Short-Term Accommodation Rentals: The New EU Framework and Its Implications for Bulgaria

In recent years, short-term rentals have seen significant growth and have established themselves as a rapidly expanding market. In response to this trend, an increasing number of Member States have introduced various regulatory requirements. To harmonise national legislation, the European Union adopted Regulation (EU) 2024/1028, which introduces a common framework on data collection and sharing relating to short-term accommodation rental services. Its application begins on 20 May 2026.

Who does the regulation apply to?

online platforms for short-term accommodation rentals (e.g. Airbnb, Booking)
hosts who advertise properties directly

Who does it not apply to?

hotels and other similar types of accommodation, including resort hotels, apartment hotels, motels, and hostels
campsites, caravan parks, and motorhome sites

Practical Implications for Bulgaria

In practice, the mechanism introduced by the Regulation in Bulgaria will operate within the framework of the existing legislation under the Tourism Act.

Guest houses are classified as Class B accommodation establishments and must be categorised accordingly. The person intending to operate hospitality services in a guest house must submit an application-declaration to the mayor of the municipality where the property is located. The mayor then issues either a certificate confirming the assigned category or a reasoned refusal.

Guest rooms and guest apartments (Class C accommodation establishments), if not categorised, must be registered in an electronic register maintained by the relevant municipal mayor. Registration is carried out by submitting an application-declaration to the mayor of the municipality where the property is located, who then issues either a registration certificate or a reasoned refusal.

Once registration has been completed, the relevant registration number must be included in every listing published on an online accommodation platform. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the listing being deactivated or removed.

In reality, the Regulation does not introduce an entirely new regime, but rather makes the existing framework more effective through the introduction of control and data-sharing mechanisms. The new regulatory framework is expected to help reduce the number of unregistered properties and improve transparency within the sector.

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