Airbnb regulations tighten in another Budapest district

Budapest's VIII. district is implementing stricter rules for short-term rentals, aligning with a broader trend of tightening regulations across the capital. This move follows a significant decision by the VI. district's representative body to completely prohibit short-term apartment rentals starting January 1, 2026. This decision was prompted by a local referendum where over six thousand residents participated.

Mayor Tamás Soproni of the VI. district emphasized that the goal of this change is to restore the residential character of the area. He stated that the tranquility of homes for Terézváros residents is more important than the revenue generated from short-term rentals. The regulations in the VI. district are currently the strictest in Hungary, and the newly announced measures in Józsefváros (VIII. district) could position it as the second strictest.

Nationally, regulations are also tightening. The government previously introduced a two-year moratorium on Airbnb-type rentals, meaning no new private accommodations can be registered within Budapest's administrative boundaries in 2025 and 2026. However, providers who submitted their accommodation quality application by December 31, 2024, can still obtain operating permits.

Furthermore, starting in 2025, the flat-rate tax for short-term rentals will significantly increase. In municipalities where the number of overnight stays in the second year preceding the current one exceeded two million, the annual tax per residential room will rise from the current 38,400 forints to 150,000 forints.

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The change's goal is for the district to regain its residential character, and the peace of their homes is more important for Terézváros residents than the revenue from short-term rentals.