Déclaration Meublé de Tourisme: The France Registration Rule Every Host Must Follow

Most French municipalities now require hosts renting out a furnished property for short stays to file a 'déclaration meublé de tourisme' before listing it anywhere online.

What the rule actually requires

Hosts must declare their rental to the town hall (mairie) — either online via the national service-public.fr portal or through a local municipal system. Many larger cities, including Paris, Nice, Bordeaux, and Lyon, go further and require formal registration, issuing a registration number that must appear on every listing (Airbnb, Booking.com, and others check for it automatically).

Two categories, two different obligations

France treats a host's own primary residence differently from a secondary or investment property. Renting out a primary residence has a simpler declaration path and an annual day-limit in many communes (commonly cited around 120 days, though this varies locally and hosts should confirm with their mairie). Secondary residences typically face stricter registration, and in some cities a 'change of use' authorization is required before the property can be rented short-term at all.

What happens without a registration number

Cities that require registration numbers actively audit listings. Missing or invalid numbers can lead to listing takedowns by the platform and municipal fines — the exact amounts vary by commune and should be verified against the current local decree rather than assumed.

How Klimpy helps

Klimpy tracks each property's commune-specific requirement, stores the registration number once issued, and flags any listing that is missing one before it goes live — so hosts don't find out about a compliance gap from a takedown notice.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Registration thresholds, day-limits, and fine amounts differ by commune and change over time — always confirm current figures with the relevant mairie or an advisor before relying on them.