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Bonaire

caribbean · Caribbean
Restricted
Last updated: 2026-07-25  ·  Last verified: 2026-07-25  ·  Region: International

At a Glance — Bonaire Airbnb & STR Rules

RuleDetails
Regulatory StatusRestricted — rules apply
Permit / License RequiredNo formal island-wide STR license system is currently in place; BONHATA (Bonaire Hotel and Tourism Association) has publicly advocated for a mandatory
Tax RateVisitor Entry Tax: flat USD $75 per adult visitor per trip (not a percentage of rental revenue). The prior per-night room tax of $5.50/person/night an
Night / Day Cap90 days — Short-stay rentals are defined as rentals of up to 90 days. Rentals of 3 months (approximately 90 days) or longer are generally permitted is
Minimum StayUnknown — No minimum stay floor is specified in the ROB or in publicly available OLB ordinances. The key threshold is the 90-day maximum for what cons
Permit FeeVisitor Entry Tax (Toeristenbelasting): USD $75 per adult visitor per trip (ages 13+); USD $10 for children up to age 12 and residents of former Nethe
PenaltiesPenalty payment orders (dwangsombeschikkingen) are issued by the OLB's Supervision and Enforcement Directorate for illegal STR operation in residentia
Primary Residence RequiredNo explicit primary-residence requirement in current law; however, STR is restricted to specific zoning designations — it is not limited to owner-occu
Occupancy LimitUnknown — No specific island-wide occupancy cap per STR unit has been publicly legislated; standard safety norms apply.
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Bonaire Airbnb & Vacation Rental Regulation Overview

Bonaire Short-Term Rental Regulations Overview

Short-term rentals in Bonaire, caribbean are allowed but subject to significant restrictions under local regulations as of 2026. Hosts operating on Airbnb, VRBO, or other vacation rental platforms must obtain proper licensing: No formal island-wide STR license system is currently in place; BONHATA (Bonaire Hotel and Tourism Association) has publicly advocated for a mandatory registration obligation for all hosts listing on . The associated permit fees are Visitor Entry Tax (Toeristenbelasting): USD $75 per adult visitor per trip (ages 13+); USD $10 for c.

Tax Requirements for Airbnb Hosts in Bonaire

Short-term rental operators in Bonaire should be aware of these tax obligations: Visitor Entry Tax: flat USD $75 per adult visitor per trip (not a percentage of rental revenue). The prior per-night room tax of $5.50/person/night and the $4/day car rental tax were abolished when the Visitor Entry Tax was introduced on 1 July 2022.. Yes — Hosts/operators are expected to comply with applicable tax obligations. The island-wide Visitor Entry Tax (Toeristenbelasting) replaced the form.

Hosting Rules and Restrictions in Bonaire

Key operational rules for vacation rental hosts in Bonaire include: Primary residence requirement: No explicit primary-residence requirement in current law; however, STR is restricted to specific zoning designations — i. Rental day cap: 90 days — Short-stay rentals are defined as rentals of up to 90 days. Rentals of 3 months (approximately 90 days) or lon. Occupancy limit: Unknown — No specific island-wide occupancy cap per STR unit has been publicly legislated; standard safety norms apply.. Minimum stay: Unknown — No minimum stay floor is specified in the ROB or in publicly available OLB ordinances. The key threshold is th.

Zoning and Location Requirements in Bonaire

Zoning considerations for short-term rentals in Bonaire: Strict zoning-based restrictions apply under the Bonaire Spatial Development Plan (Ruimtelijk Ontwikkelingsplan Bonaire — ROB). Short-term rentals (under 90 days) are ONLY permitted in areas designate. Density rules: Unknown — No specific cap on the number of STR units per building or neighborhood has been publicly enacted, but the Preparation Decision (Voorbereidi. Insurance: Unknown — No specific STR liability insurance mandate has been publicly identified in OLB ordinances.

Penalties for Non-Compliance in Bonaire

Hosts who fail to comply with Bonaire's short-term rental regulations may face enforcement action. Penalty payment orders (dwangsombeschikkingen) are issued by the OLB's Supervision and Enforcement Directorate for illegal STR operation in residential zones. Specific fine amounts are not publicly sp.

Platform Obligations in Bonaire

Platform obligations for services like Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com operating in Bonaire: No formal platform-level compliance law has been enacted for Bonaire as of July 2026. BONHATA has called for a registration obligation that would require platforms to verify and display registration n.

Full Regulatory Details

Regulatory Status
Restricted
License / Registration
No formal island-wide STR license system is currently in place; BONHATA (Bonaire Hotel and Tourism Association) has publicly advocated for a mandatory registration obligation for all hosts listing on platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo, but as of July 2026 no such island-wide registry has been legislatively enacted. Properties must be in a zoning-permitted area to operate legally.
Tax Registration
Yes — Hosts/operators are expected to comply with applicable tax obligations. The island-wide Visitor Entry Tax (Toeristenbelasting) replaced the former per-night room tax (logeergastenbelasting) effective 1 July 2022. The tax is collected directly from visitors upon entry (not per-night via accommodation), collected at the airport or paid online in advance at tourismtax.bonairegov.com. STR operators must ensure guests have paid this tax. Additional income/turnover tax obligations under Dutch Caribbean (BES) tax law may also apply.
Permit Fee
Visitor Entry Tax (Toeristenbelasting): USD $75 per adult visitor per trip (ages 13+); USD $10 for children up to age 12 and residents of former Netherlands Antilles islands; cruise passengers pay USD $10 per person (collected by the cruise line). Effective 1 July 2022; minor amendments took effect 1 July 2024. No separate per-night accommodation tax currently charged at property level.
Primary Residence Rule
No explicit primary-residence requirement in current law; however, STR is restricted to specific zoning designations — it is not limited to owner-occupied homes per se, but properties in residential zones (Woongebied 1, 2, and 3) cannot obtain STR permission regardless of ownership status.
Night / Day Cap
90 days — Short-stay rentals are defined as rentals of up to 90 days. Rentals of 3 months (approximately 90 days) or longer are generally permitted island-wide. Rentals under 90 days are only permitted in designated zoning areas.
Occupancy Limit
Unknown — No specific island-wide occupancy cap per STR unit has been publicly legislated; standard safety norms apply.
Tax Rate
Visitor Entry Tax: flat USD $75 per adult visitor per trip (not a percentage of rental revenue). The prior per-night room tax of $5.50/person/night and the $4/day car rental tax were abolished when the Visitor Entry Tax was introduced on 1 July 2022. Income/profit tax obligations under BES tax law apply separately.
Zoning Restrictions
Strict zoning-based restrictions apply under the Bonaire Spatial Development Plan (Ruimtelijk Ontwikkelingsplan Bonaire — ROB). Short-term rentals (under 90 days) are ONLY permitted in areas designated as: Recreation-Stay Recreation (Recreatie-Verblijfsrecreatie), Mixed-I (Gemengd-I), Mixed-IV (Gemengd-IV), Mixed-VI (Gemengd-VI), Mixed-To be developed I (Gemengd-Uit te werken 1), and Center zone (Centrum) for hotels/recreational homes with pre-2022 use. STR is banned in Residential Areas 1, 2, and 3 (Woongebied 1, 2, 3). No exemption or waiver process exists for residential zone properties. Since March 2024, the Public Body Bonaire (OLB) has been actively enforcing this ban, with initial enforcement focused on the La Palma and Sabal Palm neighborhoods.
Minimum Stay
Unknown — No minimum stay floor is specified in the ROB or in publicly available OLB ordinances. The key threshold is the 90-day maximum for what constitutes a 'short stay.'
Density Rules
Unknown — No specific cap on the number of STR units per building or neighborhood has been publicly enacted, but the Preparation Decision (Voorbereidingsbesluit, VBB 2021) of 2 December 2021 halted new applications for second-home or residential-recreational use developments island-wide to prevent further STR expansion into residential stock.
Insurance Required
Unknown — No specific STR liability insurance mandate has been publicly identified in OLB ordinances as of July 2026.
Platform Obligations
No formal platform-level compliance law has been enacted for Bonaire as of July 2026. BONHATA has called for a registration obligation that would require platforms to verify and display registration numbers, but this has not been legislated. Platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com) continue to operate STR listings on the island without mandatory compliance checks.
Compliance Notes
Enforcement has been active since March 2024, with the OLB Supervision and Enforcement Directorate issuing penalty payment orders (dwangsombeschikkingen) and threatening letters to STR operators in prohibited residential zones. A landmark court ruling on 19 December 2024 by the Court of First Instance of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba introduced an important nuance: the short-term rental ban in residential areas does not apply to stays for non-recreational purposes (e.g., work-related stays such as visiting medical professionals). The Island Council agreed in December 2024 to further elaborate a new housing ordinance to tighten restrictions. The OLB is also considering a housing permit instrument for the rental market. Only approximately 4% of STR listings on Bonaire appear to be formally licensed/registered as of 2026 data.
Effective Date
Zoning-based STR ban in residential areas: Bonaire Spatial Development Plan (ROB) — in force; strictly enforced since March 2024. Visitor Entry Tax: 1 July 2022 (amended 1 July 2024). Preparation Decision (VBB 2021): 2 December 2021.
Key Notes
Bonaire is a special municipality ('openbaar lichaam') of the Netherlands, governed by the Public Body Bonaire (OLB / Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire). STR is legally permitted only in designated tourism/mixed-use zoning areas. The residential STR ban is driven by concerns over housing affordability and rising property prices due to investor interest. The island uses a flat-fee Visitor Entry Tax instead of a percentage-based accommodation tax, which minimizes per-night administrative burden on STR operators but represents a significant cost to guests ($75/trip). The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) has cited Bonaire's flat per-visitor entry fee as a model for capturing tourism revenue with minimal complexity.
Penalties
Penalty payment orders (dwangsombeschikkingen) are issued by the OLB's Supervision and Enforcement Directorate for illegal STR operation in residential zones. Specific fine amounts are not publicly specified in available sources, but landlords have described receiving 'hefty fines.' The OLB has stated it remains committed to strict enforcement.
Additional Context
The STR market on Bonaire is significant relative to the island's size, with the island being a popular diving destination. BONHATA has highlighted that unregistered STR operators create unfair competition with licensed hotels and cause loss of tax revenue. The OLB is in the process of revising the ROB, the building ordinance, and the housing ordinance to further protect the local housing stock from investor-driven STR conversion. A December 2024 court ruling carved out an exception for non-recreational short stays (e.g., work-related). Ongoing legal uncertainty means the regulatory landscape is actively evolving as of mid-2026.
Sources
https://www.bonairegov.com
Harbourtown Bonaire Real Estate (harbourtownbonaire.com, Oct 2024)
Wildeman Legal & Mediation (wildemanlegal.com, Jan 2025)
BES Reporter (bes-reporter.com, Jun 2025)
Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire official tourism tax portal (tourismtax.bonairegov.com / bonairegov.com)
InfoBonaire housing ordinance article (infobonaire.com, Jan 2025)
Bonaire Realty blog (bonairerealty.com, Jun 2024)
AirROI Bonaire STR market report (airroi.com, Apr 2026)
Caribbean Journal / CHTA STR Framework (caribjournal.com, May 2026)
BONHATA registration call (xpbonaire.com, Feb 2022)
SunwiseBonaire zoning enforcement blog (sunwisebonaire.com, Apr 2024)
📋 Apply / Register with the Official Authority

Apply for your STR permit or registration directly through the official government portal.

Official Source ↗

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Airbnb legal in Bonaire?

Airbnb and short-term rentals are legal in Bonaire but subject to restrictions. Hosts must comply with local permit requirements and zoning rules. Enforcement has been active since March 2024, with the OLB Supervision and Enforcement Directorate issuing penalty payment orders (dwangsombeschikkingen) and threatening letters to STR operators in pr

Do you need a permit for Airbnb in Bonaire?

Yes. Bonaire requires the following for short-term rental operation: No formal island-wide STR license system is currently in place; BONHATA (Bonaire Hotel and Tourism Association) has publicly advocated for a mandatory registration obligation for all hosts listing on platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo, but as of July 2026 no such island-wide registry ha.

What taxes apply to short-term rentals in Bonaire?

Short-term rental hosts in Bonaire are subject to the following tax obligations: Visitor Entry Tax: flat USD $75 per adult visitor per trip (not a percentage of rental revenue). The prior per-night room tax of $5.50/person/night and the $4/day car rental tax were abolished when the Visitor Entry Tax was introduced on 1 July 2022. Income/profit tax obligations under BES tax law a.

What are the penalties for illegal Airbnb hosting in Bonaire?

Hosts who operate without proper permits in Bonaire may face enforcement. Penalty payment orders (dwangsombeschikkingen) are issued by the OLB's Supervision and Enforcement Directorate for illegal STR operation in residential zones. Specific fine amounts are not publicly specified in available sources, but landlords have d.

What are the key STR compliance requirements in Bonaire?

Bonaire is a special municipality ('openbaar lichaam') of the Netherlands, governed by the Public Body Bonaire (OLB / Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire). STR is legally permitted only in designated tourism/mixed-use zoning areas. The residential STR ban is driven by concerns over housing affordability and rising property prices due to investor interest. The island uses a flat-fee Visitor Entry Tax instead

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