Airbnb Rules in Villefranche-sur-Mer 2026: The Owner's Guide
Registration number, 120-day cap, and the 6-year non-renewable change-of-use permit: the Airbnb rules in Villefranche-sur-Mer in 2026, explained for owners.
To let a furnished tourist rental in Villefranche-sur-Mer in 2026, you first need a 13-character registration number from the town hall, and then two situations apply. A primary residence can be let without special authorisation for up to 120 days a year, while a second home needs a change-of-use permit, which for most individuals means a personal permit lasting 6 years, non-renewable. That last rule is what makes Airbnb regulation in Villefranche-sur-Mer unusual on the French Riviera, and it changes an investor's profitability maths. Here is what you need to know, point by point.
Information is correct at the date of publication and given as a guide. Short-term rental rules change quickly: always check with the town hall and the official sources listed at the end before publishing a listing.
Do you need a registration number to let in Villefranche-sur-Mer?
Yes, in every case. The commune introduced mandatory registration by council decision on 26 January 2024. It applies to primary and second homes, apartments and villas alike. The process is entirely online through the town's host portal and issues a 13-character number that must appear on every publicly visible listing from the first night, whether on Airbnb, Booking.com or your own booking site.
This number is separate from the one that comes with a change-of-use permit: two procedures, two identifiers. One more point to watch: the town hall states that the State takes over issuing these numbers from the fourth quarter of 2026, with a transition period for numbers already issued by the commune. If you are starting now, keep your paperwork and follow the switchover. The general logic is the same as in Nice; see our guide to the Airbnb registration number in Nice for the standard procedure.
How many days can you let a primary residence in Villefranche-sur-Mer?
120 days per calendar year, the national cap, for a home you occupy at least eight months a year. Within that limit no change-of-use permit is needed. Beyond it, the property stops being an occasionally let primary residence and the penalties of the Le Meur law can apply (civil fines of up to €15,000 for exceeding the cap). A useful detail from the town hall's guide: a single seasonal contract with the same person cannot exceed 90 consecutive days.
For an owner who lives in Villefranche and travels in summer, this is good news: July and August add up to roughly 60 days, well below the cap. We have run the numbers in renting out your house while on holiday on the French Riviera.
Second homes: how does change of use work in Villefranche-sur-Mer?
Since 1 July 2024, letting any property that is not your primary residence as a tourist rental requires prior authorisation, including for hosts already operating. The framework was adopted by the town (31 October 2023) and by Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur (11 December 2023). Two regimes coexist:
| Personal, temporary permit | Real, permanent permit | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can apply | Individuals | Individuals and companies (including SCIs) |
| Duration | 6 years, non-renewable | Attached to the property, no time limit |
| Compensation | None | Required: convert an equivalent non-residential space into housing |
| Transferable | No (personal, non-assignable) | Goes with the property |
| Limit | One per tax household | Depends on available compensation |
Source: Villefranche-sur-Mer change-of-use regulation (council decision of 31 October 2023, in force from 1 July 2024), Ville de Villefranche-sur-Mer.
Three practical consequences. First, once the six years are over, or if the permit is revoked early, no new temporary permit is granted to the same owner: compensation then becomes necessary, and it is costly. Second, companies and SCIs must compensate from the very first property. Third, the administration has two months to answer a complete file; silence means the permit is deemed granted. The application is filed online and the town hall's dedicated service can be reached by phone or e-mail (details in the sources). To understand how a file of this kind works, our article on change of use in Nice is a good starting point.
Six years, non-renewable: what does it mean for profitability?
It turns an open-ended investment into a project with a defined horizon, which you need to calculate as such. Take our reference example: a one-bedroom apartment of about 40 m² sleeping 4, recently renovated and carefully decorated, in a central part of Villefranche. As a guide, high-season nightly rates there run between €200 and €350, and annual revenue for a well-managed property is in the region of €25,000 to €40,000 depending on view and exposure.
| Indicator (central one-bed, Villefranche) | Indicative range |
|---|---|
| Annual revenue | ≈ €25,000 to €40,000 |
| Gross revenue over the 6-year window | ≈ €150,000 to €240,000 |
| Comparable long-term rent | ≈ €1,200 to €1,400/month excluding charges, i.e. ≈ €86,000 to €100,000 over 6 years |
Indicative ranges for the reference property (one-bed ≈ 40 m², sleeps 4, renovated, central) — BMG portfolio data and local observations, 2026; gross figures before costs, commission and tax.
The takeaway: the six-year window still compares very well with long-term letting, provided you plan the exit. When it ends you have three options: sell, switch to long-term or standard furnished letting, or acquire a compensation. Comparing the two models is the subject of our article on long-term vs short-term rental. An important reminder: the permit does not override co-ownership rules, and the town hall asks for a sworn statement that your building's rules do not prohibit tourist letting.
Tourist tax in Villefranche-sur-Mer: how much and when to file?
Villefranche falls under the Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur regime. For an unclassified rental the tax is proportional: 5% of the nightly rate excluding tax, per person, plus the 34% departmental surcharge (6.70% in effect), capped at €6.43 per person per night. A classified rental pays a fixed rate by star rating, an attractive lever covered in our guide to star-rating your furnished rental. Minors are exempt.
Returns are filed on the Métropole portal three times a year: stays from January to April are declared in May; May to August in September; September to December in January. For bookings through a platform that collects the tax, you enter the nights, attach the platform's summary and the amount due is €0; a period with no rentals still requires a €0 return. The full mechanism is explained in our tourist tax in Nice guide.
What are the penalties for breaking the rules?
| Breach | Maximum penalty |
|---|---|
| Letting without a registration number, or false declaration | Civil fine up to €10,000 |
| Exceeding 120 days for a primary residence | Civil fine up to €15,000 |
| Unauthorised change of use | Up to €50,000 per property, plus a penalty of up to €1,000 per day per m² |
| False declaration or false certificate to obtain a permit | Up to 1 year in prison and €80,000 |
Source: Villefranche-sur-Mer change-of-use regulation (art. 8), Construction and Housing Code (L. 651-2, L. 651-3) and the Le Meur law of 19 November 2024; statutory maximums, amounts set case by case by the court, October 2026.
Platforms now pass their data to local authorities, and a market as small as Villefranche is easy to monitor. It is far better to be compliant before the first night.
How BMG supports you in Villefranche-sur-Mer
In a market as rare as the Villefranche bay, compliance is not just another administrative burden: it is what protects a lasting income. At Be My Guest we prepare the registration file, handle the change-of-use application, file the tourist tax and follow regulatory changes for you. Find the details of our service and fees in our guide to property management in Villefranche-sur-Mer, and a taste of the destination in things to do in Villefranche-sur-Mer. Own a property in Villefranche-sur-Mer? Estimate your income and entrust it to us.
Official sources
- Ville de Villefranche-sur-Mer — Change of use (application dates, permit types, procedure, service contact)
- Villefranche-sur-Mer change-of-use regulation (6-year permit, compensation, deadlines, penalties)
- 2026 Owner's Guide to Tourist Rentals — Ville de Villefranche-sur-Mer (registration, 120-day cap, tourist-tax filing calendar)
- Online change-of-use application (forms and filing)
- Tourist tax portal — Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur (current rates, online filing)
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to register my Airbnb in Villefranche-sur-Mer?
Yes. Every furnished tourist rental in Villefranche-sur-Mer must obtain a 13-character registration number from the town hall, through an online service, before the first night. It applies to primary and second homes and must appear on every listing. It is separate from the number linked to any change-of-use permit. The town hall states that the State takes over issuing numbers from the fourth quarter of 2026, with a transition period.
How many days can I let my primary residence in Villefranche-sur-Mer?
The cap is 120 days per calendar year for a home occupied at least eight months a year. No change-of-use permit is needed within that limit. Exceeding it can lead to a civil fine of up to €15,000. Letting only during the summer holidays, about 60 days across July and August, stays comfortably under the cap.
Can I let a second home on Airbnb in Villefranche-sur-Mer?
Yes, with prior change-of-use authorisation, mandatory since 1 July 2024. An individual can obtain a personal 6-year, non-renewable permit with no compensation, limited to one per tax household. Beyond that, or for a company, compensation is required: converting an equivalent non-residential space into housing. The administration has two months to answer a complete file.
What happens after the six years?
The temporary permit ends and cannot be renewed: the same owner cannot obtain a second one. To keep letting short-term you would need a real permit with compensation. Otherwise the property can be sold, let long-term or let as a standard furnished rental. It is wise to build this deadline into your initial profitability calculation.
How much is the tourist tax in Villefranche-sur-Mer?
For an unclassified rental the tax is 5% of the nightly rate excluding tax, per person, plus the 34% departmental surcharge (6.70% in effect), capped at €6.43 per person per night. A classified rental pays a fixed rate by star rating. Returns are filed three times a year on the Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur portal, in May, September and January.
Can a property manager handle these procedures for me?
Yes. A serious local manager prepares the registration file, drafts the change-of-use application, files the tourist tax and tracks regulatory changes. At Be My Guest this support is included in our all-inclusive service from 20% of revenue, with no hidden fees, across the fifty or so properties we manage on the French Riviera.
