NEWS
May 10th, 2026
Published in the Journal officiel on 20 March 2026, decree n° 2026-196 is not just another reform: it is the text that finally makes enforcement of short-term rental regulation in France operational. Behind its dry title lies a radical shift: for the first time, local councils will be able to access real-time activity data for every property listed on Airbnb, Vrbo, or Booking. This decree follows directly from the Echaniz-Le Meur Act of November 2024 — and it activates penalties that until now had remained dead letters. Here is what it means in practice for every property owner, concierge service, and short-term rental manager in France.
Until now, a council wishing to know the activity of a short-term rental had to send an individual request to each platform — with no guarantee of a consistent response. That patchwork system is over. With decree n° 2026-196 and its twin decree n° 2026-197, two texts published simultaneously, the State is laying the foundations of a centralised digital gateway: the API Meublés. This is not a simple database — it is a connected interface that gives councils access from a single point to all data transmitted by every platform active on their territory.
Decree 2026-196 designates the Direction générale des entreprises (DGE), under the Ministry of the Economy, as the single public body responsible for centralising and redistributing this data. Decree 2026-197, meanwhile, officially creates the data processing system known as "API Meublés" and defines its purposes, controllers, and retention conditions. Both texts came into force the day after their publication, on 21 March 2026.
The API Meublés operates in two phases. A beta version, available since early March 2026 to councils that have already implemented a short-term rental registration procedure, allows them to consult data transmitted by platforms and access existing municipal registers. During this transitional phase, landlords continue to register their properties directly with their local council. The final version, scheduled for the second half of 2026, will be rolled out to all eligible councils and inter-municipal bodies (EPCIs) with competence over tourism. At that stage, landlords will register themselves via a national online service, and registration numbers will be issued automatically.
The data accessible via the API is precise and structured around the unique registration number (NER) of each property:
The decree draws a clear distinction between obligations based on platform size. Large platforms (Airbnb, Booking, Vrbo…) must transmit their data every month. Micro and small businesses with an average of fewer than 4,250 monthly listings benefit from a quarterly schedule. In all cases, transmission is electronic, no later than one month after the end of the relevant period — even if the property is no longer listed at the time of submission.
Councils and EPCIs wishing to access the data must submit a request to the DGE. For their first request, they must provide, among other things, the resolution making short-term rental registration mandatory in their area, and where applicable, the resolution lowering the maximum number of let days. Access is limited to the current year and the previous calendar year only. More than 800 councils are already covered by the beta version, according to the AMF (Association of Mayors of France).
"Where 2025 set the rules, 2026 provides the means to enforce them. Controls that were impossible without an army of inspectors are now automated — an algorithm does the work instead."
— What decree n° 2026-196 means for landlords and councils
Check the registration number of every property in your portfolio. The API Meublés will allow councils to cross-check the validity of each NER against live rental data. If a property you manage carries an invalid or missing number, the entire listing can be deactivated — with immediate commercial consequences for your client.
Prepare now for the final version of the API Meublés (H2 2026). Landlords will be required to register via the national online service, with numbers issued automatically. If you manage dozens of properties, start assembling the documentation now: tax notices, title deeds, proof of primary or secondary residence status for each property.
Update your management contracts. The API Meublés transmits the data of the registered declarant — which may be the concierge service itself if acting under a management mandate. Clarify contractually who is responsible for declaration compliance for each property. In the event of a false declaration, the fine can reach €20,000.
Monitor day-count thresholds by council. The API Meublés is designed to automatically flag primary residences let beyond 120 days — or the lower threshold voted by the council (down to 90 days). Alerts will land directly on the desks of council officers. There is no longer any slipping through the net.
Mandatory registration for all arrives by end of 2026. The Le Meur Act set an initial deadline of 20 May 2026, slightly pushed back for the full rollout. In practice, all short-term rentals — including primary residences in certain councils — will need to be registered on the national online service. A unique 13-digit number will need to appear on all your online listings. Without it, platforms are required to suspend your listings.
The decree also activates the penalties provided for by the Le Meur Act, which had been suspended pending these implementing texts. The picture is clear: