How to obtain a vacation rental license - France

In order to make the process of obtaining a vacation rental license as easy as possible, we have summarized what you need to do in this simple guide. 

General Information

The following information is up-to-date as of 01/06/2022. Please note that this is a guide and the information provided does not constitute legal advice. In order to rent your property out in France for touristic purposes, homeowners are legally obliged to register with their local commune via the local Mayor’s Office – La Mairie.

Renting your main home

Otherwise known as your ‘principal residence’, where you live for a minimum of 8 months of the year. Under French law, this property cannot be rented out for more than 120 days per year. If you rent out your main home (in its entirety) for less than 120 days per year, generally, you do not have to declare this to your local municipal government (the town hall or Mairie), except for properties in Paris, Lyon, and Bordeaux, where specific, more restrictive regulations apply. Always check with your local commune.

Renting a second home

Usually defined as a property that the owner occupies for less than 4 months of the year, which can be rented without any limitation on the number of days in any one year. The most important point to be aware of is that properties that owners wish to rent for tourist purposes must be registered with the local town hall or Mairie. This is done using the CERFA application form. 

Once your property has been registered, you’ll receive an acknowledgement and a registration number. This number must be displayed on all listings for the property. Many vacation rental platforms will not allow you to list your property without this number.

FAQs

Do I need a license?

You need to register with your local town city hall - Mairie, but a license is only required in specific areas where housing is considered difficult to obtain for local families and workers. Therefore, homeowners should get in touch with the local Mairie in all cases.

What do I need in order to get a rental license?

The information you need to have in order to present your property at the town hall is as follows:

• The declarant's identity, postal address and email address. 
• The address of the furnished premises, specifying the building, staircase, floor and apartment number if it forms part of a block of apartments. If the declarant is offered the option, they can indicate the invariable number identifying the accommodation as appears on their property tax, instead of the information mentioned in the first paragraph. 
• The property status as a primary or secondary residence. 
• The number of rooms in the furnished property, the number of beds and, if applicable, the date of the decision and level of categorization of the property.

Where can I get a vacation rental license?

• Online – There are several online platforms where you can register your vacation rental. You can call your local "Mairie" and ask for the name of the online platform they are affiliated with. Many use "DéclaLoc" or "Service Public France". To find out if a commune is affiliated to DéclaLoc or Service Public France, simply visit their site and type in the name of your commune. If the commune is affiliated with a particular platform, you can create an account and register. At the end of the process, you will be given a receipt and a registration number. This is the number you will need to list your vacation property on rental platforms. 
• In-person – Alternatively, you can download and print off CERFA form 14004, fill it out and deliver it to your local Mayor’s office in person, or by post

How much does it cost? 

The process and license itself are free. However, failure to obtain a license or permission to rent out your property for touristic purposes can result in a heavy fine for homeowners. 

Do I have to renew my license? 

Your registration is valid indefinitely, unlike the official classification of a holiday rental, which must be renewed every five years. Keep the "Mairie" informed if you change the number of people that your holiday property can accommodate, for example, if you change from 10 to 12 people.