Can I run a short-term rental (Airbnb)?
Conditional: you can run an Airbnb with an RNAL number, and the 2024 reform reversed most restrictions. The RNAL registration number is mandatory (Balcão Único / gov.pt), under the base regime of Decree-Law 128/2014. Decree-Law 76/2024 (in force since 1 November 2024) revoked the key "Mais Habitação" (Law 56/2023) measures: the national freeze on new apartment short-term lets, the 5-year expiry, the extraordinary contribution (CEAL), and the prior condominium-authorization requirement (except hostels). Registrations are again indefinite and transferable. Power is now municipal: regulation becomes mandatory once a municipality exceeds 1,000 registrations, and municipalities can declare containment areas and suspend new registrations for up to 1 year. In short: yes, with an RNAL and mindful of your municipality's rules.
📋 The rules
- RNAL number mandatory (DL 128/2014)
- DL 76/2024 revoked the freeze and the 5-year expiry
- Registrations are again indefinite and transferable
- Power is municipal: mandatory regulation above 1,000 lets
- Municipalities: containment areas and suspension up to 1 year
🔓 Exceptions
- Hostels: still need condominium authorization
- Municipal containment areas: can suspend new registrations
- Operational duties: "AL" plate, SIBA, guest bulletins
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Operating without an RNAL costs €2,500 to €35,000 (individuals) and up to €250,000 (companies); a missing "AL" plate €50–€750; a SIBA failure (foreign-guest reporting to SEF/AIMA) €100–€2,000 per guest. Beware an important myth: many sites still describe the harsh 2023 Mais Habitação regime (apartment ban, CEAL tax, 5-year expiry) as current — it was revoked by DL 76/2024. Restrictions are now municipal, not a national freeze. To stay compliant: get the RNAL number, display the "AL" plate, report guests via SIBA, and check whether your municipality has a containment area or a suspension on new registrations.
📎 Official sources
- Decree-Law 76/2024 — short-term-rental revision →
- Turismo de Portugal — Alojamento Local →
- gov.pt — short-term-rental registration →
❓ Frequently asked
Do I need to register for a short-term rental?
Yes. The RNAL registration number is mandatory, obtained at the Balcão Único / gov.pt. It's the base requirement of the short-term-rental regime. Operating without an RNAL is a serious offence, with fines from €2,500 to €35,000 for individuals.
Are the Mais Habitação restrictions still in force?
Mostly no. Decree-Law 76/2024 revoked the key 2023 Mais Habitação measures: the national freeze on new apartment lets, the 5-year expiry and the extraordinary CEAL contribution. Many outdated sites still present them as current.
Who decides the limits on short-term rentals now?
The municipality. Regulation became municipal: it's mandatory once a municipality exceeds 1,000 registrations, and municipalities can declare containment areas and suspend new registrations for up to a year. There's no longer a national freeze.
Do I need condominium authorization?
As a rule, no longer. DL 76/2024 removed the prior condominium-authorization requirement for most short-term rentals. The exception is hostels, which still need it. The condominium can still act in cases of proven disturbance.
What operational duties do I have?
You must display the "AL" identification plate, report foreign guests via SIBA and keep the guest bulletins. A missing plate is fined €50 to €750 and a SIBA failure €100 to €2,000 per guest. These duties remain regardless of the reform.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “short-term rental rnal registration”
- “mais habitacao revoked 2024”
- “dl 76/2024 short-term rental”
- “airbnb portugal legal”
- “containment area al”
- “fine al without registration”