Warsaw to Create Banned Zones for Short Rentals

17 June 2026 Poland Radar 0 Comments

Poland plans a short-term rental ban Warsaw with a national register and local no-rent zones; this will affect hosts and city housing supply.

A proposed short-term rental ban Warsaw would create forbidden zones where no holiday lets can operate. Consequently, the draft law also creates a central register and stiff fines for non-compliance.

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What the bill changes for hosts and platforms

The government introduced project UC135 to define short-term rental as stays under 30 days. Moreover, the law forces all hosts to register in a new national database called CWTON. Therefore platforms like Airbnb and Booking must show an ID number in every listing. As a result, anonymous offers will drop. In addition, hosts must submit a house rule and declare compliance with fire and sanitary rules. Finally, officials can fine missing or false records up to 50,000 PLN and ban re-registration for a year.

short-term rental ban Warsaw: local councils gain new powers

The most dramatic change lets municipal councils draw up no-rent zones. Thus a city council could block tourist lets in a building, a block, or even a whole neighborhood. Moreover, the move mirrors policies in Barcelona and Lisbon. However, Poland has not yet seen mass touristification on that scale. Nevertheless, Warsaw faces pressure. Researchers found almost 10,000 short-term offers in the city in 2024. Consequently, central neighborhoods now lose flats for long-term residents.

Safety rules, thresholds and what landlords must check

The bill sets a hard limit of six tourist units per residential building for relaxed fire rules. If a building contains more than six units, authorities will demand full hotel-grade fire safety. Therefore many apartment blocks could become ineligible for short lets. In addition, the draft defines a business threshold. Accordingly, owners must register as tourism entrepreneurs if monthly rental income exceeds about 3,500 PLN. Moreover, EU rules now require platforms to verify registration numbers, so Poland must act fast to comply.

For Warsaw, the stakes are high. The market concentrates near the city center. Consequently, 75 percent of offers sit within 5 km of Centrum metro. Furthermore, a handful of management companies run most listings, so the trend looks like a commercial business more than occasional subletting. Therefore the new law could shift investments, rents, and availability for locals.

💡 GOOD TO KNOW: If you rent a property in Poland you must follow local rules. Registering a unit will require an ID number and basic safety documents. Also expect tax and social questions; ZUS means social insurance, and NFZ is public health insurance. You may need a PESEL (national ID number) for some formalities. Finally, Polish municipalities can fine you with a “mandat” for local infractions, and repeated violations can bring large administrative penalties.

What should expats do now? First, gather documents and check how many tourist units operate in your block. Second, consult a local tax or legal adviser before you list a flat. Third, if you live near heavy tourist activity, speak with your neighborhood council. In addition, consider campaigning for a local ban if short lets harm housing supply. The law could take effect after parliamentary approval and IT rollout, likely in early 2027.

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