North Cyprus Prepares Law to Regulate Airbnb Rentals

North Cyprus has drafted a bill to regulate short-term housing rentals through platforms like Airbnb. The document has already been reviewed by a parliamentary committee and is now awaiting a vote in the plenary session.

According to the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, the new law aims to eliminate existing gaps in sector regulation. Authorities note that in recent years, short-term rentals have developed almost entirely outside the control system, complicating tax collection and monitoring of tourist flows.

The bill provides for mandatory registration of properties offered for short-term rental, along with disclosure of owner details and addresses. In addition, a reporting system will be introduced to track revenues. Special attention is given to safety, transaction transparency, and tenant rights protection.

Officials emphasize that in some cases, problems have arisen with double taxation when bookings were processed through Turkey or South Cyprus. The new law is intended to resolve these issues and establish unified rules for the market.

According to the draft, the regulations are scheduled to come into effect in 2026. Authorities expect the framework to make the short-term rental market more transparent, increase budget revenues, and strengthen oversight of the tourism sector.