Panama Airbnb & Short-Term Rental Regulations 2026
LawfulStay tracks short-term rental (STR / Airbnb / Vrbo / holiday let / vacation rental) regulations for 4 cities and regions in Panama. Select a location below for current permit requirements, tax obligations, and compliance details.
Panama at a glance
- Places tracked
- 4 places: 3 active, 1 restricted
- Licence or registration
- Required in 1 of 3 places
- Tax on stays
- Applies in all 3 places
- National law
- No national licence, cap or ban applies to short-term home rentals in Panama, except in the District of Panamá (Panama City), where stays under 45 days need an ATP permit. National rules ›
Panama short-term rental questions
Are short-term rentals legal in Panama?
In all 4 places we track in Panama, short-term rentals are allowed, 1 of them with permit conditions or limits.
Do I need a licence for a short-term rental in Panama?
1 of 3 places we track in Panama require a licence, permit or registration. Check your city's page for its rules.
Is there a national short-term rental law in Panama?
No national licence, cap or ban applies to short-term home rentals in Panama, except in the District of Panamá (Panama City), where stays under 45 days need an ATP permit.
Which places in Panama have the strictest rules?
On our records: Panama City.
Panama Airbnb & Vacation Rental Regulation Overview
The short-term rental regulatory landscape in Panama encompasses 4 tracked jurisdictions: 3 with active regulations, 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.
1 of 4 tracked jurisdictions in Panama requires 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 4 of 4 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 Panama 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.