property on Airbnb offers many advantages, including additional income, but it is important to comply with local regulations. In France, many cities require property owners to declare their short-term rental activity. This declaration involves obtaining a registration number from the local municipality. Without this number, it becomes impossible to publish an online listing, which can lead to sanctions. This article explains in detail the importance of this number and how to obtain it to stay in compliance with the law.
What is the Airbnb registration number?
The registration number is an essential element for regulating the rental market. To understand its importance and role, we will detail several key aspects in the following subsections.
Definition and role of the registration number
The registration number is a unique 13-digit code issued by the municipality where the property is located. It is used to identify owners who rent their property as a furnished tourist accommodation on platforms like Airbnb, Abritel, or Booking. This code must obligatorily appear in all listings published online to prove that the owner complies with local regulations.
Objectives of implementing the registration number
The main purpose of the registration number is to enable municipalities to control and monitor short-term rentals within their jurisdiction. This control has become essential in large cities where housing supply is often limited. By imposing this number, authorities aim to limit abuses and ensure that tourist rentals do not reduce the availability of housing for permanent residents. It also helps better track rental activities, including verifying that owners respect the legal limit of 120 days per year for primary residences.
Why is it mandatory?
The registration number is mandatory in many French cities to ensure adherence to local regulations. This obligation stems from laws enacted to regulate the tourist rental market, particularly in cities like Paris, Lyon, Nice, and Bordeaux, where demand for housing is especially high. Without this number, it is forbidden to rent out a property on short-term platforms. This measure ensures transparency and compliance of rental activities in the eyes of municipal authorities.
How does the registration number protect the rental market?
The registration number plays a crucial role in protecting the real estate market. By regulating short-term rentals, it helps preserve the stock of long-term rental housing, especially in areas with high real estate pressure. This prevents excessive rent hikes and ensures that permanent residents can still find affordable housing. The system also helps avoid speculative real estate practices, which could be exacerbated by an oversupply of properties for tourist rentals.
Information required for registration
| 📋 Requested Information | 🔍 Description |
|---|---|
| 🏠 Property address | The complete address of the rental property. |
| 🛏️ Number of rooms and beds | Number of rooms available for tenants and capacity. |
| 📅 Planned rental period | Indication of the period during which the property will be rented. |
| 🔢 Type of residence | Primary or secondary residence. |
| 📂 Supporting documents, if any | Documents required depending on the city (tourist furnished classification, etc.). |
Steps to obtain a registration number
| 📝 Step | ⏳ Details |
|---|---|
| 1. Access the municipal website | Visit your city’s official website to find the online declaration form. |
| 2. Fill out the form | Enter the required information about your property and rental plans. |
| 3. Submit the application | Send your request online, often at no cost. |
| 4. Receive the number | Receive the unique number via email or your online account. |
| 5. Add the number to your listing | Insert the number in the “Regulations” section of your Airbnb listing. |
Comparison of short-term rental platforms
| 🌐 Platform | 📜 Mandatory registration? | 📝 Section to add the number |
|---|---|---|
| Airbnb | Yes | “Regulations” section of the listing |
| Abritel | Yes | Dedicated section in settings |
| Booking | Yes | “Legal information” section |
Why is it necessary to register with the local authorities?
Registering with the local authorities is an essential obligation imposed by local authorities to regulate and monitor short-term rental activities, such as those conducted on platforms like Airbnb. This step is crucial for several reasons, particularly to control the number of nights rented and ensure owners comply with local rules specific to seasonal rental.
Control of rental days
The primary goal of this requirement is to allow cities to verify that owners respect the legal limit of 120 days per year for renting out their primary residence. This restriction applies to properties rented for short periods to prevent these residences, which should be occupied by their owners, from becoming permanent tourist furnished rentals. Registration allows the municipality to control adherence to this limit while protecting the supply of housing available to permanent residents.
Cities where registration is mandatory
| 🌍 City | 📜 Is registration mandatory? | 📅 Limit of days for primary residences |
|---|---|---|
| Paris | Yes | 120 days per year |
| Lyon | Yes | 120 days per year |
| Bordeaux | Yes | 120 days per year |
| Nice | Yes | 120 days per year |
| Marseille | Yes | 120 days per year |
Preserving access to housing
In certain cities, especially where demand for housing is high, short-term rental can reduce residents’ access to affordable housing. That is why many municipalities have implemented this registration system. It allows monitoring of tourist rentals and prevents owners from profiting from their properties by renting to tourists rather than local residents, which could worsen the housing shortage in these areas.
Regulation of tourist rental activities
By registering their property with the municipality, owners participate in a regulatory system that helps local authorities better manage the rental market. It enables municipalities to collect data on the number of properties rented short-term and monitor their impact on the local housing market. This process of monitoring is especially important in areas with high tourist appeal, where short-term rentals can negatively impact the traditional rental stock.
Prevention of abuses and speculation
The registration number is also a tool for preventing abuses. Without this system, some owners might rent their property illegally or non-compliantly, particularly by exceeding the 120-day threshold. The registration obligation helps to limit excesses and ensure owners respect local regulations concerning tourist rentals. It also helps prevent properties from becoming investment assets for speculation, used solely for tourist rentals, to the detriment of permanent residents.
How to obtain a registration number for your property?
Obtaining a registration number for your property is a simple and generally free process, designed to regulate short-term rentals. This process allows owners to comply with legal obligations and rent their property transparently. Here are the steps to follow to obtain this number:
Access the municipal website
The first step is to visit your city’s official website. Many municipalities now offer online services to facilitate administrative procedures. You should look for the section dedicated to tourist furnished rentals or short-term rentals, where you will find the online declaration form. This form is the key to obtaining your registration number.
Fill out the declaration form
Once on the municipal site, you need to fill out an online form with specific information about your property. The common elements requested include:
- Full address of the property you wish to rent.
- Number of rooms available for tenants.
- Number of beds and the capacity of the property.
- Planned rental duration, especially if it involves repeated short-term rentals.
These details are necessary for the municipality to accurately track features of your rental and ensure your property complies with local regulations. It’s important to fill each field accurately to avoid delays in processing your request.
Submission and receipt of the registration number
After completing the form, simply submit your application online. Depending on the city, processing can be instantaneous or take a few days. Once approved, the municipality will send you a unique registration number, often via email. This number consists of 13 digits and is specific to your property. You should keep it carefully, as it will be required for all your rental listings on platforms like Airbnb.
Add the number to your Airbnb listing
After receiving your number, you must add it to your Airbnb listing or any other short-term rental platform. Airbnb allows you to insert this number in a dedicated section, under the “Regulations” or “Preferences” tab of the listing. This step is mandatory for your listing to remain online, as platforms are required to block or remove listings lacking this number.
Keep the number for future use
The registration number you receive is valid for the duration of your rental activity. It does not need to be renewed as long as you continue renting the same property. It is therefore important to retain this number for all future listings or updates. This number also enables the municipality to monitor your rental activity and ensure you comply with the legal limits, including the 120-day limit for primary residences.
What are the consequences if you do not register?
Failing to comply with the registration requirement exposes you to significant fines potentially reaching several thousand euros. Many cities impose severe penalties on owners who do not declare their short-term rental activity or exceed the authorized number of nights. Besides fines, your Airbnb listing may be removed or blocked on the platform. This can also harm your reputation as a host and complicate managing future rentals. To avoid these issues, it is crucial to adhere strictly to the existing legislation.
Sanctions for non-registration
| ⚠️ Infraction | 💸 Sanction |
|---|---|
| Missing registration number | Fines up to €5,000 |
| Exceeding the 120-day limit | Fines up to €10,000 |
| Non-compliant listing on the platform | Listing removal or blocking |
