Tourist accommodation

To run tourist accommodation in the Brussels-Capital Region, you must be registered by Brussels Economy and Employment and meet certain conditions. If you ran tourist accommodation before 24/04/2016 and it was approved by the Cocof or the Flemish community, you can benefit from transitional measures.
 
Whether it is a single room in your own home, furnished tourist accommodation, a hotel or any other type of tourist accommodation, you must:
  • submit a prior declaration dossier before starting up, in order to be registered in one of the categories stipulated by the regulations;
  • meet certain conditions.
The benefits? Once your dossier is complete and has been validated, Brussels Economy and Employment allocates you a registration number. You receive a logo, to be displayed near the entrance to your accommodation and you can use certain terms.

Who do these obligations apply to?

As a candidate operator and then an operator, you have to comply with these regulations if:
  • your accommodation is located in the Brussels-Capital Region
  • you make a charge for your accommodation
  • the persons to whom you offer accommodation
    • are travelling, for private or professional purposes
    • stay there for a minimum of one night and a maximum of 90 days.
The operator of tourist accommodation is a natural person or legal entity who runs tourist accommodation or on whose behalf such accommodation is run.

What conditions have to be met to run tourist accommodation?

Conditions relating to the operator and conditions relating to the accommodation have to be met.
Some of these conditions apply to all candidate operators and to all operators; other conditions are specific depending on the category of tourist accommodation in question.

How do you submit a prior declaration and have your accommodation registered?

You have to send a dossier to Brussels Economy and Employment to be registered in one of the  catégories stipulated by the regulations.
More information on the prior declaration dossier for operation and registration.

What do you do to run several accommodation facilities or several categories of accommodation?

You have to meet all the conditions of the regulations for each category and sub-category of tourist accommodation at each establishment that you wish to run.


Examples

  1. You run a homestay accommodation facility and a tourist residence.
    You have to meet the conditions and fill in a 'prior declaration' dossier for the homestay accommodation and you have to meet the conditions and fill in a 'prior declaration' dossier for the tourist residence.
  2. You run a single establishment. This consists of a hotel or furnished tourist accommodation.
    You have to meet the conditions and fill in a 'prior declaration' dossier for the hotel and you have to meet the conditions and fill in a 'prior declaration' dossier for the furnished tourist accommodation.

From when do you have to fulfil the various obligations?

  1. To start running a new tourist accommodation
    You have to comply with the regulations before you start running this accommodation.
  2. You ran the accommodation in question before 24/04/2016 and it was approved by the Cocof or the Flemish community
  3. If you already ran the accommodation in question before 24/04/2016 and it was not approved by the Cocof or the Flemish community
    You have to register your accomodation immediately.

What do you do if the situation changes?

  1. Certain data or information alters or you modify your accommodation
    In some cases, you have to submit an application to modify your registration.
  2. You transfer the tourist accommodation to another operator
    The transferee has to make  another «prior declaration» with a view to registration.
  3. You stop running tourist accommodation temporarily or permanently
    You have to inform Brussels Economy and Employment by recorded delivery and return your plate bearing the logo identifying your category to the administration.

What inspections and penalties apply?

Inspectors monitor compliance with the regulations. They can impose fines.
Find out more about the inspections and penalties.

What is the objective of these regulations?

The ordinance of 8 May 2014 on tourist accommodation and the decree implementing this ordinance aim to:
  • guarantee better safety in tourist accommodation in Brussels
  • introduce fairer competition among the various operators
  • ensure better consumer information and
  • contribute towards the fight against the housing crisis for the people of the Region.

Good to know: tax obligations

The managers have to meet their tax obligations, both on regional and on federal level.
This is not a competency of Brussels Economy and Employment. For more information regarding the regional tax, please check the website of Brussels Taxation. With regard to the income tax, please contact the Federal Public Service Finance. You can also contact your federation.

 
 
Do you have any other questions, comments or doubts? Contact us!
 

Contact Contact

Bruxelles Economie et Emploi
Economy Department
Bd du Jardin Botanique, 20
1035 Bruxelles
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