Short-term letting in Ireland, 2026
Running an Airbnb in Ireland? Here's what the new rules mean for you
Whether you've let for years or you're about to start, the rules on planning, Form 24 and the new register are changing. Answer a few questions and we'll show you which route probably applies, what to do next and roughly what it costs.
At a glance
The numbers that matter
Four figures cover most hosts' first questions.
Short-term letting
Letting for 21 consecutive nights or fewer is short-term letting, and a change of use, everywhere in Ireland.
Your own home, exempt
Letting your whole principal private residence for up to 90 nights a year needs no planning permission.
Standard retention fee
Minimum €240. Standard planning fee scale, so confirm with your council.
Government target to open the register
Not yet law. Fáilte Ireland says the register opens once the legislation passes, so dates could change.
How it works
We built a short tool so you don't have to read the rules
The rules on planning permission, Form 24 and the register run to dozens of pages. The checker does the sorting for you. It's indicative, based on official sources, and it shows the date the rules were last checked.
Answer a few questions
Tell us about the property, how often you let and where it is.
Learn moreSee your route
Exempt, Form 24 retention, a new application, already permitted, or speak to your council.
Get your next steps
A checklist, a rough fee and the key dates for your situation.
What's changed in 2026
Four things every host should know
The rules moved quickly this year. Here's the short list.
A national definition
Letting for 21 consecutive nights or fewer is short-term letting, and a material change of use, anywhere in Ireland.
No more Rent Pressure Zones
The old zone map no longer decides which planning rules apply to you.
Form 24
A short retention form for hosts who are already letting without planning permission.
The Bill
The Short-term Letting and Tourism Bill was published. It has not passed, so details and dates could change.
Find yourself
Where are you starting from?
Most hosts fit one of these. The checker will confirm which.
Letting your own home
Up to 90 nights a year, or rooms in it (up to four bedrooms): no planning permission, but you notify your council.
Letting without planning permission
Form 24 is the short retention route. Start early: councils generally aim to decide within about eight weeks.
A second or holiday home
Change-of-use permission applies, and in the largest built-up areas the presumption is against granting it.
Not started yet
Check your route before you list. As we read the Bill, its 24-month window is for lets already running, so new hosts need permission first where it applies.
Form 24
The short route for existing lets
Form 24 was added by S.I. No. 500 of 2026 and has been in force since the end of September. It's for one situation: retaining an existing short-term let that has no planning permission.
What it asks for
An estimated floor area, maximum guests, when you let and who manages it, the previous use, and a signed declaration.
Learn moreWhat's easier
No floor plans, elevations or sections, and the council can ask for further information only once.
What still applies
The fee, a newspaper notice and a site notice. Check your council's validation checklist.
What it isn't for
New lets, or applications that include building work. Those need a standard planning application.
Costs
What it costs
These are the standard planning fees. We found no separate Form 24 fee, so confirm with your council. The Fáilte Ireland registration fee hasn't been published.
Retention of change of use
Minimum €240. An 80 m² house comes to about €864.
New permission for change of use
Minimum €80.
Notices and professional help
Our estimate for the newspaper notice is a few hundred euro. Planning consultant and solicitor fees vary.
Fáilte Ireland registration
The Bill says any fee must reflect reasonable and proportionate costs, and renewal must cost less than the first registration.
Learn moreExempt-letting forms (15 to 17)
Hosts letting their own home within the exemptions notify the council at no charge.
The Bill
What the Short-term Letting and Tourism Bill says
The Bill was published on 6 October 2026. It has not passed, so everything below is as initiated and could change. It comes into operation by ministerial order, provision by provision.
A 24-month window
As drafted, unauthorised lets outside the listed built-up areas of 20,000 or more people get 24 months from a "relevant date" of 23 October 2026 to apply for permission. As we read it, if you don't apply, those months don't count towards the seven-year route.
Registration
You declare your Eircode, planning compliance and, for individuals, date of birth and PPSN. Registration runs 12 months, and renewal opens up to 30 days before the anniversary.
Penalties
Advertising off-platform without a valid registration number, giving false or misleading information, and not notifying changes are offences. Fixed payment notices go up to €500.
Platforms
Online platforms face sanctions of up to 2% of annual turnover.
Read the Bill (PDF)
The full text as initiated: Short-term Letting and Tourism Bill 2026, No. 101 of 2026, 76 pages.
Learn moreKey dates
Dates to know
Dates marked target come from the Government, not the Bill, and could change.
21-night definition and national rules
Short-term letting becomes a material change of use across Ireland.
Form 24 comes into force
S.I. No. 500 of 2026.
Bill published
Not yet passed.
Register opens
Fáilte Ireland says it opens once the legislation passes.
Register deadline
The Government's target for all hosts to be registered.
Return for exempt hosts
Form 17, each year, for hosts letting within the exemptions.
Where you are
Does your area matter?
Yes. The Bill draws the line at built-up areas of 20,000 or more people, using CSO 2022 boundaries.
Built-up areas of 20,000 or more
Listed in the Bill: Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford, Drogheda, Dundalk, Navan and others. You confirm planning compliance when you register, and the presumption is against new permissions.
Everywhere else
Smaller towns and rural areas get the window to apply, as drafted.
Northern Ireland
None of this applies. Check Tourism NI.
Go deeper
Read the full guides
The detail behind each step, with sources.
Ireland's short-term letting register: a host's guide for 2026
Seven steps from deciding whether the register applies to you through to registering, plus Form 24, costs and the latest updates.
Learn morePlanning permission to Airbnb in Ireland 2026
Do you need planning permission for your home, rooms or a second property, and how to apply.
Learn moreDeclaring Airbnb income to Revenue
How short-term letting income is taxed and what to declare.
Learn moreFAQs
Common questions
Short answers. The checker and the guides have the detail.
Do I need planning permission to Airbnb my house?
Not if it's your own home and you let it for no more than 90 nights a year, or you let rooms in it (up to four bedrooms). A second home, a holiday home, or letting your own home for more than 90 nights needs change-of-use permission.
What is Form 24?
The short application form, added by S.I. No. 500 of 2026, for retaining an existing short-term let that has no planning permission. It isn't for new lets or applications that include building works.
How much does it cost?
The standard retention fee is €10.80 per square metre, with a €240 minimum. New permission is €3.60 per square metre, with an €80 minimum. The Fáilte Ireland registration fee hasn't been published.
Is the Bill law yet?
No. It was published on 6 October 2026 and is still going through the Oireachtas. It comes into operation by ministerial order, so dates could change.
When does the register open?
The Government's target is 1 December 2026, with a 31 December deadline. Fáilte Ireland says it opens once the legislation passes.
I'm about to start letting. What do I do first?
Check your planning route before you list. As we read the Bill, the 24-month window is for lets already running, so new hosts need permission first where it applies. Then check your lease and lender consents, and register once it opens.
Can Sos Stays register my property for me?
No. The owner registers personally and makes the legal declarations, unless the unit is owned by a company. We can help you prepare the information and keep your listings consistent.
Does rent-a-room relief apply to short-term letting?
No. Revenue treats income from short-term guests as trading income or occasional income, and rent-a-room relief doesn't apply to short-term guest lets. Speak to your accountant about your own position.
Is the checker legal advice?
No. It's indicative and based on official sources. Check your own case with your council, a planning consultant or a solicitor.
Sources
Latest updates and sources
Rules checked on 24 October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. We'll update this page as things change.
Short-term letting in Ireland
Registration, planning route and key facts.
Learn moreGovernment publishes Short Term Letting and Tourism Bill
Press release on the Bill and the register timetable.
Learn morePlanning and Development (Short Term Letting) (Change of Use) Regulations 2026
S.I. No. 500 of 2026 and Form 24.
Learn morePlanning and Development Act 2000, section 3A
The 21-night definition and material change of use.
Learn moreS.I. No. 130 of 2026
Principal private residence exemptions extended nationwide.
Learn moreRental law changes from 1 March 2026
The end of Rent Pressure Zones.
Learn moreRenting your property for short-term lets
Planning conditions and exemptions. Parts may predate the March 2026 changes.
Learn moreShort-term Letting and Tourism Bill 2026 (No. 101 of 2026), as initiated
The full Bill text, available to download above.
Learn moreYour steps
What to do, in order
Two routes, depending on where you're starting from. The checker will tell you which one is yours.
Use the checker to see whether you're exempt, need Form 24 retention, or need a standard application.
Exempt hosts notify the council. Hosts without permission use Form 24. Start early, as decisions generally take about eight weeks.
Booking history, accounts and platform records. They support a retention case and any seven-year argument.
Make capacity, unit type and address consistent on every channel before the registration number goes on.
Have your Eircode, your PPSN or company number, and your planning position ready. The target is 1 December, subject to the Bill.
Before you list, find out whether you need planning permission.
A standard application with drawings. Form 24 is for existing lets only.
Lease, landlord and lender consent. Permission or registration doesn't create a right to sublet.
Once the register opens, you'll need your registration number to advertise.
Keep a log of the nights you let, and notify any material change.
Find your route in two minutes
Answer a few questions and see which planning route probably applies to you, what to do next and roughly what it costs. It's indicative, not legal advice. Would you rather we ran the lettings for you? Send your SOS and we'll sort the stay.