If you host on Airbnb, Booking.com or Vrbo anywhere in the Republic of Ireland, there's a new register you need to know about. This is the plain version — what's changing, who it applies to, and what to actually do. If you want our fuller take on the policy itself, including why we think it's been badly designed for towns like Drogheda, that's a separate piece.
The short version
Fáilte Ireland's Short-Term Letting Register opens for registration on 1 December 2026. Every property let short-term (up to 21 nights at a time) on a platform like Airbnb, Booking.com or Vrbo needs to be registered and carry a visible registration number by 31 December 2026, or risk being delisted.
Does this apply to me?
This applies to properties in the Republic of Ireland. If you're hosting in Northern Ireland (including Co. Down), this specific register doesn't apply to you — Northern Ireland runs its own separate system through Tourism NI.
The two things that actually matter
You, the property owner, register directly with Fáilte Ireland — this can't be done on your behalf by a management company, though we can help prepare everything you need. Once registered, your number needs to be displayed on every listing.
If the property you're letting isn't your principal private residence, you'll generally need change-of-use planning permission to let it short-term. If it is your principal private residence and you're renting it out short-term for less than 90 days a year while you're away, you're normally exempt.
The population threshold that catches a lot of people out
Towns and cities with a population over 20,000 face a presumption of refusal for new short-term letting planning permission. This includes Drogheda, Dundalk and Navan here in our own operating area. Smaller towns and rural areas get more breathing room — typically a two-year runway to sort out compliance.
There's also a simplified route for properties with 7+ years of continuous, unchallenged short-term letting history — though the detailed regulations for this pathway are still being finalised, so if you think you qualify, it's worth gathering your proof of trading history now (Revenue records, platform booking history, anything dated) rather than waiting.
What to actually do, right now
- Check your town or area's population against the CSO's Built-Up Area figures — this single number determines which set of rules applies to you.
- If you're not on a principal-private-residence exemption, assume you need planning permission and start that conversation with your local authority now, not in November.
- Gather proof of how long you've been operating if you're near the 7-year mark.
- Watch for the register opening on 1 December 2026 and register early — don't leave it to the last week before the 31 December deadline.
If any of this feels like a lot to track on top of actually running a property, that's a normal reaction — and it's exactly the kind of thing we help managed owners work through as part of onboarding, alongside pricing, listings and guest management.
Curious what full management actually looks like? See what's included on our landlords page.