What are the regulations for short-term rentals in France?

In deciding to provide a furnished rental to a tourist clientele, characterized by rentals by the day, week or month, who do not wish to establish their residence within the lodging, it is important that you inform yourself about the applicable regulations, at both the national level and the level of your specific municipality.

This is a preliminary overview of the regulations in force, but we recommend that you make sure that it is accurate and up to date by consulting directly with municipal services, or seeking the opinion of all relevant legal professionals. 

MorningCroissant is an intermediary platform that does not provide legal advice of any kind. We have provided these links for your reference, and we are not responsible for their content.

It is also important to comply with the other regulations that you are obligated to respect, such as your lease or condominium regulations. 

In order to become familiar with the regulations applicable to the furnished seasonal rental, it is first necessary to draw a distinction between the different categories of housing.

Under the definitions established by law, the lodging that you make available for rent, in whole or in part, constitutes either your primary residence or your secondary residence. Primary residences shall include dwellings occupied for a minimum of 8 months per year, except due to professional obligations, health reasons, or "force majeure". Conversely, a secondary residence is occupied for less than 4 months per year (i.e. pied-à-terre).

A specific categorization can be made within this distinction, with specific procedures to be carried out.

The rental of a furnished lodging for tourism indicates the rental of a furnished residential room on repeated occasions and for short periods to a clientele consisting of tourists. Lodgings included within the category of furnished lodging for tourism include furnished houses, mansions, apartments or studios, for the exclusive use of the renter, offered for rent to a tourist clientele, whose stays are characterized by a rental by the day, week or month, and who do not establish their place of residence within the lodging. To rent a furnished lodgin for tourism, you must respect a number of procedures, which you can find here.

For more information, visit the website of the Directorate General of Companies (DGE).

Guest rooms are defined as furnished rooms within the residence of the inhabitant intended to accommodate tourists in exchange for compensation, for one or more nights, accompanied by benefits (that include providing, at a minimum, bed linens and breakfast). Therefore, the guest room differs from a furnished lodging for tourism in the sense that the owner must necessarily reside on the premises - which is not always the case for owners of a furnished lodging for tourism - and additionally, unlike a furnished lodging for tourism, a guest house cannot be classified according to the official star system. The operator of a guest house may or may not conduct such operation as his or her professional activity.

For more information, visit the website of the Directorate General of Companies (DGE).

Instead,  you may, as an example, rent your entire lodging for 1 to 2 months during the holidays, or several weekends per year. The rental of a private room within a larger housing is not affected by these restrictions.

If it is not your main residence, you must declare the lodging to your municipal government using this form.

REGISTRATION IN PARIS

On the 1st December 2017, the city of Paris introduced compulsory online registration for:
- property owners/lessors who rent out their principal residence for no more than the authorised 120 days per year;
- property owners/lessors who rent out their secondary residence(s) for periods of short duration.
You can find details of the resolutions passed by the Mairie de Paris (Paris city council) on this matter, dating from July 2017, here.
Failure to abide by these regulations is punishable by a fine of up to 50,000 euros.

You do not need to register if the accommodation you are letting is:
- a "chambre d'hôte" (definition), i.e. a room at an inn/bed & breakfast; a "résidence de tourisme" (definition); or a hotel
- a secondary residence that is not let for short durations

If you let more than one property for which registration is required, you must register each separately.
Applications for registration numbers cannot be refused: this is a declaration procedure, not an authorization procedure.
MorningCroissant is not involved in the process and does not share users' personal data with Paris city council as part of the procedural framework.

How do I obtain this registration number and include it in my MorningCroissant ad?
1. Go to the dedicated registration website of the Mairie de Paris (Paris city hall/city council).
2. Enter the required information. You will then receive a receipt acknowledgement together with your 13-digit registration number
3. Go to the MorningCroissant website. Click "My Account" then "Listings" followed by "Edit place" and finally "Amenities and others".
4. Enter the registration number in the relevant field and click "Save and continue". Your registration number will now be visible on your MorningCroissant ad.

If you require further information about this registration procedure, you can request it by sending an email to dlh-bplh@paris.fr or by telephoning 39 75. You can also visit Paris city hall/city council's dedicated website to find out more about the legislation applicable in the city.


REGISTRATION IN LYON

The city hall/city council of Lyon and the wider metropolitan area introduced compulsory online registration for:
- property owners/lessors who rent out their principal residence for no more than the authorised 120 days per year;
- property owners/lessors who rent out their secondary residence(s) for periods of short duration.
You can find details of the resolutions passed by the Mairie de Lyon (Lyon city council) on this matter, dating from December 2017, here.

You do not need to register if the accommodation you are letting is:
- a "chambre d'hôte" (definition), i.e. a room at an inn/bed & breakfast; a "résidence de tourisme" (definition); or a hotel
- a secondary residence that is not let for short durations

If you let more than one property for which registration is required, you must register each separately.
Applications for registration numbers cannot be refused: this is a declaration procedure, not an authorization procedure.
MorningCroissant is not involved in the process and does not share users' personal data with Paris city council as part of the procedural framework.

The portal for online registration should be put in place during the first half of 2018.

In the meantime, you must declare the property to your city hall/city council using this form.

Once this portal in place, how will I obtain this registration number and include it in my MorningCroissant ad?
1. Go to the dedicated registration website of the Mairie de Lyon (Lyon city hall/city council). 
2. Enter the required information. You will then receive a receipt acknowledgement together with your registration number 
3. Go to the MorningCroissant website. Click "My Account" then "Listings" followed by "Edit place" and finally "Amenities and others". 
4. Enter the registration number in the relevant field and click "Save and continue". Your registration number will now be visible on your MorningCroissant ad. 

If you require further information about this registration procedure, you can request it by sending an email to urbanisme-autorisations@mairie-lyon.fr.


REGISTRATION IN BORDEAUX 

On the 1st March 2018, the city of Paris will introduce compulsory online registration for: 
- property owners/lessors who rent out their principal residence for no more than the authorised 120 days per year; 
- property owners/lessors who rent out their secondary residence(s) for periods of short duration. 
You can find details of the resolutions passed by the Mairie de Bordeaux (Bordeaux city council) on this matter, dating from July 2017. 
Failure to abide by these regulations is punishable by a fine of up to 50,000 euros. 

You do not need to register if the accommodation you are letting is: 
- a "chambre d'hôte" (definition), i.e. a room at an inn/bed & breakfast; a "résidence de tourisme" (definition); or a hotel 
- a secondary residence that is not let for short durations 

If you let more than one property for which registration is required, you must register each separately. 
Applications for registration numbers cannot be refused: this is a declaration procedure, not an authorization procedure. 
MorningCroissant is not involved in the process and does not share users' personal data with Paris city council as part of the procedural framework. 

How do I obtain this registration number and include it in my MorningCroissant ad? 
1. Go to the dedicated registration website of the Mairie de Bordeaux (Bordeaux city hall/city council) for "Taxe de séjour" . 

2. Enter the required information. You will then receive a receipt acknowledgement together with registration number 
3. Go to the MorningCroissant website. Click "My Account" then "Listings" followed by "Edit place" and finally "Amenities and others". 
4. Enter the registration number in the relevant field and click "Save and continue". Your registration number will now be visible on your MorningCroissant ad. 

If you require further information about this registration procedure, you can send an email to droitdessolsbordeaux@bordeaux-metropole.fr with the subject « Meublés de tourisme ». 

In some cities, the rental of your secondary residence (i.e. pied-à-terre) requires the prior authorization or temporary authorization of the municipal government to modify the use of your accommodation within the premises intended for the tourist rental. It may concern:

- Municipalities of more than 200,000 inhabitants,

- The communes of the inner-ring suburbs of Paris (the departments of Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, and Val-de-Marne), 

- Municipalities of more than 50,000 inhabitants forming part of the so-called stretched areas (with a high imbalance between supply and demand for housing).

As of this date, the change of use is in effect in Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Nice, Marseille, and Strasbourg.

in Paris, the authorization for a change of use must also be accompanied by a "compensation". This regulation requires the purchase of a commercial premises, of an equivalent surface area, that you will be required to transform into a residential space.
Failure to abide by these regulations is punishable by a fine of up to 50,000 euros. 

For more information, visit the website of the Municipality of Paris, or contact the Housing Department at the following address: dlh-bplh@paris.fr

in Bordeaux, the authorization for a change of use must also be accompanied by a "compensation". This regulation requires the purchase of a commercial premises, of an equivalent surface area, that you will be required to transform into a residential space.
Failure to abide by these regulations is punishable by a fine of up to 50,000 euros. 

For more information, visit the website of the Municipality of Bordeaux, or contact the Housing Department at the following address: droitdessolsbordeaux@bordeaux-metropole.fr with the subject line « Meublés de tourisme ».