Registration number required on platforms: what changes in Flanders

At the end of May 2026, the Flemish government approved a draft to amend the Flemish Accommodation Decree (Logiesdecreet). The message is clear: anyone letting to tourists in Flanders needs a registration number from Toerisme Vlaanderen (Visit Flanders' tourism authority). Without that number, a property may no longer appear on the platforms.

This is a draft decree, not a final rule. Even so, it makes sense to check now that your file is in order. This article explains what is on the table, what already applies and what you should check.

Where this comes from

Since 20 May 2026, a European regulation on short-term rental has applied across the European Union. It is meant to give authorities a better view of what is offered on platforms. Hosts receive a unique registration number, and platforms must display and verify it.

The European Commission leaves the practical details to member states and regions. In Flanders, that happens through the Logiesdecreet. The draft therefore aligns that decree with the European rules.

Your notification stays your registration

Good news first. According to the explanatory memorandum to the draft, the existing notification to Toerisme Vlaanderen counts as the registration required by the European regulation. If you have already notified, you will not face a second procedure.

After notification, every tourist accommodation already receives a unique number. That number also appears in the public accommodation register. The draft now writes this explicitly into the decree.

What platforms will have to do

The draft mainly gives platforms new tasks. They must make sure you provide your registration number and show it clearly in your listing. They must also run regular spot checks to see whether the numbers are correct.

Platforms must also pass data to the competent authorities on a regular basis. This includes the link to the listing, the address, the registration number and activity data. That starts once the European rules are in force and a central digital entry point exists.

For you as an owner, this means authorities will soon find it easier to compare your listings with the register. A listing without a number, or with a wrong one, will stand out sooner.

What can go wrong

The draft gives Toerisme Vlaanderen more tools. If an operator gives incorrect information, deliberately or through gross negligence, Toerisme Vlaanderen can suspend or withdraw the registration number. It can also order platforms to remove the listings or make them inaccessible.

In practice, the operation has to stop. The property disappears from the platforms and from the public register.

That is not a minor detail. Today, a small mistake in your address or in your notification details is mostly an administrative problem. Soon, such a mistake could carry more consequences.

Planning rules and the municipality

A second part concerns planning rules. Under the draft, a tourist accommodation can only be recognised if its compliance with planning rules is demonstrated. Recognition is voluntary. Notification itself stays mandatory.

Enforcement changes too. If a competent service finds that an accommodation is not operated in line with planning rules, Toerisme Vlaanderen can order it to stop as soon as it receives an official report. Until now, this could take a long time because all appeal routes had to be exhausted first.

Toerisme Vlaanderen does not become a planning inspectorate as a result. The municipality remains the first to act.

What is not yet clear

To be honest, not everything is fixed. There is no confirmed date of entry into force and no transition period. The government spoke of "soon", and the text only says that the decree and the amended implementing order enter into force at the same time.

The text may also still change before it becomes final. So follow Toerisme Vlaanderen's announcements and do not wait for a date to be published.

The context is clear, though. The government pointed to an annual check showing that only six in ten inspected accommodations complied with the decree. More checks are therefore likely.

Your checklist for this week

It takes little time to get this in order now:

1. Look up your registration number in Toerisme Vlaanderen's public accommodation register and compare the address and details with your property.
2. Open every listing on Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo and your own website. Is the right number there?
3. Check that your fire safety certificate and your insurance are still in order.
4. Ask your municipality whether planning or local rules apply to your property.
5. Keep your confirmations and certificates in one place, so you can answer quickly if asked.

Do you have several properties? Make one overview with, per property, the number, the notification date and the places where it is shown.

What this means for you

For owners who have their affairs in order, little changes. For those who lack a number, leave an old address in place or never notified, it will soon be harder to stay under the radar. That is also an opportunity. An honest, properly registered offer competes better against listings that are not.

These rules apply to Flanders. Brussels and Wallonia have their own regimes, and each municipality can set its own conditions.

YourDomi does not give official legal advice. This article is general information: always discuss your own situation with your accountant.

At YourDomi, we set daily pricing on market data and handle guest communication 7 days a week in several languages. The rental always stays in your name. To see how we would approach your property, request a personal proposal.