Registration of Vacation Rentals

Following resolutions passed by the Metropolitan Council on December 20, 2017, and the City Council on December 18, 2017, the City of Lyon has decided to regulate the furnished short-term rental market in Lyon to ensure its development remains controlled and benefits everyone.
The decision adopted by the City of Lyon establishes an online service for registering furnished rental properties, which generates a registration number that must be included in rental listings. This regulation has been mandatory since April 2018.

Everything you need to know about registering a vacation rental in Lyon.

A new landscape

In a rapidly growing tourist city, visitors have access to an increasing number of furnished accommodations in the heart of the city, which are rented primarily through specialized online platforms. The rise of this rental model reflects changing travel trends and serves as a complement to traditional hotels.
View the interactive map of downtown Lyon

Today, the growing number of furnished units intended solely for short-term rentals is creating new challenges for local governments:

  • protect the housing market so that residents do not face difficulties finding housing
  • ensure fair competition between hoteliers and providers of furnished rentals
  • monitor compliance with the obligations of furnished rental property owners.

Rules to better regulate vacation rentals

In December 2017, the Metropolitan Council and the City Council of Lyon voted to regulate the market for furnished tourist accommodations in Lyon to ensure that its growth remains under control and benefits everyone.

By City Council Resolution No. 2017/3563 of December 18, 2017, the City of Lyon established the requirement for prior registration as provided for in Article L 324-1-1 of the Tourism Code.

These new provisions are intended to limit the conversion of “traditional” housing into short-term rental units. The aim is not to prohibit Lyon residents from occasionally renting out their homes, but rather to limit the commercialization of year-round rentals by multi-property owners or investors.

The City of Lyon has approved an amendment to the regulations governing short-term rentals of residential properties in the city center. These new regulations have been in effect since February 1, 2018.

The registration number, which must appear on rental listings, will be provided once the user has entered the details of their furnished rental unit into the portal designated for this purpose, as explained in “Procedures and Conditions” (below).

Rules to better regulate vacation rentals

The increase in the number of furnished apartments available for short-term rentals is putting pressure on the housing supply for year-round residents of Lyon. This applies to both rental and owner-occupied housing.

These new rules will help maintain a healthy balance. They also help create conditions for fairer competition with professionals in the hotel industry.Title: Procedures and ConditionsContent

A furnished vacation rental is a short-term rental option designed for temporary guests who do not take up permanent residence there.

In any case, you will need to apply for a registration number and report the tourist tax collected.

If you rent out your property for more than 120 days a year or if you rent out a property that is not your primary residence, you must own the property and you will also need to submit an application to change its designated use.

  • If the furnished apartment is located in the heart of Lyon:
    – If you are submitting this request as an individual:
    > For your first furnished rental unit of less than 60 square meters, the permit will be granted for a period of 9 years.
    > For your first furnished unit larger than 60 square meters or for a second furnished unit, authorization will only be granted if you offset this by converting a commercial space (office or business premises) into residential housing within the same district and in the city center.
  • If you are submitting this application as a legal entity, authorization will only be granted if you offset the request by converting a commercial space (office or business premises) into residential housing within the same district and in the city center.

In all cases, a declaration is required; however, taxes and permits may vary depending on the type of owner or tenant and the property’s location. A detailed chart clearly outlines each scenario: Detailed chart of scenarios for declaring a furnished tourist rental 158.85 KB

NB : Furnished rentals entered into in accordance with the law of July 6, 1989 (one-year lease or nine-month lease for students) are not subject to regulations governing furnished tourist accommodations. Therefore, they do not require any prior administrative procedures with the City of Lyon.

To complete this process, an online declaration form is available:

Access the form for the advance registration of a furnished vacation rental

This declaration allows you to immediately obtain a registration number, which must be included in your rental listings.TitleAdditional Authorizations

You want to:

rent out your primary residence as a short-term furnished rental for more than 120 days a year

or

rent out a property that is not your primary residence as a short-term furnished rental

or

rent out a property that is not intended for residential use as a short-term furnished rental

Please note that several additional steps are required regarding the change of use and planning permission.

Learn more about changing the use of a residence

In addition to these administrative procedures required by the Urban Planning Code, certain private-sector steps may be necessary:

  • In a building governed by condominium laws, obtain the approval of the condominium owners’ association.
  • If you live in a rental property, ask the landlord for permission.