Can I rent out a flat short-term without registration?
Eventually no: short-term rental will require registration and a number. From 20 May 2026, the EU Regulation 2024/1028 applies, ending anonymous short-term rental. Eventually anyone renting out a flat, room or house for short stays (via Airbnb, Booking, OLX or privately) will have to register the property in the Central Register of Tourist Accommodation (CWTON) and obtain a unique identification number, shown in all listings. Platforms will verify this number. The obligation applies to hosts regardless of whether they run a business. In Poland, however, a transitional period is under way — full CWTON rollout is planned for autumn 2026. Regardless of registration, remember tax, any guest registration and the housing-community rules.
📋 The rules
- From 20 May 2026 EU Regulation 2024/1028 applies
- Eventually required: property registration in CWTON
- A unique number must appear in every listing
- Platforms (Airbnb, Booking) verify the number
- Obligation independent of running a business
🔓 Exceptions
- Transitional period in Poland: full CWTON rollout planned for autumn 2026
- Long-term (residential) rental isn't subject to these rules
- Specific exemptions may follow from the national implementing act
⚠️ Penalties & fines
For failure to register the property and the identification number, the rules provide for a penalty reaching 50,000 zł. Without a number, no listing can be published on platforms obliged to verify it. Regardless of the new duties, remember to settle the tax on the rental (e.g. lump-sum), the guest registration obligation, and — in a housing community or cooperative — the rules and limits on short-term rental. Follow announcements about the CWTON rollout and prepare your property documentation to register it once the system launches. During the transitional period it's worth sorting out the formalities now.
📎 Official sources
- EUR-Lex · Regulation (EU) 2024/1028 →
- Ministry of Sport and Tourism →
- Biznes.gov.pl · Short-term rental →
❓ Frequently asked
Must I register a flat rented out by the night?
Eventually yes. From 20 May 2026 the EU regulation requires registering the property in CWTON and using a unique identification number in listings. In Poland a transitional period is under way, and full rollout of the system is planned for autumn 2026.
Who do the new rules cover?
Anyone offering accommodation for short stays — via Airbnb, Booking, OLX or privately — regardless of whether they do it once a year or regularly, and whether they run a business. What counts is the very fact of renting the property to tourists and guests for short periods.
What is CWTON?
It's the Central Register of Tourist Accommodation — a register where, eventually, you'll have to report a property rented short-term. After registration the property gets a unique identification number, which must be shown in all listings and which platforms will verify.
What penalty applies for not registering?
The rules provide for a penalty reaching 50,000 zł for failing to register the property and the identification number. Additionally, without a number a listing can't be published on booking platforms, which are obliged to verify the number before publishing the offer.
Must I pay tax on short-term rental?
Yes. Regardless of the registration duty, income from short-term rental is taxable (e.g. a lump-sum on revenue). There may also be a guest registration duty and limits from a housing community or cooperative's rules. It's worth consulting an adviser on the formalities.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “short-term rental registration poland 2026”
- “cwton identification number”
- “eu regulation 2024/1028 rental”
- “50000 fine no registration airbnb”
- “airbnb rules poland 2026”
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