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Registering a tourist accommodation in Brussels: the steps and the documents

Want to let your property to travellers in Brussels? You must register it before the first booking. This guide sums up the official procedure of the Brussels-Capital Region, in order, with the documents to gather. It is written by Stayor and checked against the official be.brussels page.

Last checked: 8 October 2026

Who is concerned?

The procedure covers letting a room, an apartment or a house located in the Brussels-Capital Region (postcodes 1000 to 1299) for stays of one night to 90 consecutive days. It applies to occasional and frequent lettings alike.

The five steps, in order

  1. Get the certificates from the municipality

    Go to the municipality where the property is located to obtain an urban planning certificate and a fire safety certificate (or, where applicable, a simplified inspection certificate).

  2. Register the property with Brussels Economy and Employment (BEE)

    A file must be sent to BEE before any letting to tourists, whether occasional or frequent. You must also comply with the operating conditions.

  3. Declare the accommodation to Brussels Taxes

    The property must also be declared to the Brussels tax administration, which collects a tax based on the number of nights.

  4. Declare the rental income

    Income from the letting is declared in your tax return.

  5. Report any change to BEE

    Any change, and the end of the activity, must be reported to Brussels Economy and Employment.

The documents for the BEE file

Identity and criminal record

  • Individual: proof of identity and a criminal record extract less than 3 months old, in the operator's name.
  • Company: current consolidated articles of association, proof of appointment of the day-to-day manager, and criminal record extracts (less than 3 months old) of the operator and the day-to-day manager.
  • If the person filing is not the operator: proof of mandate.

Insurance

  • Copy of the civil liability insurance contract and proof of payment of the premium for the current year.

Occupancy status

  • Owner: copy of the property tax assessment notice.
  • Tenant: copy of the lease and the owner's written consent.
  • Co-owned building: written consent of the general meeting of co-owners.

Safety and planning

  • Fire safety certificate, or a simplified inspection certificate where applicable.
  • Certificate of compliance with urban planning and land-use rules.

Description of the property

  • A floor plan of the accommodation and photos.

The exact list may change: always check the current version on the official page.

How much does it cost, and how long does it take?

According to the official page, registration with Brussels Economy and Employment is free. The processing time is not stated there: allow time, especially to gather the municipality's certificates. The tax on overnight stays (step 3) and income tax (step 4) are separate procedures.

After registration

You receive a registration number, which is mandatory before you start the activity. From this registration you can publish your listing and accept bookings.

Five mistakes to avoid

  1. Publishing the listing before you have the registration number.
  2. Forgetting the co-ownership's consent or, for a tenant, the owner's written consent.
  3. Submitting a criminal record extract older than 3 months.
  4. Forgetting proof of payment of the insurance for the current year.
  5. Thinking that only the municipality and BEE steps count: the property must also be declared to Brussels Taxes, and the income to the tax authorities.

The rules are changing

The framework rests on the Brussels ordinance of 8 May 2014 on tourist accommodation. It is the subject of public debate and may change. Always check the version in force on be.brussels before acting. According to a survey relayed by VRT NWS in April 2026, fewer than one in ten entire homes offered to travellers in Brussels in 2025 was registered.

Want to know where your property stands?

Stayor's free review goes through these documents one by one and tells you, within 48 hours, whether your property is ready, almost ready or not yet. No obligation.

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Frequently asked questions

Yes, according to the official be.brussels page: a file is required for occasional and frequent letting alike.

Yes, the official page states that the procedure with Brussels Economy and Employment is free. The tax on overnight stays and income tax come on top, and the certificates are requested from your municipality.

Stays of one night to 90 consecutive days, in a property located in the Brussels-Capital Region (postcodes 1000 to 1299).

The official page covers this case: you must provide a copy of the lease and the owner's written consent. For a co-owned building, the written consent of the general meeting of co-owners is also required.

You receive a registration number, which is mandatory before you start the activity. You can then publish your listing and accept bookings.

Yes: the free review checks your file document by document and lists the steps in order. Stayor does not give legal or tax advice: for that, see a professional.

Guides

Sources

This guide is for information only: it is not legal or tax advice. The rules change, always check the official websites.