Which Airbnb Permit Do You Need in Amsterdam? Bed and Breakfast vs Holiday Rental

Thinking about becoming an Airbnb host in Amsterdam? One of the first things to understand is that there isn't simply one "Airbnb permit."

Amsterdam distinguishes between two ways of renting your home to visitors: Bed and breakfast and holiday rental (vakantieverhuur). Which one applies to you depends largely on whether you're staying in your home while hosting or renting out the entire property while you're away.

Getting this distinction right from the beginning matters because the permits, restrictions and responsibilities are different.

A Bed and breakfast may be the appropriate option if you have a spare room you'd like to rent to guests while continuing to live in the property yourself.

The home must be your main residence and you need to meet Amsterdam's eligibility requirements. You must also be present in the home while your Bed and breakfast guests are staying.

There are restrictions on how much of your home can be used for the Bed and breakfast. Under the current rules, this is a maximum of 40% of the property, up to 61 m², with a maximum of four guests.

Unlike holiday rental, a Bed and breakfast isn't subject to the standard 30-night annual holiday-rental limit. Instead, it has its own requirements, and Amsterdam limits the number of Bed and breakfast permits available in each neighbourhood.

The Bed and breakfast permit currently costs €572.80 and can be valid for up to eight years.

The basic concept is straightforward, but determining whether you qualify can be more individual. Your living situation, property, location and permissions from other parties can all be relevant.

It's therefore worth understanding what applies to your specific situation before submitting an application and paying the permit fee.

Holiday rental is designed for Amsterdam residents who want to temporarily rent out their entire home while they're away.

For example, if you live in Amsterdam, travel for a few weeks and want to rent your apartment to Airbnb guests while you're gone, this is generally the model you'd be looking at.

Under the standard rules, holiday rentals can operate for a maximum of 30 nights per calendar year, with a maximum of four guests.

Since 1 April 2026, however, the annual limit is 15 nights in designated parts of Centrum and De Pijp.

The holiday rental permit currently costs €76 and is valid until 1 April of the following calendar year.

There are also reporting requirements associated with individual stays, so obtaining the permit is only one part of the process.

This is an important distinction because obtaining a registration number doesn't necessarily mean you're ready to start hosting.

Both Bed and breakfasts and holiday rentals require a tourist-rental registration number, which must be displayed on platforms such as Airbnb. The additional permit and reporting requirements then depend on how you're hosting.

No. You can't operate both a Bed and breakfast and a holiday rental at the same address.

As a simple starting point: