It used to be simple: open the Airbnb app, find a cozy apartment in the middle of Paris or Barcelona, and live like a local—for less than the price of a hotel. But that era is closing fast.
Cities around the world are pushing back hard against short-term rentals. Some are banning Airbnb outright. Others are enforcing strict new regulations with fines, license caps, and algorithms that shut listings down overnight. If you’re planning travel in 2025, you can’t afford to ignore this shift.
This isn’t a temporary crackdown. It’s a structural reset—driven by housing shortages, fed-up locals, and city governments that want control over who’s profiting from their neighborhoods.
Here’s a breakdown of which cities are banning or limiting Airbnb, why it’s happening, how it will impact your trip, and what travelers can actually do about it.
Why the Airbnb Crackdown Is Happening Now
There’s no one reason—it’s a storm of factors converging:
- Housing affordability crises – In cities already struggling with rent inflation, short-term rentals have been blamed (fairly or not) for taking thousands of homes off the long-term market.
- Overtourism – Locals are pushing back as their neighborhoods transform into revolving doors of weekend partiers and digital nomads.
- Lost tax revenue – Governments want a cut. And they want platforms like Airbnb to play by the same rules as hotels.
- Political pressure – It’s become a winning issue for mayors in housing-strapped cities: regulate or restrict Airbnbs and claim you’re standing up for locals.
Cities That Are Banning or Severely Restricting Airbnb in 2025
Here are some of the biggest global destinations where Airbnb has hit a wall:
🛑 New York City, USA
What’s happening: In late 2023, NYC implemented Local Law 18, requiring hosts to register short-term rentals and banning most whole-apartment rentals under 30 days unless the host is present.
Effect: 80%+ of Airbnb listings vanished almost overnight. Most legal listings are now private rooms only, not entire apartments.
Traveler takeaway: Hotels are back on top. If you see a full-apartment listing in NYC for under 30 days—it’s probably illegal.
🛑 Barcelona, Spain
What’s happening: The city froze new short-term rental licenses years ago and now aggressively enforces against unregistered hosts.
Effect: Airbnb listings have dropped significantly. Expect more inspections, fines, and stricter ID checks at check-in.
Traveler takeaway: Many central apartments are now illegal. Look for licensed listings—or stay in a boutique hotel to avoid uncertainty.
🛑 Amsterdam, Netherlands
What’s happening: Short-term rentals are limited to 30 nights per year per host in most neighborhoods. Some areas are banning them altogether.
Effect: Fewer listings, more scrutiny, and local resistance to “party rentals.”
Traveler takeaway: Airbnb isn’t dead—but it’s highly restricted. Booking outside the city core or using platforms that verify licenses is safer.
🛑 Paris, France
What’s happening: Hosts must register with the city and are limited to 120 rental days per year for primary residences. Secondary home listings? Basically outlawed.
Effect: Enforcement has ramped up. The city now works with Airbnb to take down non-compliant listings.
Traveler takeaway: Verify host registration numbers before you book. Expect more hotels and professionally managed stays to dominate.
🛑 Florence, Italy
What’s happening: In 2023, Florence banned new short-term rentals in its historic center, one of the most touristed areas in the country.
Effect: The ban applies only to new listings—for now. But it’s part of a trend spreading through Italian cities.
Traveler takeaway: Outside the historic zone, short-term rentals are still available. Inside it? You may want to look for hotels or licensed guesthouses.
🛑 Lisbon, Portugal
What’s happening: Portugal froze new Airbnb licenses in key districts and offers tax breaks to landlords who switch back to long-term tenants.
Effect: Listings in downtown Lisbon are drying up. Enforcement is patchy, but growing.
Traveler takeaway: Airbnb is still possible—but the legal landscape is shifting. Alternative platforms and longer stays (30+ days) may be safer bets.
🛑 Vienna, Austria
What’s happening: Vienna bans entire-apartment rentals under 90 days unless it’s a primary residence. Enforcement has intensified in tourist-heavy areas.
Traveler takeaway: Most short-term listings in central Vienna are illegal unless clearly marked. Stick with verified, legal stays or turn to hotels.
Cities Cracking Down (But Not Fully Banning)
- Los Angeles: Requires a permit and limits rentals to 120 days/year unless you get special approval. Lots of shady listings still exist—but fines are ramping up.
- Berlin: Legal, but tightly regulated with permits and zoning laws.
- Tokyo: Allows short-term rentals, but only under strict conditions (e.g., max 180 days/year, local government notification).
- Rome: Looking to follow Florence’s lead with a ban in the historic core. Watch this space.
What Travelers Can Do About It
The Airbnb crackdown doesn’t mean you can’t book a great place—it just means you need to travel smarter.
✅ Book Licensed Rentals Only
Look for listings that clearly state:
- Government registration number
- Rental license or tax ID
- Verified host status
If it looks vague or evasive? Walk away.
✅ Use Alternative Platforms
Try sites that specialize in legal, verified, or longer-term stays, like:
- Booking.com – Includes regulated apartments with hotel-like support
- Blueground, Plum Guide, Sonder, Numa – Professionally managed units with full compliance
- TrustedHousesitters or HomeExchange – If you want to trade space rather than pay
✅ Look Beyond City Centers
Crackdowns are typically hyper-local. Often, neighborhoods just outside the tourist core still allow short-term rentals under different zoning rules.
Example: Stay in Brooklyn instead of Manhattan, or Poblenou instead of the Gothic Quarter.
✅ Stay 30+ Days Where Possible
Many restrictions only apply to stays under 30 days. If you’re working remotely or slow traveling, longer stays not only bypass red tape—they’re often cheaper and open up better properties.
✅ Know the Local Laws
Don’t rely on Airbnb to vet legality for you. Many cities now hold guests responsible for staying in illegal rentals.
If your host asks you to “pretend you’re a friend” or avoid the neighbors? That’s a huge red flag.
The Airbnb free-for-all era is ending—especially in Europe and major global cities. In 2025, travelers who want to avoid fines, cancellations, or last-minute chaos need to adapt fast.
That means being picky about where and how you book. It means reading the rules, not just the reviews. And it means understanding that the future of short-term rentals isn’t illegal—it’s just more regulated.
So no, you don’t have to give up the dream of a Paris apartment or a Lisbon pied-à-terre. You just have to do it by the book.
Because in 2025, cities are watching. And increasingly, they’re acting.
