Short Term Letting Ireland: 2026 Rules and Register

Short term letting Ireland-wide is moving from local planning rules to a national register run by Fáilte Ireland. The new system is due to start on 1 December 2026, but the law behind it was still going through the Oireachtas when we checked on 14 November 2026. This guide sets out what the official pages say, with dates, so Dublin hosts can see where things stand.

What are the short term letting rules in Ireland right now?

Until the new system starts, short lets are controlled through planning law. Citizens Information says that if you let a property, or a room, for less than 14 days at a time, you need either planning permission or a registered exemption from your local authority. These rules date from 2019.

The 2019 rules were written for rent pressure zones. The Department’s July 2019 guidance note says they “apply only to rent pressure zones”. Since 20 June 2025, the Residential Tenancies Board says all private tenancies in Ireland come under rent pressure zone rules.

Under the current rules, you do not need permission if you:

• let rooms in your own home while you live there (home-sharing);
• let your whole principal private residence for less than 90 days a year while you are away;
• let for 15 days or more at a time;
• already have permission for tourism or short-term letting use.

Exempt hosts still have to notify the local authority, using Forms 15, 16 and 17. A second property let short term needs planning permission. Citizens Information says permission is unlikely in areas with high housing demand, high rent inflation and insufficient supply.

When does the short-term letting register open?

The register is due to open on 1 December 2026, and every host must register by 31 December 2026. The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment confirmed those dates on 13 May 2026 and repeated them when it published the Short Term Letting and Tourism Bill on 6 October 2026.

There is one caveat. The October release says the Bill “will now proceed through the legislative process in the Oireachtas”. Fáilte Ireland’s register page, last updated on 27 August 2026, says registration “will open once the necessary legislation has been passed”. On 14 November 2026, neither page said the Bill had been enacted.

Who has to register a short term let in Ireland?

Every host offering paid accommodation for up to 21 nights at a time must register each unit. Fáilte Ireland says a unit can be a whole house or apartment, or a room in your home. The Department says the requirement applies nationwide, whatever the location.

Hotels, guesthouses, hostels, campsites and similar accommodation are outside the register, according to Citizens Information. Each registered unit gets a unique number that must appear on every listing and advert. Registration has to be renewed every year.

To register, the Department says an individual host will need their name, contact details, PPSN, date of birth and address, plus the unit’s address, Eircode, type and number of bed places. The host also makes a legal declaration on planning and fire safety, and pays a nominal annual fee that had not been published by 14 November 2026. An agent cannot register for an individual host.

What do the new Airbnb rules in Ireland mean for Dublin?

For Dublin, the key rule is the population threshold. The National Planning Statement, approved by Government on 3 November 2026, generally precludes new planning permissions for short lets in cities and towns with more than 20,000 people. Dublin is well above that line.

The Department’s guidance says hosts in towns of more than 20,000 must confirm planning compliance when they register, “with no further lead-in period”. Hosts in smaller towns and rural areas get two years from 23 October 2026 to become compliant, and can register in the meantime.

There are two routes for existing Dublin hosts:

• Long-running lets: where a dwelling has been used as a short let continuously for at least seven years without enforcement, there is a presumption in favour of permission, unless it would cause serious traffic, flooding or pollution risk.
• Simplified retention: since 29 September 2026, S.I. 500/2026 lets short-let operators apply for retention without detailed plans and drawings, using a new form. Citizens Information calls it Form 24.

If you run a short let, the Airbnb cleaning side only matters once the planning question is settled. Check your planning status with your local council first.

What happens if a host or platform does not comply?

Listings without a valid number are due to come down. From 31 December 2026, platforms must display a registration number on every listing, run random checks and share booking data with Fáilte Ireland, according to the Department. Fáilte Ireland can order non-compliant listings to be removed.

The Bill gives Fáilte Ireland inspection powers, fixed payment notices and summary offences. Serious breaches by platforms can lead to fines of up to 2% of annual worldwide turnover. Citizens Information says property owners will also be fined if listings do not show a registration number.

Planning enforcement stays with the local authority. Citizens Information says a council can take legal action where a property does not have the permission it needs, under the Planning and Development Act 2000.

What should Dublin hosts do now?

Check your planning position before 1 December 2026, because you must declare it when you register. Find your planning history, any exemption notices you filed, and how long the property has been let short term. If you need retention, the simplified process has been open since 29 September 2026.

Gather the registration details now: PPSN, Eircode, bed places and guest capacity for each unit. Then watch the Fáilte Ireland page for confirmation that registration has opened.

Once the property is registered and compliant, budget for the running costs. Our guide to Airbnb cleaning costs in Dublin sets out turnover and deep clean prices.

A shorter news summary sits in our blog post on the short-term letting register.