Short-Term Rental in Paris: The 2026 Regulations and Their Consequences for Buyers

Paris has considerably tightened regulations on short-term tourist rentals in recent years. Since 1 January 2025, the rental cap for a primary residence has dropped from 120 to 90 days per year. The Le Meur law, which came into effect at the end of 2024, adds EPC requirements, a mandatory national registration by May 2026, and increased penalties. These developments change the landscape for owners and buyers alike.

How many nights can you let a furnished tourist rental in Paris?

A primary residence can be let as a furnished tourist rental for a maximum of 90 nights a year in Paris since 1 January 2025, down from 120 previously. A secondary residence has no night cap at all, but it requires a change-of-use authorisation together with compensation.

The Parisian regime therefore distinguishes between two situations. For a primary residence, furnished tourist rental is permitted within the limit of 90 nights per year, after a declaration to the town hall and obtaining a free 13-digit registration number, which must appear on every published listing.

For a secondary residence or a property dedicated to seasonal rental, the situation is considerably more restrictive: tourist letting is simply subject to prior authorisation. The owner must obtain a change-of-use authorisation from the City of Paris, a procedure that in most central arrondissements (1st to 8th) requires compensation: converting an equivalent commercial surface, or even double the surface in the most tourist-heavy areas, into residential housing. That compensation costs 300 to 500 euros per square metre in the central arrondissements. An estimated 70,000 homes have been removed from the standard rental market in favour of short-term letting in Paris.

The Le Meur law of November 2024 further strengthens the framework. Key measures include the requirement for a valid EPC (class E minimum in high-demand zones for new furnished rentals), the possibility for co-ownerships to ban tourist rentals by a two-thirds majority vote, and the establishment of a national registration online service by 20 May 2026 at the latest.

What fines apply to illegal tourist letting in Paris?

Letting a secondary residence as a furnished tourist rental without change-of-use authorisation carries a fine of up to 100,000 euros, plus a penalty of 1,000 euros per day per square metre until the situation is regularised. Exceeding the 90-night limit for a primary residence costs up to 15,000 euros, failure to register up to 10,000 euros, and a false declaration or fake registration number up to 20,000 euros. Platforms themselves face up to 12,500 euros per non-compliant listing.

The City of Paris has deployed a dedicated team of sworn officers for inspections and has collected more than 6.5 million euros in fines since 2021. The number of disputes is trending downward, a sign that regulatory pressure is producing results.

What does this change for a property purchase in Paris?

Three things change for a buyer: short-term letting yields are markedly lower, long-term rental supply is rebuilding, and the co-ownership rules become a point to check before any offer. Taxation has been tightened first of all: the micro-BIC allowance drops to 30% capped at 15,000 euros of receipts for an unclassified furnished tourist rental, against 50% up to 77,700 euros for a classified rental or a long-term let.

Investors who were counting on short-term rental yields are therefore revising their calculations. LMNP depreciation is also now reintegrated into the capital gains calculation on resale.

Second, the standard rental market could benefit from a supply shift. Owners of tourist-let properties, discouraged by the administrative complexity and the risk of fines, are returning their properties to long-term rental or selling them. This is an opportunity for primary residence buyers, who are finding more properties available.

Finally, co-ownerships represent a new point of attention. Before buying, our property hunters systematically check the co-ownership rules and recent general meeting minutes. A co-ownership that has voted to ban tourist rentals is information that must be factored into the property’s assessment.

For a property purchase in Paris, the question of short-term rental extends beyond simple rental yield. It touches on quality of life within the building, resale value and wealth strategy. These trade-offs deserve to be made with a professional who knows the specifics of each arrondissement.