Topic
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Cities regulate short-term rental with very different tools: night caps, primary-residence conditions, registration numbers, planning law and containment zones. These guides explain the rules in the European cities hosts ask about most, each dated and checked against the current regulation, and what a host or manager needs to keep on record to stay within them.
Amsterdam short-term rental rules (2026): permit, night cap and reporting
Amsterdam allows whole-home holiday rental only in your own main residence, with a permit, a registration number, a report for every stay and a cap of 30 nights a year, or 15 in much of the centre since April 2026.
Paris short-term rental rules (2026): the 90-night cap, registration and second homes
Paris caps a primary residence at 90 rented nights a year since 2025, requires a registration number on every listing, and makes renting a second home short-term almost impossible without a change-of-use authorisation.
The London 90-day rule for short-term lets explained (2026)
In Greater London an entire home can be let short-term for up to 90 nights a calendar year without planning permission. Here is how the rule works, how nights are counted and what else applies.
Lisbon alojamento local rules (2026): registration, containment zones and tourist tax
Short-term rental in Lisbon runs through an alojamento local registration. Since 2024 the city sets the limits itself, and its containment zones close much of the historic centre to new registrations.
Brussels short-term rental rules (2026): registration, planning and city tax
Renting an apartment to tourists in the Brussels-Capital Region needs a registration, planning compliance and a fire safety certificate, and the rules are under challenge before the EU Court of Justice.
Where to start
If you are new to the topic, start with short-term rental regulations and compliance, which explains the kinds of rules cities use and the EU regulation that applies from 20 May 2026. Then read the guide for your city: Amsterdam, Paris, London, Lisbon or Brussels.
How these guides are kept current
Short-term rental rules change faster than most landlord-tenant law, often by municipal decision with a few months of notice. Each guide shows the date it was last checked and says where a point is still uncertain, such as a pending court case or a scheme that has been announced but is not yet in force. Check the city’s own page for a specific address before you list.
Tools for compliance
The tourist tax calculator works out per-person and percentage city taxes, and the short-term vs long-term rental calculator shows whether a property still pays under a night cap. Short-term rental management software keeps registration numbers, renewal dates and night counts on each property.
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