New Regulations for Airbnb Hosts in the Czech Republic: Essential Registration with eTurista

The Czech government has approved an amendment introducing new obligations for accommodation services. This change will affect all organizations offering accommodation, including hotels, guesthouses, boarding houses, and those renting out properties via Airbnb.

These providers must register in the newly created eTurista system and report guest data to the authorities electronically. According to the Ministry of Regional Development (MRD), comparable obligations will also apply to accommodation providers operating through electronic trading platforms, similar to traditional hotels and hostels.

The aim of this amendment is to enhance transparency in the short-term accommodation sector and to regulate activities that currently operate in a grey area.

The government aims to enhance the transparency of Airbnb operations in the Czech Republic

A month ago, the Czech government approved an amendment to the Act on Certain Conditions for Conducting Business and Carrying Out Certain Activities in Tourism. This amendment regulates the conditions for providing accommodation services. 

While the new rules apply to all types of accommodation, one of the primary objectives is to bring Airbnb and other electronic platforms under regulatory control.

The legislation seeks to create a “transparent” business environment by establishing comparable obligations for accommodation providers operating through electronic marketplaces, similar to those that traditional hotels, hostels, and other facilities must fulfill. These obligations include maintaining records of guests, complying with ČSÚ requirements for information units, and paying local fees.

Since 2020, operators of online platforms have been required to disclose information about suppliers of tourist services (including hotels) when requested by state authorities. However, in practice, platforms often refuse to provide this information, even when faced with administrative fines.

Collecting these fines is challenging because most online platform operators are based abroad and do not have assets in the Czech Republic that could be seized, as noted in the explanatory note to the law.

Supporters of this amendment argue that the current situation creates an unequal playing field between traditional accommodation providers, who must adhere to numerous legal standards and undergo frequent inspections, and “new economy” operators, who often operate outside of state oversight and legal regulations.

New eTurista Register to Launch in the Czech Republic to Regulate Airbnb

The amendment introduces the creation of a register for accommodation facilities, short-term rental units, and guests, known as eTurista. All accommodation providers will need to re-register and obtain a registration number, which must be displayed with each accommodation listing. They will also be required to meet obligations set by specific legal regulations.

Additionally, accommodation providers will be able to use this register to notify authorities about the start and end of their rental activities (for those operating under the Trade Act).

According to reports, the total cost for establishing and maintaining the eTurista system over five years is estimated to be CZK 92.3 million. The most significant expense will be integrating it with existing public administration systems. Funding will be provided by the Ministry of Finance, and eTurista is part of the National Recovery Plan, which allocates CZK 30 million from the EU budget for the project.

This initiative aims to enhance oversight of short-term rentals and ensure compliance among all accommodation providers in the Czech Republic.

What Information Do You Need to Provide About Yourself and Your Accommodation?

When registering as an accommodation provider, you will need to provide the address of your apartment, hotel, or short-term rental.

• If the property is located in an apartment building, you must also include the apartment number. If the apartment does not have a number, provide a detailed description of its location (for example, “second floor, left of the stairs”). 
• Additionally, you will need to indicate the date from which you plan to start accommodating guests.

For Airbnb hosts, the rental activity is considered to begin on the day the first listing is posted on the platform.

If you fail to register your apartment or only register after starting your rental activity, this will be deemed an offense. The relevant state authority responsible for the location of the accommodation will determine any penalties, as noted in the explanatory document.

Accommodation providers must also report if they decide to stop renting out their property. Furthermore, you will need to provide personal information, including your contact details and identification number.

What Information Will You Need to Report About Your Guests?

The amendment stipulates that accommodation providers, whether individuals or legal entities, will be required to conduct electronic registration and maintain electronic records of their guests.

Accommodation providers must report the following information about their guests:

• First and last name
• Date of birth
• Document number
• Dates of stay
• Purpose of stay

Additionally, providers must indicate whether a local fee has been collected and, if so, the amount.

All guest information must be submitted within 24 hours of check-in.

Alignment with European Directives

According to the Ministry, the primary objectives of the proposed amendment are to reduce the administrative burden on entrepreneurs and to create a tool for managing local accommodation taxes. The proposal also aims to establish conditions for adapting to the recently prepared regulation on short-term accommodation, which requires that at least the initial contact between the accommodation provider and the guest occurs through platforms like Airbnb.

The purpose of the European regulation is to enable Member States to require online platforms that facilitate contact between short-term accommodation providers and customers to transmit data about those offering their services.

Furthermore, goverments will be able to mandate that platforms only advertise accommodations that meet registration requirements and have been assigned a unique registration number for each property.

If the amendment successfully passes through the legislative process, it is expected to take effect in mid-July 2025. The provisions related to the new European regulation will come into force on May 20, 2026.

https://www.podnikatel.cz/clanky/ubytovavate-v-hotelu-nebo-pres-airbnb-budete-se-muset-registrovat-do-eturisty