Paris Tightens the Rules: The New Reality for Short-Term Rentals in the French Capital
Paris has capped short-term rentals at 90 nights per year. See how mandatory registration and massive fines are reshaping the French market.
The era of unchecked tourist rentals in Paris is officially over. One of Europe’s largest hotel markets, the French capital, now counts approximately 75,000 short-term rental listings. But facing growing concerns over a severe housing shortage for residents, municipal authorities have taken unprecedented measures. A wave of aggressive new regulations is radically transforming how property managers and individual hosts operate in the city.
The Strict 90-Night Limit and Mandatory Municipal Registration
For years, Parisian hosts renting their primary residence could welcome tourists up to 120 days per year. Under the new regulation, this tolerance has been considerably reduced. Primary residences can now only be rented for a maximum of 90 nights per calendar year. To enforce this cap, the city has made property registration entirely mandatory. Each host must now obtain an official registration number from the Paris City Hall before legally welcoming a guest.
Unprecedented Financial Sanctions
Paris City Hall no longer settles for simple warnings. Authorities have massively intensified their physical and digital controls to identify illegal activities. Hosts caught operating without required registration or exceeding their annual quota face immediate prosecution. Fines in cases of illegal commercial exploitation or unauthorized change of use have reached dizzying heights, sometimes exceeding €100,000.
The End of Platform Immunity
The most structural change in the French market is how the law now treats booking platforms themselves. Following a historic French court decision, the defense that platforms are merely bulletin boards no longer holds. These companies can now be held directly responsible for hosting illegal listings or unauthorized sublets.
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About the author
Gianpaolo Vairo
Co-Founder · Scale Rentals
Instead of just following the short-term rental market, I help architect its future. Recognized among the Top 20 Influential People in VR Tech, I have spent the past 15 years empowering tourism brands to scale globally while retaining their local authenticity. This drive led me to produce SCALE, where I built Europe’s most authoritative platform for STR professionals. Today, my primary focus is driving the next wave of innovation by integrating Artificial Intelligence into the STR space. I view AI as the essential catalyst for streamlining complex operations and personalizing the guest experience at scale. Ultimately, I partner with companies to optimize sales and launch standout products, ensuring their rapid growth is always grounded in long-term sustainability.
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