Short-Term Rental Regulations
Rental Scale-Up’s guide to the latest short-term rental regulations impacting property managers. This category tracks new rules from cities, regions, and countries, covering registration limits, primary residence caps, tax enforcement, zoning changes, and licensing updates. We break down what each policy means for property managers, what’s changing, and what action you need to take.
Regulation remains a top concern: PriceLabs’ Global Property Manager Report 2026 found 62% of operators worry about regulatory change, rising to 68% in Europe and 66% in LatAm.
From compliance risks to shifting business models, our regulatory coverage helps vacation rental pros stay legal, competitive, and prepared for what’s next.
Cape Town Proposes Registration, Wales Sets a March Deadline, Budapest’s Castle District Polls in Favor of a Ban
Key takeaways for property managers Registration links this week’s three stories: who has to register, and what that lets the ...
France 2027 Budget Takes Aim at the Last Big Tax Break for Vacation Rentals
France’s government wants to cap one of the last big tax advantages left to vacation rental owners, and some members ...
Santa Barbara Bars Inland Short-Term Rentals, Ireland Publishes Platform Rules, Orange Township Introduces Permit System
Updates in short-term rental policies this week: Santa Barbara votes to ban short-term rentals from inland residential zones and high-fire ...
Spain Reissues Housing Decrees, Alameda Advances Primary-Residence Rule, Regulatory Worry Increases
Updates in short-term rental policies this week: Spain reissued its two housing decrees on October 6, one day after calling ...
Atlanta Drops Its Residency Cap, Spain Taxes Tourist Rentals by Decree, Maui Rejects Most Phaseout Exemptions
This week's short-term rental policies: Atlanta removed its residency cap in a 9-5 vote, clearing enforcement from January 2027. Spain's Royal Decree-law 26/2026 adds 10% VAT on stays up to 30 nights and IBI surcharges up to 150%, pending an October 2 Congress vote. Maui's Planning Commission recommended denying Bill 9 exemptions for 43 of 48 properties. Regulators are trading contested caps for enforceable tools.
EU Affordable Housing Act: Restrictions Would Expire After Five Years, Primary Residences Are Less Protected Than Reported
Key takeaways for property managers The Affordable Housing Act would not ban short-term rentals anywhere in Europe. It sets the conditions a city has to meet before it can restrict them on housing grounds, and it leaves the decision to restrict with the city. Nothing changes for your properties today. This is a Commission proposal. Parliament and Council still have to agree on a final text. The primary residence "exemption" is narrower than the headlines suggest. It limits what cities can do on housing grounds. It does not stop them restricting primary-residence hosting for other reasons. Two changes in the official text favour existing operators. Restrictions would expire after five years unless renewed, and transitional arrangements for lawful existing businesses became mandatory rather than optional. There is a cut-off date, and it arrives fast. Any local restriction adopted before the Regulation enters into force escapes its tests entirely.
Montgomery County Routes Licence Checks Through Platforms, England Sets a Register Date, Shinjuku Ward Proposes Zonal Limits
Montgomery County, Maryland introduced Bill 42-26 on September 15, requiring booking platforms to confirm a valid county licence before publishing a listing and barring them from processing payments for unlicensed rentals. In England, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy confirmed that the national register of short-term and holiday lets will be fully operational by March 2027, ending a period without a published timetable. In Tokyo, Shinjuku Ward set out a policy on September 7 to prohibit private lodging in residential-only and school zones, a restriction that would reach existing operators after a grace period. The three moves sit at different points in the compliance chain: the payment rail, the national data layer, and the zoning map.
Rowlett Automates Hotel Tax Enforcement, Poland’s Building-Level Ban Clears Cabinet, Western Australia Issues Its First Fine
Airbnb and Vrbo do not collect hotel tax in Rowlett, Texas, and the city has hired a vendor to check whether operators file it themselves. Poland's cabinet approved a bill letting housing associations vote short-term rentals out of their buildings, though it is not law and the president has not said whether he will sign. Western Australia issued its first fine under its registration act: $2,000 for a missing number in an advertisement.
EU Affordable Housing Act: What the Leaked Draft Means for Short-Term Rental Managers
Key takeaways for property managers - Your rental rules do not change today. This is a draft, not an adopted law. It does not introduce an immediate Europe-wide rental limit or automatically cancel existing local restrictions. - Even an owner with just one rental could be affected. The key distinction is whether the property is the host’s main home or a separate rental property—not simply whether they employ a professional manager. - Authorities would need to explain and support their restrictions. That could give managers clearer grounds to challenge excessive rules. It could also help authorities defend restrictions that meet the proposed conditions.
Pennsylvania Advances Caps, Italy Enforces New Tax Rules, Ventura Hikes Fees and Caps Permits
TL;DR: In Pennsylvania, local municipalities like Kennett Square are proactively passing strict short-term rental caps while state-wide regulations remain debated in committee. In Europe, Italy is advancing its National Identification Code (CIN) mandate and now legally classifies anyone operating three or more short-term rentals as an entrepreneur requiring a VAT number. In California, Ventura finalized an overhauled ordinance that raises its permit fee by 648% and caps most owners at two permits citywide. Together, the three moves point to the same trend: compliance costs are rising and the loopholes that let casual operators scale are closing.
Clark County Shifts Liability to Platforms, Airbnb Challenges Salt Lake City, D.C. Considers Renter-Hosting Bill
TL;DR: Clark County, Nevada, has passed a measure prohibiting booking platforms from processing payments for unlicensed short-term rentals, shifting the compliance burden away from individual hosts. In Utah, Airbnb has issued a cease-and-desist letter to Salt Lake City over the municipality's use of decoy accounts to enforce its new zoning restrictions. Meanwhile, Washington, D.C., is weighing a bill that would allow renters to host and permit operators to license a second property, representing a potential expansion of the market's addressable supply.
Federal court upholds New Orleans limits, Bali’s foreign investment block continues, New York City rolls out surcharge
TL;DR: On August 5, a federal appeals court upheld New Orleans' short-term rental ordinance, affirming the city's right to limit permits to one per block. In the Asia-Pacific region, Bali's block on new foreign investment licenses across 18 business sectors, including short-term rentals, remains in force as enforcement tightens. Meanwhile, New York City is preparing to issue its first wave of tax notices for a new surcharge on non-primary residences, adding another layer of financial consideration for second-home owners.
Turkey targets online travel platforms, Japan allows “zero-day” limits, Florida city hikes rental fees
Turkey is advancing a bill to require major booking platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com to establish local representatives and pay a $104,000 permit fee, with potential restrictions on digital sales activities for non-compliance. In Asia, the Japan Tourism Agency is now allowing municipalities to impose "zero-day" operating limits on private short-term rentals in designated residential zones. Meanwhile, the St. Augustine City Commission in Florida unanimously approved fee hikes for short-term rental registrations and per-bedroom rates taking effect October 1.
Pittsburgh’s zoning showdown, Rome’s urban plan limits, Baguio City’s anti-fraud registry
Pittsburgh's Planning Commission holds a September 8 hearing on a zoning bill that would end special exceptions for off-site-owner short-term rentals in residential zones, with council's own vote on the companion licensing bill tentatively set for October 21. Rome's city council approved the first organic update to its General Regulatory Plan since 2008, creating a new residential category for short-term stays and banning conversions to it in the historic center. Baguio City is proposing a "no registration, no listing" policy through its VISITA platform, aimed at stopping booking scams rather than protecting housing supply.
Edinburgh Launches UK’s First Visitor Levy, NYC Defends Local Law 18, Norwich Enacts Instant Bylaws
Edinburgh officially enacted the UK's first mandatory city-wide visitor levy on July 24, requiring all accommodation providers to collect a 5% tax on overnight stays. In the US, a new report from the Pratt Center defends New York City's aggressive enforcement of Local Law 18, arguing it successfully eliminated institutional investors while allowing genuine primary residents to host. Meanwhile, the select board in Norwich, Vermont, voted to enact sudden, interim short-term rental bylaws that took effect immediately, targeting unhosted rental business models.
Porto Gets Airbnb Portal, Pitkin County Supply Shrinks 29%, EU Adopts Overtourism Strategy
Airbnb has given the Porto City Council a dedicated digital portal to monitor short-term rental activity and request listing removals. In the US, an Aspen Journalism analysis shows licensed short-term rental supply in Pitkin County has fallen 29% over three years (and 62% from pre-regulation levels), driven by strict caps and non-transferability rules; across the city of Aspen and the county combined, active permits are down about 9% since 2023. In Europe, the full European Parliament has adopted a non-binding resolution to curb overtourism by steering travelers away from major hubs toward rural and remote areas.
Austin Enforces Platform Verification, BC Touts Rent Drops, Scottsdale Bans Event Centers
As of July 1, Austin requires platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo to display valid short-term rental licenses and remove unlicensed listings within 10 days of a city request. The British Columbia government reported a 5.3% year-over-year drop in provincial asking rents and an 18.5% drop in Vancouver purpose-built rental rents from their 2023 peak, crediting strict short-term rental regulations. In Arizona, the Scottsdale City Council passed Ordinance No. 4719, granting police the authority to shut down short-term rentals operating as unpermitted "event centers".
Salt Lake City Activates Licensing, Malaga Freezes New Permits, Byron Bay Listings Drop 15%
Salt Lake City activated its first formal short-term rental licensing framework on July 1, enforcing a 200-night annual cap and a two-night minimum stay. The Malaga City Council approved new planning hurdles on July 6, stripping automatic approvals for tourist accommodation on residential land and requiring operators to prove a "wider public benefit." A new UNSW roundup cites a 15% drop in short-term listings in Byron Bay, Australia, following its 60-day cap — though UNSW itself cautions it's too early to say whether the caps are working, and a separate industry-commissioned study reached a more skeptical conclusion.
Mexico City Enforces Registration, England Delays Planning Class, Cleveland Caps Density
TL;DR: Mexico City's mandatory digital registration deadline for short-term rentals officially expired on June 21. Hosts and platforms must now secure valid folios or face immediate operational blocks. In the UK, England delayed the implementation of its highly anticipated "C5" planning use class and national registration scheme, leaving operators in regulatory limbo. Cleveland City Council approved a comprehensive ordinance on June 1 that takes effect in late November. The new law introduces a strict 10% density cap per block or building alongside fines up to $5,000 for unlicensed operation.
Chicago Sues Airbnb, Kelowna Gets Provincial Exemption, Ireland Clarifies Planning Rules
Chicago sued Airbnb itself on June 23, naming the platform alongside Slumber Stay, a host cited nearly 200 times under the Shared Housing Ordinance. British Columbia let Kelowna opt out of its principal-residence rule from June 1 to meet summer tourism demand. Ireland approved a draft planning policy that bars most new short-term lets in towns above 20,000 people, while offering long-running operators a route to regularise.
