The Brussels-Capital Region is expected to collect around €6 million in fines and unpaid taxes from unregistered short-term rentals by the end of 2026, following a crackdown on illegal Airbnb properties. Brussels Taxation has already recovered at least €5 million through inspections carried out in 2025 and 2026, the office of Brussels Taxation Minister Dirk De Smedt (Anders) confirmed to Bruzz.
Since 2016, owners renting out accommodation through platforms such as Airbnb have been required to register their properties and pay tourist tax. The levy amounts to €5 per overnight stay, including municipal surcharges, or €4 for rooms rented out in an owner-occupied property.
Many landlords have continued to operate without registering their accommodation or paying the tax. A legal battle lasting several years ended in 2022 with a ruling by the European Court of Justice in favour of the Brussels-Caopital Region, requiring Airbnb to share customer information with the regional tax authorities.
Brussels Taxation subsequently launched a large-scale inspection campaign targeting hosts in 2025 and 2026. Owners of unregistered properties faced fines of €1,000 per accommodation, in addition to outstanding tourist taxes. Unless landlords could prove otherwise, the authorities calculated the unpaid tax on the assumption that their properties had been occupied throughout the year.
Meanwhile, the Brussels regional government decided this summer to ease several rules governing short-term rentals, at the initiative of Minister-President Boris Dilliès (MR). From 1 January 2027, owners renting out accommodation in their primary residence will no longer need an urban planning certificate. The procedure for obtaining a safety certificate will also be simplified, and written approval from the co-owners’ association will no longer be required.
However, the changes will not remove the obligation to register rental properties and pay tourist tax.
