Mexico Airbnb & Short-Term Rental Regulations 2026
LawfulStay tracks short-term rental (STR / Airbnb / Vrbo / holiday let / vacation rental) regulations for 12 cities and regions in Mexico. Select a location below for current permit requirements, tax obligations, and compliance details.
Mexico at a glance
- Places tracked
- 12 places: 8 active, 3 conditional, 1 restricted
- Licence or registration
- Required in 6 of 11 places
- Tax on stays
- Applies in all 11 places
- National law
- Nationwide: federal VAT and income-tax withholding by platforms (SAT regime since 2020). National rules ›
Mexico short-term rental questions
Are short-term rentals legal in Mexico?
In all 12 places we track in Mexico, short-term rentals are allowed, 4 of them with permit conditions or limits.
Do I need a licence for a short-term rental in Mexico?
6 of 11 places we track in Mexico require a licence, permit or registration. Check your city's page for its rules.
Is there a national short-term rental law in Mexico?
Nationwide: federal VAT and income-tax withholding by platforms (SAT regime since 2020).
Which places in Mexico have the strictest rules?
On our records: Oaxaca City.
Regions in Mexico
Mexico Airbnb & Vacation Rental Regulation Overview
The short-term rental regulatory landscape in Mexico encompasses 12 tracked jurisdictions: 8 with active regulations, 3 where rentals are allowed with conditions, 1 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.
6 of 12 tracked jurisdictions in Mexico 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 12 of 12 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.
LawfulStay monitors Mexico 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.