Croatia introducing mandatory registration numbers for all holiday rentals

From June next year, every holiday rental unit in Croatia will be required to have its own unique registration number, a measure introduced under new European Union regulations aimed at reducing illegal accommodation and improving transparency in the short-term rental market.

The number will act as a kind of personal identification code for each property, similar to an OIB but for accommodation units.

Obtaining it will be free of charge.

According to Lorena John, president of the Family Accommodation Association of Istria County, the move is not intended as an additional burden on legal renters but rather a tool for tightening oversight.

“There is no talk of major shocks for legal renters, but of greater control on the market and a reduction of the grey zone and all those operating illegally,” she told HRT.

Stricter oversight on platforms

Popular platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.com have long been criticised for listing apartments that are not properly categorised or whose owners do not pay the required taxes. Under the new rules, that should become far more difficult.

“It should all be aligned with the platforms. If there is no registration number, then the property is not compliant with the law and it will not be possible to advertise it,” said Milovan Popović, director of the Umag Tourist Board.

Rental owners will be informed in advance and guided through the process of obtaining their registration numbers. While local tourist boards welcome the new EU regulation, many believe it will address only part of the problem.

“Of course we welcome it, and it will certainly resolve part of the grey-zone rentals. However, without more detailed inspections and stricter fines, we unfortunately won’t solve the issue entirely,” Popović added.

The long-standing challenge of undeclared rentals

Umag, for example, faces significant challenges with so-called “non-commercial accommodation” – holiday flats and cottages regularly hosting tourists without reporting them. According to local officials, there are around 20,000 such beds in the area.

“There are listings on foreign platforms and social media. We even know which petrol stations they use to exchange keys on changeover days,” Popović noted.

Social media remains a particular challenge.

“We still don’t have a smart solution for social networks. We hope something will emerge soon because we know these channels exist and are currently almost impossible to suppress or control,” said John.

Tourist boards gaining more authority

Another change in the new law gives local tourist boards the power to initiate enforcement procedures against owners who avoid paying the mandatory tourist tax. Until now, this required state-level intervention. The ability to launch their own collection processes is expected to speed up enforcement and reduce unpaid obligations.