Can I let my flat on Airbnb?
Only after registration — this is no longer an ordinary tenancy. Once you offer overnight stays for payment, the activity falls under the Tourism Act as hotel-keeping, not civil letting. Flats and guest rooms are class B and are subject to registration (not star categorisation) with the mayor of the municipality where the property lies; the certificate is issued within 7 days. You then open an account in the national tourist information system and report every stay on the day the guest checks in. Tourist tax is owed to the municipality, and the income must be declared. In a building under condominium management you also need the neighbours' consent — the owners of more than half the ideal shares.
📋 The rules
- The activity is hotel-keeping under the Tourism Act
- Flats and guest rooms: class B, registered with the mayor
- The certificate is issued within 7 days
- Every stay is reported in the national system
- Tourist tax and income tax are both due
🔓 Exceptions
- Long-term letting under the ordinary law of obligations needs no registration
- In a condominium you need the consent of owners holding more than half the ideal shares
- Individuals with a limited number of rooms may fall under the patent tax regime
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Letting to tourists without registration is fined up to BGN 2,000. What costs more is everything else: the platforms now require a registration number and take down listings without one, so the income simply stops. Separately, the revenue agency cross-checks platform data against filed returns — undeclared income leads to back-assessed tax, interest and a penalty. Failing to report stays in the national system and failing to pay the tourist tax attract their own municipal penalties. And in a condominium, neighbours can demand that the activity stop if the required consent is missing.
📎 Official sources
- lex.bg · Tourism Act →
- Ministry of Tourism · National tourist information system →
- National Revenue Agency · Rental and accommodation income →
❓ Frequently asked
Do I need a star rating?
No. Flats and guest rooms are class B and are subject to registration with the mayor of the municipality where the property lies, not to star categorisation. The certificate comes within 7 days.
What is the reporting system?
The national tourist information system. Once you have the certificate you open an account, enter the property, and report every stay on the day the guest checks in.
What is the fine without registration?
Up to BGN 2,000. On top of that, the platforms now require a registration number and remove listings without one, so the income stops long before an inspection arrives.
Do I need the neighbours' consent?
In a building under condominium management, yes — the consent of owners holding more than half the ideal shares. Without it, the neighbours can demand that the activity stop.
What if I let long-term instead?
Long-term letting under the ordinary law of obligations is not hotel-keeping and needs no registration, reporting or tourist tax. The income still has to be declared, though.
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