An amendment to Act No. 159/1999 Coll., on Certain Conditions of Business and on the Performance of Certain Activities in the Field of Tourism, which regulates the business of short-term rentals, is currently pending in the Chamber of Deputies and has long been called for by many residents of the centres of the most visited cities. The amendment is prompted by Regulation (EU) 2024/1028 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 on the collection and sharing of data on short-term rental services, accommodation and amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1724, which will enter into force in May 2026 (the Regulation).

Hosts, as short-term rental providers are collectively referred to in the Regulation, will have to comply with a number of obligations arising from, for example, the Trade Licensing Act or the Building Act. Apartments and other premises provided for remuneration for short-term rentals as part of business or non-business activities will be newly designated as “accommodation units” and will be entered in the Register of Accommodation Facilities, Accommodation Units and Accommodated Persons (the Register) administered by the Ministry of Regional Development.

Upon registration in the Register and after fulfilling all the obligations, each unit receives a registration number, without which it is not allowed to offer accommodation via the so-called “online platforms” (Airbnb, Booking, etc.). Online platforms will now also have an active obligation to monitor the registration rules in individual areas, carry out spot checks and collect data for the Register.

Certain powers will also be given to municipalities, which will be able to regulate the number of persons per m2 for units in apartment buildings, set the number of days per year when accommodation may be offered and determine the periods, during which it will be prohibited.

The effectiveness of the amendment is divided into three stages; the first changes are expected to come into force as early as July 2025, while the last ones will take effect from 20 May 2026.