In short (September 2026): in Nice, you can let your main residence as a holiday let (meublé de tourisme) for up to 120 days a year without a change-of-use authorisation. A second home needs a change-of-use authorisation from the very first night, and that authorisation now lasts 5 years. In four areas, no more than 691 authorisations will be granted for 2026, with applications made online from 1 September to 31 December 2026.
Updated 24 September 2026. This article replaces our two earlier articles on Nice. The 90-day cap announced in early 2026 no longer applies: on 22 June 2026, the Metropolitan Council adopted a new regulation (deliberation no. 2.1) that restores the 120-day limit. Source: Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur.
Nice is still one of the most tightly regulated French cities for short-term lets. But the rules have changed twice in a few months: tightened on 1 January 2026, then relaxed in June by the new city administration. Here are the current rules, what they mean for your property and the dates to keep in mind so you do not lose a season.
What changed in 2026
The metropolitan regulation in force from 1 January 2026 had cut the cap for main residences to 90 days and limited the change-of-use authorisation to 3 years. Éric Ciotti's administration, elected in March 2026, then voted through a new, more flexible regulation on 22 June 2026:
| Rule | Early 2026 | Since June 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Main residence | 90 days a year | 120 days a year |
| Change-of-use authorisation | 3 years | 5 years |
| Permits in quota zones | 671 a year | 691 for 2026 |
| Applications in quota zones | February | 1 September to 31 December 2026 |
If you have read elsewhere, or on our own site, that the limit in Nice is 90 days, that information dates from the first half of 2026 and is now out of date.
Main residence: 120 days a year
Your main residence is the home you live in for at least eight months of the year. In Nice, you can let it while you are away for up to 120 days a year in total, without applying for change of use. Beyond that, the property is treated as changing its use and you need the authorisation.
Even under the cap, three obligations still apply:
- Register the property as a holiday let and get a registration number;
- Show that number on all your listings (Airbnb, Booking, Abritel);
- Collect the tourist tax (taxe de séjour), usually through the platform.
120 days is four months of letting. In practice, that covers the summer, the big events (the Carnival, conferences, the nearby Monaco Grand Prix) and a few weekends: the best-paid periods of the year.
Second home: authorisation from the first night, valid for 5 years
For a second home, a buy-to-let or an inherited property, you need a change-of-use authorisation in advance, before the first booking, however few nights you let. This authorisation is now granted for 5 years, up from 3.
The property must meet three conditions:
- an energy performance certificate (DPE) rated A to E (poorly insulated F and G properties are excluded);
- it must meet decent housing standards (logement décent);
- it must comply with the building's co-ownership rules (règlement de copropriété), which you confirm in a signed declaration.
If you need more than one authorisation, or want to let long term, there are two routes: compensation (converting premises with another use into housing, or buying compensation rights) and mixed letting, explained below.
Quota zones: 691 authorisations for 2026
Four areas of Nice are subject to quotas: Vieux-Nice (Old Town), Riquier, Port and Mont Boron, Centre-Ville and Ouest. In all, no more than 691 authorisations will be granted for 2026 across these four zones.
Applications are dealt with on a first-come, first-served basis, and only if they are complete and eligible, so applying early makes all the difference. Renewals, mixed letting and applications with compensation fall outside the quotas and can be made all year round.
Key dates for 2026
- 22 June 2026: the Metropolitan Council adopts the new regulation.
- 1 September to 31 December 2026: applications for quota zones, online only at changementdusage.fr/nice.
- 2027: the permanent regime comes into force. Plan ahead now to secure your 2027 season.
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How to apply, step by step
- Check you are eligible: DPE rated A to E, decent housing, co-ownership rules, and whether you are in a quota zone.
- Gather your documents: DPE, title deed, latest tax notice, ID, signed declaration on the co-ownership rules and proof of your tax household's residence.
- Apply online on the Métropole's portal (contact: changement.usage@ville-nice.fr).
- Once you have the authorisation, register the property, get your registration number and show it on every listing.
Our owners often hand this application over to us: a single missing document can cost you your place in the queue, and a whole season. If you would like help, tell us about your property.
Mixed letting: students in winter, holidaymakers in summer
Mixed letting combines a longer let (a student lease, or a bail mobilité, the French furnished mobility lease of 1 to 10 months) for most of the year with holiday letting in summer. It needs a temporary change-of-use authorisation, but it does not count towards the quotas, which often makes it the safest option for a second home in Vieux-Nice or the city centre. We offer it by combining our student letting on a mobility lease (from 8% excl. VAT) with holiday letting in summer (from 20% excl. VAT). Full details are on our holiday rental management prices page.
Penalties
Letting a second home without authorisation can lead to a civil fine of up to €50,000 per property, an order to restore the property to residential use with daily penalties and, in the most serious cases, criminal prosecution (fines of up to €80,000). Going over 120 days for a main residence, not registering the property or not showing the registration number are also penalised. The platforms share their data with the Métropole and block non-compliant listings.
What about the tourist tax?
It applies in every case, to main residences and second homes alike. Airbnb and Booking usually collect it for you, but you remain responsible for it. Our article on the tourist tax in Nice, Cannes and Antibes covers the rates and returns.
Is letting in Nice still worth it?
Yes. The new rules are friendlier to owners than they were at the start of the year. In summer 2026, the Nice apartments we managed all season were occupied around 80% of nights (internal figures, June to August 2026). The right approach depends on your situation: 120 days for a main residence, a 5-year authorisation for a second home, or mixed letting in a quota zone.
To estimate what your apartment could earn, try our income simulator. To hand everything over, paperwork included, see our Airbnb management in Nice. For the national formalities (declaration and registration), read our 2026 guide to holiday let rules.
Information correct as at 24 September 2026, for guidance only. Regulations change: check the rules that apply to your property with the Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur before you let it.
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