New 90-day-a-year limit for holiday rentals

Don't panic, owners and Airbnb hosts: your flip-flops aren't retiring just yet! But from 2025 onwards, the well-known 120-day limit on renting out your main home as a holiday rental can be cut to just 90 days a year. Here's what that means for you.

Why this 90-day reform?

Introduced by the "Le Meur" Act (no. 2024-1039 of 19 November 2024), the measure aims to protect housing stock for local residents and to slow the growth of short-term rentals, especially in areas of high housing pressure. In practice, councils in these high-pressure areas (and possibly all councils, by May 2026) can vote to lower the cap from 120 to 90 days.

Who is affected?

Mainly main homes (lived in for at least eight months a year). Second homes fall outside this cap, but beware: they are subject to other planning and change-of-use requirements.

What you need to know as the owner of a main home

Shorter maximum period: your main home can no longer be rented out for more than 90 days a year where the council imposes the limit (otherwise, 120 days maximum).

Compulsory registration: every rental must be registered with the local council, and the registration number must appear on your listings (Airbnb, Abritel and so on).

Change of use: exceeding the threshold without council authorisation may require a formal change of use for the property, which is complex and potentially expensive.

Fines and checks: up to 15,000 € for exceeding the quota, 10,000 € for failing to register, and 20,000 € for a false declaration.

Before you block out your calendar, here is what each obligation involves and what it costs if you ignore it:

Situation	What applies	Penalty or consequence
Night cap (main home)	120 days a year by default, 90 days if the municipality has voted for it	Up to €15,000 for exceeding the quota
Registration with the town hall	Registration number required on every listing	€10,000 if you fail to register
Accuracy of the declared information	The details you submit must match reality	€20,000 for a false declaration
Going over the cap without authorisation	The property moves into a change-of-use application	A complex and potentially costly process
Renting a room while you stay in the home	The counter only starts if you are away from the property	No days used as long as you remain on site
Second home	No cap on the number of nights	Change of use and planning rules apply
Alternatives once the quota is used up	Mobility lease (1 to 10 months), flat-sharing, standard furnished lease	Extra income without breaching the cap

What should you actually do?

Here are a few pointers for navigating the new framework with peace of mind:

Check with your local council: each one decides whether or not to adopt the 90-day limit, so find out before planning your bookings.

Register your rental now, using the Cerfa form or your council's online service. You'll be given a number to include in your listings.

Plan cleverly: map out your calendar in advance so you don't go over the permitted days, especially in high season!

Keep an eye on the counter: platforms are required to deactivate your listings beyond the threshold where the council requires a registration number.

Look at other formats: consider the French mobility lease (one to ten months), house-sharing or a year-round let (a standard furnished tenancy) to top up your income at no extra cost.

A few things worth remembering

So yes, 90 days is a bit like a jar of Nutella: you'd love to enjoy more of it, but you have to hold back. And if you rent out only part of your home (a single room, for instance), the counter only starts running when the host is away.

The bottom line

The new 90-day-a-year limit on holiday rentals is a significant change for owners of main homes. Comfortable for you? It depends: if you were used to letting all summer long, it's time to rethink your calendar or explore other options. With a little organisation, though, you'll stay on the right side of the rules and avoid both fines and swear words. So, ready to juggle holidays, regulations and profitability?

Frequently asked questions

Does the 90-day limit apply everywhere in France? No. The default cap is still 120 days. Individual municipalities can lower it to 90 days by a vote of the municipal council, first in high-pressure housing areas and potentially everywhere by May 2026. Until your municipality votes, you stay on 120 days.

How do I find out whether my town has switched to 90 days? Call the town hall before you block out your season calendar. The decision comes from a vote of the municipal council, so it can land from one year to the next. Check before each season rather than once and for all.

I rent out a room in my own home, does that count towards the quota? The counter only starts running if you are away from the property during the rental. If you stay on site and rent out a room, you are not using up your days. That detail changes everything for hosts who rent a room all year round.

What do I risk if I go over the cap? Up to €15,000 for exceeding the quota. Failing to register with the town hall carries a €10,000 fine, and a false declaration €20,000. Platforms also have to switch off your listing past the threshold when the municipality requires a registration number, so going over does not stay unnoticed.

Is my second home affected by the 90-day rule? No, the cap targets main residences, meaning homes occupied at least eight months a year. A second home has no limit on the number of nights. It does fall under change-of-use rules and planning constraints, which are often heavier to deal with than a day counter.

What can I do once my 90 days are used up? You can switch to other formats for the rest of the year: the bail mobilité, running from one to ten months, a flatshare, or a standard furnished lease. Going past the threshold without municipal authorisation pushes you towards a change-of-use application, which is long and costly. Plan your calendar in advance, especially around peak season.