EU Short-Term Rental 2026: Registration and Data Sharing

Key takeaways

Regulation (EU) 2024/1028 has applied since 20 May 2026.
It does not require a registration procedure, but it sets out how one must work if an authority introduces one.
With registration, hosts receive a registration number, which must be visible on every platform listing.
Platforms send authorities data on stays, such as nights and guests, through a central digital access point in each Member State.
For you, this means data about your rentals is more visible to authorities. Your own clean guest data matters more than ever.

What it's about

Short-term letting is growing faster in many regions than authorities can keep track of it. The regulation creates a common framework: registered hosts are clearly identified, and platforms supply the data authorities need for their tasks, for example in housing policy or statistics.

What the regulation covers

Registration: If an authority introduces a procedure, it must be simple, digital and low-cost. Hosts provide details about themselves and the property and receive a registration number.

Platform obligations: Platforms must be designed so that hosts can enter the registration number and it appears in the listing. They must carry out spot checks and remove listings when authorities request it.

Data sharing: Platforms regularly send authorities data on stays, through a central digital access point in each Member State.

What this means for you

Check with your municipality and federal state (Land) whether a registration procedure exists or is planned, and which details it requires.
Enter your registration number wherever it is required: on all platform listings and, sensibly, on your own website too.
Keep your data consistent: details on units, occupancy and nights should match across channel manager, platforms and reporting.
Maintain your own guest data: if you rent only through platforms, you have only limited control over your relationship with guests. See Guest data and returning guests.

Practical preparation

List your units: every unit with its address, type and maximum occupancy, as it appears on the platforms.
Clarify responsibility: municipality, district or federal state, depending on who introduces a procedure.
Maintain numbers centrally: store registration numbers in your channel manager so they appear on all connected platforms.
Add them to your website: the number also belongs on your website, for example on the page for each unit.
Reconcile figures: compare nights and guests from your channel manager with the reports to the municipality and tourism association.

What changes for hotels

Classic hotels are generally less affected by the regulation than private hosts. However, if you rent apartments or individual flats outside the main building through platforms, check whether these units fall under a registration procedure.

Context

The regulation is neither a ban nor a new tax. It does, however, make visible what previously often only the platform knew. For hosts who already report and invoice cleanly, little changes. For everyone else, it is worth reviewing their own processes and the share of bookings they control themselves. How this works technically is described in channel manager connection. Which fees Airbnb charges hosts is shown in Airbnb fees for hosts.

This article is general information and not legal advice.

Sources and further reading

Regulation (EU) 2024/1028, EUR-Lex

Häufige Fragen

Do I need a registration number in Austria?

That depends on whether your federal state (Land) or your municipality has introduced a registration procedure. Whether and how a region does so is decided by the Member States and local authorities, so the answer varies by location. Check with your municipality to find out whether a procedure applies to your property. Where one exists, you will need a registration number, and it must be shown on every platform listing.

Which data do platforms pass on?

Platforms pass on data about stays, such as the number of nights and guests, linked to the registration number, to the competent authorities. Under the regulation, this data is shared regularly through a central digital access point in each Member State. For you, this means that information about your rentals becomes more visible to authorities, so your own guest and booking records need to be accurate and consistent.

Does the regulation also apply to hotels?

The regulation covers short-term rental services for accommodation. Whether a particular business falls within it depends on national classification, so it does not automatically apply to every hotel. Classic hotels are generally less affected than private hosts. However, if you rent apartments or individual flats outside the main building through platforms, you should check whether those units fall under a registration procedure in your area.

What happens if my listing has no registration number?

Where a procedure applies, authorities can ask platforms to remove listings that do not carry a valid registration number. Platforms must also carry out spot checks. For that reason, make sure your number is entered correctly in every listing where a procedure applies, and keep it up to date across all connected channels.

Where can I find out whether my municipality is introducing a procedure?

Contact your municipality, your district authority (Bezirkshauptmannschaft) or your federal state (Land). The regional tourism association (Tourismusverband) can often help as well. Ask which details are required for registration and whether a procedure is planned. Since rules are set locally, the official authority is the reliable source for your property.

EU Short-Term Rental Regulation: What Changed From May 2026