Did you know that one in two property owners in Northern France (Hauts-de-France) is unaware of their legal obligations regarding short-term rentals? What used to be a simple administrative formality has now become a strictly regulated legal requirement. Listing your property on platforms like Airbnb, Booking, or Abritel without a prior declaration can expose you to heavy financial penalties.

Whether you rent an apartment in Old Lille, a villa in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, or a cottage in the Somme Bay, here is the complete guide to completing your Airbnb city hall registration and understanding the rules of change of use for short-term rentals in our region.

Who is concerned by the city hall declaration?

In France, and specifically in the Hauts-de-France region, the basic rule is clear: all tourist rentals (meublés de tourisme) must be declared to the local city hall (mairie).

Whether you own a studio, a country house, or a beachfront villa, as soon as you offer this property to transient clients for short stays (by the night, week, or month), you are concerned.

However, depending on your property's status (primary or secondary residence) and the specific rules voted by your municipality (such as the city of Lille), the administrative steps differ.

Primary vs Secondary Residence: comparative table

Here are the key rules to understand your obligations based on the type of housing you are renting out:

Feature	Primary Residence	Secondary Residence
Definition	Occupied at least 8 months a year	Occupied less than 4 months a year
Rental limit	Maximum 120 days per year	No limit (365 days per year)
City Hall declaration	Mandatory in municipalities requiring registration numbers (e.g., Lille)	Mandatory from day one (everywhere in France)
Change of Use	Not required	Mandatory depending on the city (e.g., Lille, Le Touquet...)

Primary Residence: the 120-day rule and registration number

If you rent out your own home (primary residence), you benefit from more flexible but structured rules:

The annual limit: You cannot rent it for more than 120 days per year. If you exceed this limit without a legitimate reason (illness, professional obligation), you risk a civil fine of up to €10,000.
Mandatory registration number: In Northern France, cities like Lille require a 13-digit registration number when declaring your Airbnb at the city hall. This number must be displayed on all online listings; otherwise, your listing will be blocked, or you could face a €5,000 fine.

Secondary Residence: the change of use process

Renting out a secondary residence for short-term stays is more complex. The law aims to prevent tourist accommodations from reducing the traditional rental housing supply for local residents.

1. Mandatory prior declaration

Unlike a primary residence, you must declare your secondary residence as a tourist rental from the very first day of rental, regardless of the number of nights sold during the year.

2. Change of use for short-term rental

This is the critical step. In high-demand zones and major cities in Hauts-de-France, you must obtain a change of use authorization for short-term rentals from your municipality's urban planning office before declaring your rental.

In Lille, municipal regulations subject change of use to strict rules, requiring mandatory housing compensation in certain sectors. Renting without this authorization exposes you to a civil fine of up to €50,000 per property.

How to declare in 15 minutes?

In most major cities in Northern France (Lille, Amiens, Tourcoing, Roubaix, Calais, etc.), the procedure is entirely online:

Check the local platform: Many municipalities in the region use the national portal Declaloc or a dedicated online service on their city hall's website.
Fill out the online form: This is the digital equivalent of the Cerfa form n°14004. You will enter the property's address, its category (classified tourist rental or not), the number of rooms, the number of beds, and whether it is your primary or secondary residence.
Get your registration number: If your city requires it, the system will instantly issue a 13-digit number.
Update your listings: Enter this number in the host dashboard of your booking platforms (Airbnb, Booking, VRBO).

What are the penalties for non-compliance?

City halls in major Hauts-de-France municipalities now have dedicated inspection teams checking online platforms against city declaration registers.

Lack of registration number or false declaration: Up to €5,000 fine.
Failure to comply with the 120-day limit: Up to €10,000 fine.
Lack of authorized change of use: Up to €50,000 fine and daily financial penalties.

Simplify your rental management with Welqo

Complying with Airbnb regulations in Hauts-de-France might seem tedious, but it is an essential step to rent with peace of mind. At Welqo, we assist owners with all administrative steps, from obtaining the registration number to the complete management of your tourist rental.

Discover our Airbnb concierge services in Lille →

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Airbnb City Hall Declaration & Change of Use: The Complete Guide