Starting today, the tax authority presses the button and “shuts down” thousands of short-term rental properties that are not for primary use. From October 1st, the new legal framework comes into effect, clarifying which properties can continue to be listed on platforms and which will be removed.

Properties listed as basements, storage units, garages, or auxiliary spaces will be automatically deleted from the registry, and international platforms will be electronically notified to block the posting of such listings.

In practice, owners will not even be able to upload a listing if there is no active registration number. On the other hand, only properties considered primary use will remain eligible for short-term rental — meaning spaces for daily living such as bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, dining rooms, and offices. Auxiliary spaces — storage rooms, garages, basements — are permanently cut out under the new framework, with their registration numbers automatically canceled and platforms preventing their posting.

It is estimated that 5% to 10% of properties listed on platforms like Airbnb, Booking, and VRBO will be taken off the market. In practice, the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) will pull data from the E9 property declaration, the Land Registry, and the registered numbers in the Short-Term Rental Registry. A cross-check will verify whether the property declared for rental is registered as a primary-use space.

Properties identified as storage rooms, basements, commercial premises, or auxiliary spaces will not qualify for short-term rental. In practice, these registration numbers will be “erased” from the registry. Once cross-checking is completed, the AADE platform will automatically deactivate those properties and cancel the registration number. Then, electronic notifications will be sent to major international platforms (Airbnb, Booking, VRBO, etc.) so that properties without a valid registration number cannot be listed. In other words, the owner will not even have the option to post or restore their listing, since the platform system will pull updates from AADE and reject it.

The new legal framework also expands the requirements that every property must meet. Liability insurance, a signed declaration from a licensed electrician, residual-current devices, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, emergency lighting and exit signage, evacuation diagrams, and a first-aid kit are now mandatory. Certificates for pest and rodent control are also required.

Inspections will be on-site and ongoing, with joint teams from the Ministry of Tourism and AADE recording violations and imposing fines starting at €5,000, doubling to €10,000 for repeat offenses, and reaching up to €20,000.

The critical question for each owner is: “How much does compliance cost?” The electrician’s declaration costs €70–150, while installing a residual-current device with labor ranges from €80 to €170. Smoke detectors cost €10–30 each, with three or four needed in a typical apartment. A 6kg fire extinguisher costs €30–50, with annual maintenance at €10–20. Emergency lighting with signage costs €20–35, while an evacuation diagram by an engineer is €50–120. A basic first-aid kit adds another €25–60.

With these figures, a small apartment of 40–60 m² needs at least €300–600 to meet the new requirements, while a larger property of 80–100 m² will face costs of €400–750. On top of this, owners must also account for annual maintenance expenses, such as refilling fire extinguishers and replacing smoke detector batteries.