Germany Airbnb & Short-Term Rental Regulations 2026

LawfulStay tracks short-term rental (STR / Airbnb / Vrbo / holiday let / vacation rental) regulations for 238 cities and regions in Germany. Select a location below for current permit requirements, tax obligations, and compliance details.

165 Active 1 Conditional 72 Restricted

Germany at a glance

Places tracked
238 places: 165 active, 1 conditional, 72 restricted
Licence or registration
Required in 72 of 237 places
Tax on stays
Applies in 227 of 237 places
National law
There is no single German STR permit. National rules ›

Germany short-term rental questions

Are short-term rentals legal in Germany?

In all 238 places we track in Germany, short-term rentals are allowed, 73 of them with permit conditions or limits.

Do I need a licence for a short-term rental in Germany?

72 of 237 places we track in Germany require a licence, permit or registration. Check your city's page for its rules.

Is there a national short-term rental law in Germany?

There is no single German STR permit.

Which places in Germany have the strictest rules?

On our records: Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Cologne, Nuremberg, Stuttgart.

Regions in Germany

Germany Airbnb & Vacation Rental Regulation Overview

The short-term rental regulatory landscape in Germany encompasses 238 tracked jurisdictions: 165 with active regulations, 1 where rentals are allowed with conditions, 72 with restrictions. Hosts operating on platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com should verify local requirements before listing, as rules vary significantly between cities and regions.

72 of 238 tracked jurisdictions in Germany require some form of permit, license, or registration for short-term rental operations. Requirements range from simple online registration to comprehensive permit applications with inspections.

Tax obligations apply in 237 of 238 jurisdictions. Common taxes include occupancy taxes, tourist levies, and sales taxes. Many jurisdictions require hosts to register for tax collection, and some platforms like Airbnb collect and remit taxes automatically in select locations.

Cities with significant restrictions on vacation rentals include Berlin, Munich, Hamburg. These jurisdictions typically impose permit caps, zoning limitations, or primary residence requirements.

LawfulStay monitors Germany STR regulations daily and updates this page as rules change. Each city page includes detailed permit requirements, fee schedules, tax rates, zoning rules, and penalty information sourced from official government websites.

AachenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
Register for a free Wohnraum-ID before your first booking and show it in every listing
Restricted
Alt-HohenschönhausenBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Alt-Hohenschönhausen is part of Berlin
Restricted
AltonaHamburg
Hamburg rules apply: Altona is part of Hamburg
Restricted
BambergBavaria
Bamberg is stopping new holiday flats in its extended city centre and the World Heritage area through development plans and a planning freeze in force since July 2026
Restricted
BergedorfHamburg
Hamburg rules apply: Bergedorf is part of Hamburg
Restricted
BerlinBerlin
A district permit is needed to let your whole main home while away, or your second home for up to 90 days a year
Restricted
BillstedtHamburg
Hamburg rules apply: Billstedt is part of Hamburg
Restricted
BogenhausenBavaria
Munich rules apply: Bogenhausen is part of Munich
Restricted
BonnNorth Rhine-Westphalia
Register for a free Wohnraum-ID before your first booking, show it in every listing and report each stay within 10 days
Restricted
CharlottenburgBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Charlottenburg is part of Berlin
Restricted
CologneNorth Rhine-Westphalia
Cologne's new Wohnraumschutzsatzung of 29 June 2026 (in force 1 July 2026, valid five years) requires a housing ID number for every short-term rental and a permit beyond 90 days a year
Restricted
DortmundNorth Rhine-Westphalia
Get a free Wohnraum-ID before your first booking and show it in every listing
Restricted
DüsseldorfNorth Rhine-Westphalia
WRID registration required for all short-term rentals; 90 days per year without a permit (180 for students)
Restricted
EimsbüttelHamburg
Hamburg rules apply: Eimsbüttel is part of Hamburg
Restricted
ErlangenBavaria
Guest letting of more than eight weeks a year needs a city permit (EUR 120 to 3,000)
Restricted
FlensburgSchleswig-Holstein
Holiday letting of more than 12 weeks a year needs a city permit
Restricted
FreiburgBaden-Württemberg
Freiburg requires a registration number for all short-term rentals since 2022, and a permit for tourist letting beyond 10 weeks a year
Restricted
FriedrichsfeldeBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Friedrichsfelde is part of Berlin
Restricted
FriedrichshainBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Friedrichshain is part of Berlin
Restricted
Fürth
Guest letting of more than eight weeks a year needs a city permit (from EUR 250 plus EUR 1.50 per square metre, up to EUR 2,500)
Restricted
Gesundbrunnen
Berlin rules apply: Gesundbrunnen is part of Berlin
Restricted
GöttingenLower Saxony
Letting to guests for more than 12 weeks a year needs a city permit, which can be refused
Restricted
HamburgHamburg
Up to 8 weeks a year in your own main home without a permit; from 1 January 2027 the room exemption ends and the 8 weeks apply to rooms too; second homes need a permit; a housing protection number required in every…
Restricted
HannoverLower Saxony
Permit required beyond 12 weeks a year of holiday letting (since July 2025); tiered lodging tax, revised from 1 Jan 2026
Restricted
Harburg
Hamburg rules apply: Harburg is part of Hamburg
Restricted
HeidelbergBaden-Württemberg
Registration number required for all holiday lets since Dec 2021; permit needed beyond 10 weeks a year
Restricted
HellersdorfBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Hellersdorf is part of Berlin
Restricted
KielSchleswig-Holstein
Notify the city before letting to guests; more than 84 days a year needs a permit
Restricted
KonstanzBaden-Württemberg
Konstanz bans misuse of housing city-wide
Restricted
KreuzbergBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Kreuzberg is part of Berlin
Restricted
KöpenickBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Köpenick is part of Berlin
Restricted
LeipzigSaxony
12 weeks per year without a permit since 1 Sept 2024; transition period for existing holiday flats ended 1 Sept 2026; 5% lodging tax
Restricted
LichtenradeBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Lichtenrade is part of Berlin
Restricted
LichterfeldeBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Lichterfelde is part of Berlin
Restricted
LüneburgLower Saxony
Holiday letting of more than 12 weeks a year needs a city permit, and advertising without one is banned
Restricted
MainzRheinland-Pfalz
Holiday letting of more than twelve weeks a year needs a city permit
Restricted
MannheimBaden-Württemberg
Registration number required for every holiday let; a permit is needed beyond 10 weeks a year; overnight tax 4.5% of the net room price, 5% from 1 January 2027
Restricted
MariendorfBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Mariendorf is part of Berlin
Restricted
MarienthalHamburg
Hamburg rules apply: Marienthal is part of Hamburg
Restricted
MarzahnBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Marzahn is part of Berlin
Restricted
Mitte
Berlin rules apply: Mitte is part of Berlin
Restricted
MoabitBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Moabit is part of Berlin
Restricted
MunichBavaria
Up to 8 weeks a year of holiday letting needs no permit; beyond that a misuse permit is required
Restricted
Münster
Register for a free Wohnraum-ID before your first booking and show it in every listing
Restricted
Neu-HohenschönhausenBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Neu-Hohenschönhausen is part of Berlin
Restricted
Neubrück
Cologne rules apply: Neubrück is part of Cologne
Restricted
NeuköllnBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Neukölln is part of Berlin
Restricted
NippesNorth Rhine-Westphalia
Cologne rules apply: Nippes is part of Cologne
Restricted
NurembergBavaria
You may let a home you live in for up to 8 weeks a year without a permit; anything else needs a permit from Stab Wohnen
Restricted
PankowBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Pankow is part of Berlin
Restricted
Porz am RheinNorth Rhine-Westphalia
Cologne rules apply: Porz am Rhein is part of Cologne
Restricted
PotsdamBrandenburg
Potsdam requires a permit to rent housing short-term for more than eight weeks a year; fines up to EUR 100,000
Restricted
Prenzlauer BergBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Prenzlauer Berg is part of Berlin
Restricted
RahlstedtHamburg
Hamburg rules apply: Rahlstedt is part of Hamburg
Restricted
RegensburgBavaria
Regensburg allows up to eight weeks a year of short-term letting without a permit; a registration system is in preparation
Restricted
ReinickendorfBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Reinickendorf is part of Berlin
Restricted
Rodenkirchen
Cologne rules apply: Rodenkirchen is part of Cologne
Restricted
Schöneberg
Berlin rules apply: Schöneberg is part of Berlin
Restricted
SpeyerRheinland-Pfalz
Holiday letting, including on Airbnb, of more than twelve weeks a year needs a city permit
Restricted
SteglitzBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Steglitz is part of Berlin
Restricted
StuttgartBaden-Württemberg
Registration number required before listing, and only for homes that someone lives in permanently; holiday letting capped at 10 weeks a year without a permit
Restricted
TempelhofBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Tempelhof is part of Berlin
Restricted
TreptowBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Treptow is part of Berlin
Restricted
TrierRheinland-Pfalz
Holiday letting of more than twelve weeks a year needs a city permit
Restricted
TübingenBaden-Württemberg
Register for the free national number (new since October 2026, old city numbers no longer valid) and show it in every ad; a whole flat may be let at most 70 days a year
Restricted
WandsbekHamburg
Hamburg rules apply: Wandsbek is part of Hamburg
Restricted
Warnemünde (Rostock)Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
New holiday flats are banned in Warnemünde's residential zones since 22 October 2026, and mixed zones must keep a minimum share of permanent homes
Restricted
WeddingBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Wedding is part of Berlin
Restricted
Wilhelmsburg
Hamburg rules apply: Wilhelmsburg is part of Hamburg
Restricted
WilmersdorfBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Wilmersdorf is part of Berlin
Restricted
WinterhudeHamburg
Hamburg rules apply: Winterhude is part of Hamburg
Restricted
ZehlendorfBerlin
Berlin rules apply: Zehlendorf is part of Berlin
Restricted
FrankfurtHesse
Ferienwohnungssatzung permit from Bauaufsicht required
Conditional
AalenBaden-Württemberg
National rules apply
Active
AhlenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
ArnsbergNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
AschaffenburgBavaria
National rules apply
Active
AugsburgBavaria
National rules apply
Active
Bad Homburg vor der HöheHesse
National rules apply
Active
Bad SalzuflenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
Baden-BadenBaden-Württemberg
National rules apply
Active
BayreuthBavaria
National rules apply
Active
Bergheim
National rules apply
Active
Bergisch GladbachNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
BergkamenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
BielefeldNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
BocholtNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
BochumNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
BottropNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
Brandenburg an der HavelBrandenburg
National rules apply
Active
BraunschweigLower Saxony
National rules apply
Active
BremenBremen
National rules apply
Active
BremerhavenBremen
National rules apply
Active
Castrop-RauxelNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
CelleLower Saxony
National rules apply
Active
ChemnitzSaxony
National rules apply
Active
CottbusBrandenburg
National rules apply
Active
CuxhavenLower Saxony
National rules apply
Active
DelmenhorstLower Saxony
National rules apply
Active
DessauSaxony-Anhalt
National rules apply
Active
DetmoldNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
DinslakenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
DormagenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
DorstenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
DresdenSaxony
6% Beherbergungssteuer applies to holiday lets; a citywide 12-week ordinance is in draft (May 2026) but not yet adopted
Active
DuisburgNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
DürenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
EmdenLower Saxony
National rules apply
Active
ErftstadtNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
ErfurtThuringia
National rules apply
Active
EschweilerNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
Essen
National rules apply
Active
EsslingenBaden-Württemberg
The city's housing-misuse bylaw (registration number, 10-week limit) was repealed in March 2026, so no city permit or number is needed now
Active
EuskirchenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
Frankfurt (Oder)
National rules apply
Active
FrechenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
FriedrichshafenBaden-Württemberg
National rules apply
Active
FuldaHesse
National rules apply
Active
FüssenBavaria
National rules apply
Active
GarbsenLower Saxony
National rules apply
Active
GelsenkirchenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
GeraThuringia
National rules apply
Active
GießenHesse
National rules apply
Active
GladbeckNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
GrevenbroichNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
Gronau
National rules apply
Active
GummersbachNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
GöppingenBaden-Württemberg
National rules apply
Active
GörlitzSaxony
National rules apply
Active
GüterslohNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
Hagen
National rules apply
Active
Halle (Saale)
National rules apply
Active
HamelnLower Saxony
National rules apply
Active
Hamm
National rules apply
Active
Hanau am MainHesse
National rules apply
Active
HattingenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
Heidenheim an der BrenzBaden-Württemberg
National rules apply
Active
HeilbronnBaden-Württemberg
National rules apply
Active
HerfordNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
HerneNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
HertenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
HildenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
HildesheimLower Saxony
National rules apply
Active
HürthNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
IbbenbuerenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
IngolstadtBavaria
National rules apply
Active
IserlohnNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
JenaThuringia
National rules apply
Active
KaiserslauternRheinland-Pfalz
National rules apply
Active
KarlsruheBaden-Württemberg
National rules apply
Active
KasselHesse
National rules apply
Active
Kempten (Allgäu)
National rules apply
Active
KerpenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
KoblenzRheinland-Pfalz
National rules apply
Active
KrefeldNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
Lahr
National rules apply
Active
LandshutBavaria
National rules apply
Active
Langenfeld
National rules apply
Active
LangenhagenLower Saxony
National rules apply
Active
LeverkusenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
LingenLower Saxony
National rules apply
Active
LippstadtNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
LudwigsburgBaden-Württemberg
National rules apply
Active
Ludwigshafen am RheinRheinland-Pfalz
National rules apply
Active
LübeckSchleswig-Holstein
National rules apply
Active
LüdenscheidNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
LünenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
MagdeburgSaxony-Anhalt
National rules apply
Active
Marl
National rules apply
Active
MeerbuschNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
MendenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
Minden
National rules apply
Active
MoersNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
MönchengladbachNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
Mülheim
National rules apply
Active
Germany (nationwide)
There is no single German STR permit
Active
Neu-UlmBavaria
National rules apply
Active
NeubrandenburgMecklenburg-Vorpommern
National rules apply
Active
Neue NeustadtSaxony-Anhalt
National rules apply
Active
NeumünsterSchleswig-Holstein
National rules apply
Active
NeussNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
Neustadt an der WeinstraßeRheinland-Pfalz
National rules apply
Active
NeuwiedRheinland-Pfalz
National rules apply
Active
NorderstedtSchleswig-Holstein
National rules apply
Active
NordhornLower Saxony
National rules apply
Active
Oberhausen
National rules apply
Active
OffenbachHesse
National rules apply
Active
OffenburgBaden-Württemberg
National rules apply
Active
OldenburgLower Saxony
National rules apply
Active
OsnabrückLower Saxony
National rules apply
Active
PaderbornNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
PassauBavaria
National rules apply
Active
PforzheimBaden-Württemberg
National rules apply
Active
PlauenSaxony
National rules apply
Active
PulheimNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
RatingenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
RecklinghausenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
RemscheidNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
ReutlingenBaden-Württemberg
National rules apply
Active
RheineNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
RheinhausenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
Rosenheim
National rules apply
Active
RostockMecklenburg-Vorpommern
National rules apply
Active
Rüsselsheim am MainHesse
National rules apply
Active
SaarbrückenSaarland
National rules apply
Active
SalzgitterLower Saxony
National rules apply
Active
Sankt AugustinNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
SchweinfurtBavaria
National rules apply
Active
Schwerin
National rules apply
Active
SchwerteNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
Schwäbisch GmündBaden-Württemberg
National rules apply
Active
SiegenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
SindelfingenBaden-Württemberg
National rules apply
Active
SolingenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
Stolberg
National rules apply
Active
StralsundMecklenburg-Vorpommern
National rules apply
Active
TroisdorfNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
UlmBaden-Württemberg
National rules apply
Active
Universitäts- und Hansestadt GreifswaldMecklenburg-Vorpommern
National rules apply
Active
UnnaNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
VelbertNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
ViersenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
Villingen-SchwenningenBaden-Württemberg
National rules apply
Active
WaiblingenBaden-Württemberg
National rules apply
Active
WattenscheidNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
WeimarThuringia
National rules apply
Active
WeselNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
WetzlarHesse
National rules apply
Active
WiesbadenHesse
National rules apply
Active
WilhelmshavenLower Saxony
National rules apply
Active
WillichNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
WittenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
WolfenbüttelLower Saxony
National rules apply
Active
WolfsburgLower Saxony
National rules apply
Active
WormsRheinland-Pfalz
National rules apply
Active
WuppertalNorth Rhine-Westphalia
National rules apply
Active
WürzburgBavaria
No Würzburg-specific short-term rental rule was found
Active
ZwickauSaxony
National rules apply
Active

LawfulStay.com: short-term rental rules for 5,118 places, each traced to its official source. Browse all 5,118 places →  ·  How we research  ·  For governments  ·  Press  ·  Trust badge

Translations are for convenience; the official source text governs.