is tourist tax included in airbnb

Tourist Tax in Italy: the 2024 Full and Complete Guide With All Rates

In most European countries visitors have to pay a tourist tax and Italy is no exception. In this full and complete guide I will answer the most common questions about it. If you’re planning to visit Italy soon, check out the information below and calculate your rate for your trip!

1. What’s The Tourist Tax?

The tourist tax in Italy is a tax that tourists have to pay for each night of their stay. It is collected by the accommodation they’re staying at – from all types of hotels to B&B, hostels, and campsites – over their vacation.

The amount varies according to the municipality and the type of accommodation : the more luxurious the higher the rate.

2. Why Is it Necessary?

Although the tourist tax is reinvested by the municipality mainly in heritage preservation , it is also used to implement all local services and facilities in order to keep the city in a good state and easily accessible to tourists.

It’s a small amount per person but it helps us to make the difference in keeping our cultural heritage maintained .

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3. Do Children Pay Tourist Tax in Italy?

In most cases, children up to a certain age don’t have to pay. However, conditions are different in each municipality. To see in which category your kids fall, please check the table below (see paragraph 4).

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4. How Much Is The Tourist Tax In Italy?

The tourist tax rate depends on each municipality. This tax is usually updated every year (sometimes every 2 years), therefore you always need to check the most recent rate.

In order for you to know how much you have to pay in each city you’ll be visit ing, I collected all the helpful data below: you will find the most touristic areas and corresponding taxes in three accommodation categories, children and elderly policies together with the period of time when the rate is applicable.

* depends on the hotel rates

5. Are There Any Exemptions?

Yes, there are some exemptions.

Below I collected the most common as each municipality has its own rules and regulations. The following, however, are shared with pretty much every municipality. Those who are exempt are:

a) residents in the municipality;

b) people with disabilities , with suitable medical certification, and relative accompanying person and parents who accompany children with disabilities;

c) patients in healthcare facilities and accompanying family members;

d) coach drivers and tour leaders who accompany groups organized by travel agencies;

e) members of the police and military forces, as well as the National Fire and Civil Protection Corps in case of service needs;

f) volunteers who offer their services in the social sector for events and manifestations organized by the Municipal, Provincial and Regional Administration or for environmental needs;

g) people who stay in the accommodation as a result of measures taken by public authorities to deal with emergency situations ;

h) university students (only in some cases and upon certain conditions).

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6. Is It Possible To Get Any Refunds?

If you book your stay in any accommodation in Italy where the tourist tax is automatically collected (e.g. Airbnb) and you are entitled to a refund (e.g. if you fall into the exemption category), you can request it by completing a refund form that you can find on each municipality website. Refunds will be processed at the end of your booking .

Take a look at examples of forms in Bologna and Milan .

7. If I Stay In An Airbnb Or Apartment, Do The Same Rules Apply?

If you stay in any accommodation other than hotels, you have to pay the tourist tax. There is no exemption in this case.

The rate and conditions vary according to the type of accommodation, so you should check in with the place you’re staying at to verify all conditions applicable to your situation. In the case of Airbnb, you can check the rates on their website at this link .

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If you rent an Airbnb in Colorado, here’s where some of your renter fees go

D ENVER ( KDVR ) — If you’ve booked an Airbnb and the price was more than the initial cost per night, some of it might have to do with tourism tax.

Some fees don’t go to Airbnb or the host

In some locations, Airbnb has agreements with government officials to collect and remit certain local taxes on behalf of Airbnb hosts. Sometimes, regulations require the host to charge a tax to guests.

Customers could see these charges in a few different ways.

These taxes are either included in the reservation price or are paid during check-in and vary based on your booking. Depending on local law, these factors can include a flat rate or percentage rate, number of guests, number of nights or property type booked.

When you book a listing in Colorado, you’ll see the local taxes collected when you pay and on your receipt once your reservation is confirmed.

But these extra fees, known as tourism tax, don’t go towards Airbnb – that money goes towards the city.

Where does tourism tax go?

These tourism tax dollars go towards a variety of services including destination marketing to critical services like police, infrastructure and libraries. 

This tax revenue helps fund government services and helps with city budgets, said Airbnb.

According to Airbnb, the company has collected and remitted $355 million in tourism taxes in Colorado, including around $94 million in 2023 alone.

But Colorado isn’t the only state with Airbnb tourism taxes.

Airbnb taxes in other states

In 2023, said hosts generated more than $2.2 billion in tourism taxes in the U.S.

Here are the total tourism taxes collected and remitted on behalf of Airbnb hosts in 2023: 

• Florida: $387 million
• California: $212 million
• Tennessee: $135 million 
• North Carolina: $125 million 
• Georgia: $98  million
• Texas: $98 million
• Colorado: $94 million 
• Arizona: $87 million 
• Washington: $78 million 
• Virginia: $53  million

While Airbnb rentals tend to increase significantly after taxes and fees, some of these fees aren’t going to the company but they’re helping with local funding.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.

Tourist tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in France

What is the tourist tax.

Travelers may be required to pay a tourist tax when they book a reservation at listings in certain municipalities. The amount of the tourist tax is determined by the municipality, and may include additional taxes when voted by the Département (10%) or the Region (for example, the Île-de-France region recently introduced an additional "Grand Paris" tax of 15%). These additional taxes are collected at the same time as the tourist tax and are remitted twice a year.

When did Airbnb start collecting the tourist tax?

Starting July 1, 2018, Airbnb began collecting the tourist tax on Airbnb reservations in cities that introduced a tax “au réel” and filed with the French administration (“Ocsitan” file managed by the tax administration). The amount is remitted twice a year to the city on behalf of hosts, professional or individual ones.

Does Airbnb also collect departmental and/or regional taxes when they apply?

Yes, Airbnb also collects departmental taxes and the Grand Paris tax. Airbnb transfers the proceeds of this tax directly to the cities on behalf of the hosts.

How much is the tourist tax?

The tourist tax rate varies according to the property type of the listing as indicated by the host on Airbnb. Learn more out the different types of tourist accommodations in France .

The rates are voted by each municipality:

• For properties that have been classified (“classées”), the rate is determined in euros per night per person.
• For “non classified furnished” properties, municipalities set a rate between 1% and 5% of the price of the night per person. Find out the rate for your type of property .

Airbnb collects the tourist tax at the set rates depending on the nature of the accommodation offered (ex: "furnished tourism", "hotel", etc) and its ranking (unrated, 1 star, etc) as indicated by the host. The platform also collects the departmental tax and the “Grand Paris” tax when they apply.

Since January 2020, the law mandates platforms to collect and remit the tourist tax on behalf of non-professional hosts for all bookings accepted on the platform. For bookings made on Airbnb, as hosts (including professional hosts) you no longer have to do anything - neither for the collection nor for the remittance or the declaration.

What process do hosts need to follow?

Hosts will need to select the type of property they host, and the corresponding tax rate will be factored into the listing price when guests book the listing. Hosts can do this on the Airbnb website or mobile app when they manage their listings-just go to the Regulations tab and choose the classification category and the applicable tax rate for the listing will be set automatically. Until this step is complete, the rate for a "furnished unclassified" listing will be applied (between 1 and 5% per person of the amount of the night).

What happens if my property type changes?

Hosts can update this information on the Airbnb website or mobile app on the Manage My Listings tab. The new rate will then be updated automatically. Please note: changes may take up to 24 hours to take effect.

When is the tourist tax collected?

The tax is collected when guests book their reservation, not at the time of stay.

Does this automatic collection affect the host’s payouts?

The collection of the tourist tax does not affect the amount hosts receive from guests who book their listing. The rate is calculated automatically and added to the overall amount the guest pays.

How can I verify that the tourist tax has actually been collected on the reservations I accepted?

You will find a summary of your gross revenue generated by Airbnb per period on your personal account (Account > Transaction History > Gross Revenues).

Does Airbnb take into account tax holidays exemptions (for example, for minors, seasonal workers, etc.)?

For information about exemptions, please visit the How do I get a refund if I’m exempt from the tourist tax in France? help center article.

How is the tax remitted to the municipalities?

The repayment is made by Airbnb once a year. 

As a host, can I not allow Airbnb to automatically collect the tourist tax?

No. By accepting the Terms and Conditions of this platform, the hosts (either individuals or professionals) expressly authorize Airbnb to collect the tourist tax in their name and on their behalf.

Find out more about how occupancy tax collection and remittance by Airbnb works .

Note: Hosts located in these areas are responsible for assessing all other tax obligations, including state and city jurisdictions. Hosts with listings in these areas should also review their agreement with Airbnb under the Terms of Service and familiarize themselves with the Occupancy Tax provisions which allow us to collect and remit taxes on their behalf and explains how the process works. Under those provisions, hosts instruct and authorize Airbnb to collect and remit Occupancy Taxes on their behalf in jurisdictions where Airbnb decides to facilitate such collection. If a host believes applicable laws exempt the host from collecting a tax that Airbnb collects and remits on the host's behalf, the host has agreed that, by accepting the reservation, the host is waiving that exemption. If a host does not want to waive an exemption the host believes exists, the host should not accept the reservation.

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Hosts generated over $2 billion in tax revenue in the US and Canada in 2022

Key Takeaways

• To date, we have collected and remitted over $7 billion in tourism taxes globally.
• In the US, we collected and remitted over $1.9 billion in tourism taxes in 2022—an increase of approximately 27 percent from 2021.
• In Canada, we collected and remitted over $177 million CAD in tourism taxes in 2022—including nearly $70 million CAD in federal taxes.

Since 2014, Airbnb has worked with tens of thousands of local governments around the world to streamline the collection process for tourism taxes. To date, we have remitted more than $7 billion in tourism taxes globally, making us, to our knowledge, the largest collector and remitter of tourism taxes by short-term rental platforms in the world.

With Tax Day in the US less than a week away, we’re sharing that in 2022, we collected and remitted more than $1.9 billion 1 in tourism taxes across all 50 states in the US , as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico—marking an increase of approximately 27 percent from 2021. In Canada, we collected and remitted over $177 million CAD in 2022 , including nearly $70 million in federal Goods and Services Taxes (GST) in the last six months. 2

Supporting financial resilience and recovery from the pandemic

These tourism taxes are a vital source of funding for local governments and the communities they support, especially in areas that saw revenue streams decimated by the pandemic. Many major cities in North America experienced a dramatic drop in tax dollars that historically came from their downtown and office space markets. 

In contrast, tourism taxes collected on behalf of Hosts on our platform increased by almost 130 percent since 2019 in the US. These taxes help local governments fund essential services throughout the pandemic. In Chicago , for example, tax surcharges on guest bookings help fund city services aimed at combating homelessness and domestic violence. And in Toronto , revenue from the Municipal Accommodations Tax (MAT) helps fund a number of public works programs and services, including improvements to roads, transit, and parks and recreation.

Below is a breakdown of our tax collection and remittance in a number of states, provinces and cities in 2022:

• Florida – over $371 million, an increase of approximately 20 percent from 2021
• California – over $198 million, an increase of approximately 25 percent from 2021
• Tennessee – over $120 million, an increase of approximately 30 percent from 2021
• North Carolina – over $111 million, an increase of approximately 25 percent from 2021
• Texas – over $87 million, an increase of approximately 35 percent from 2021
• Arizona – over $78 million, an increase of approximately 25 percent from 2021
• Illinois – over $35 million, an increase of approximately 20 percent from 2021
• British Columbia – over $67 million CAD, an increase of approximately 70 percent from 2021
• Quebec – over $28 million CAD, an increase of approximately 250 percent from 2021
• Toronto – over $7 million CAD, an increase of approximately 170 percent from 2021

Increasing sources of tax revenue for emerging travel hubs

The pandemic gave rise to a fundamental shift in travel with millions of workers and families embracing the opportunity to live and work anywhere. This in turn led to an influx of travel to new destinations, such as rural counties in North Carolina and remote worker hubs like Tulsa, Oklahoma . Not only has the ‘travel revolution’ opened up opportunities for more people and businesses to benefit from the tourism economy, but it’s also brought additional tourism tax revenue to communities across North America.

In general, governments tend to see more revenue when platforms collect and remit taxes on behalf of Hosts. During the pandemic, we continued to expand our collection and remittance of tourism taxes to local governments—including those in West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee—to maximize  tax revenue generated from travel on Airbnb. These states and several others included below saw a significant increase in tax revenue collected and remitted by Airbnb during the pandemic. 3

• West Virginia – over $7 million, an increase of approximately 1065 percent from 2019
• Virginia – over $25 million, an increase of approximately 465 percent from 2019
• Oklahoma – over $12 million, an increase of approximately 290 percent from 2019
• Tennessee – over $120 million, an increase of approximately 275 percent from 2019
• Alabama – over $20 million, an increase of approximately 265 percent from 2019

A leader in short-term rental tax collection and remittance

For a long time, local governments did not have an efficient way to receive tax revenue from travel booked on short-term rental platforms. Airbnb sought to change that by collecting taxes from our community and remitting on their behalf, initially through Voluntary Collection Agreements (VCAs) and later by providing feedback to local legislators on proposed collect and remit laws for platforms. 

We entered into our first VCAs with San Francisco and Portland in 2014 and have since worked with thousands more jurisdictions—via agreements or laws—to lighten the administrative burden on local governments and simplify the collection and remittance process for a number of taxes on behalf of Hosts on Airbnb, including sales taxes, tourism taxes, and gross receipts taxes on accommodation. 

Whether we’re collecting and remitting taxes in states that need our Hosts’ tax dollars now more than ever or streamlining the collection process for a growing source of revenue for emerging travel hubs, we’ll continue to work closely with local governments to unlock the full potential of tourism and travel.

Tourism tax exemption refunds

Some municipalities exempt travelers from the tourism tax or allow for a reduction in the amount based on their circumstances. Examples include children, residents of the municipality, or travelers visiting a relative in the hospital. Here’s more detail on a few popular destinations:

• Switzerland

To find out if you qualify for a refund or a reduction, visit the municipality’s tourist tax webpage or contact its tax or treasury office.

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Tax information, hints and news. Exclusive for overseas property investors and owners.

Tax advice for Airbnb hosts with property abroad

May I receive a tax form from Airbnb?

Yes, you may receive a tax form from Airbnb.

We encourage you to seek advice from a property tax professional if you need help reporting your Airbnb income.

They should also send you a form if taxes were withheld from your payouts, so you can claim them on your tax return.

If I don’t get a notice or tax form, do I still owe taxes?

If you do not receive a tax form, this does not mean that you do not owe income taxes.

Your host site reports your income to the tax authorities, so you must report the same income when you file your property tax return.

Does Airbnb/Vrbo collect taxes on my behalf?

Each listing site has its own income tax withholding rules.

Airbnb and VRBO ask for taxpayer information from hosts because they must disclose it to the tax authorities in the respective country.

Airbnb’s policy is that if you do not provide them with accurate tax information, they will deduct income taxes from your payouts. The amount they withhold is between 24% and 28%, which is likely more than you owe.

If Airbnb withheld income from your payments, you can claim it on your tax return as a credit. These sites should also send you a tax form if you had taxes withheld from your payouts, so you can claim it on your income tax return.

But the most important thing you can do is to simply report your rental income on your tax return.

What about local taxes?

Depending on where your property is, you may also be required to pay local taxes on your Airbnb earnings. Sales tax and occupancy tax are common local taxes that Airbnb hosts must pay.

In some countries, Airbnb may collect and remit occupancy tax on your behalf, often known as a hotel tax, lodging tax, or transient occupancy tax. This indicates that these taxes will be added to a guest’s bill automatically.

Still, as an Airbnb host, you are ultimately responsible for meeting your local tax requirements. As a result, even if Airbnb does not collect local taxes on your behalf, you must pay them.

To find out what taxes you’ll have to pay, contact the tax authorities in the area where your property is located.

Where can I see my Airbnb earnings for tax purposes?

Simply navigate to the Settings page and select “Transaction History” to view all of your Airbnb earnings information. Once there, you can sort transactions by payout method, listing, and date.

You will then be able to see completed payouts, upcoming payouts, and gross earnings. This page also allows you to export your earnings and transaction history into a spreadsheet for use when filing your income tax return.

Why do you need to keep all the records of your rental periods?

If you want to properly complete your Airbnb tax return, you must keep accurate records of when you rented out your house. You will also need to keep the income documents and receipts for all your expenses.

In addition to the dates your property was rented out on the Airbnb platform, you’ll need to keep track of the days you occupied it yourself.

If your property is located abroad – in France, Spain, Germany, the UK, the USA, Ireland, Hungary, and Poland , check out the most important information you need to know below.

If I am a non-resident, earning Airbnb income from France, do I need to declare it and file a French tax return?

Rent earned via Airbnb is taxed in the same way as furnished rental is.

The landlord renting out the house on Airbnb is classified as an unprofessional landlord (Loueur Meublé Non-Professionnel LMNP) by the tax authorities.

This income should be reported on the French tax return  as Bénéfices Industriels et Commerciaux (BIC) (2042C).

However, there are certain distinctions based on whether you are a resident or a non-resident, as well as the type of business regime your rental property is subject to.

Your rental income, like all income in France, will be subject to both French income tax and social charges, so keep these figures in mind.

If you are a non-resident with property in France, you have to file a French property tax return and an income tax return in your home country. France has double taxation treaties with many countries, so you are unlikely to be taxed twice on the same income.

How much tax will I have to pay on my Airbnb income in France as a non-resident?

Non-residents’ rental income will be taxed at 20% up to a threshold of €28,797. Any rental income that exceeds this amount will be taxed at a rate of 30%.

The social charges for EU residents are 7,5% and for non-EU residents – 17,2%.

Can I claim any tax deductions for my Airbnb income in France?

Yes. All allowable expenses can be deducted in case of Real mode taxation. For the Micro Mode of taxation – (Micro – BIC) – we have a 50% of gross rental income notional deduction.

If I am a non-resident, earning Airbnb income from Spain, do I need to declare it and file a tax return?

In general, the money you earn as an Airbnb Host is considered taxable income. For the period your property is not rented out, you are liable to a tax called “Deemed tax”, and you must file a separate tax return.

Non-resident taxpayers must file an income tax return (use Form 210) and pay quarterly, on the 20th of the month after each quarter (20 April, 20 July, 20 October, or 20 January).

If you are a non-resident with property in Spain, you have to file an income tax return both in your home country and in Spain and pay Spanish tax on rental income .

How much tax will I have to pay on my Airbnb income as a non-resident in Spain?

For residents of EU/EEA countries, the rental income tax in Spain is. They can also deduct expenses related to renting. These include charges for the rental property’s maintenance and repair, household insurance payments, third-party service providers, community fees, and so on.

The tax rate for non-EU/EEA residents will be 24%, for the first €600,000. For income above this, a 47% rate applies. Furthermore, they are not allowed to deduct any expenses linked to property management or maintenance.

For example, UK property owners in Spain will now face higher Spanish Income Tax rates after Brexit. If you are a UK resident and you rent out your Spanish property, you used to pay 19% tax on the profit.

If your property made £12,000 with £8,000 in deductible expenses, your tax would be £760 (19% of £4,000).

Post-Brexit, the tax rate increases to 24%, resulting in a tax bill of £2,880 on the full income (£12,000).

Even if your property isn’t rented, the tax on Spanish deemed income (property’s rateable value) used to be 19%.

After Brexit, this rate rises to 24%. If you also have rental income taxed in the UK, the double taxation agreement with Spain lets you offset your UK tax with taxes paid in Spain. However, if you end up paying more tax in Spain than in the UK, you won’t receive a refund for the difference.

Can I claim any tax deductions for my Airbnb income in Spain?

You can deduct the following expenses from your rental income (only if you are an EU resident):

– mortgage interest on loans for the purchase or renovation of real estate

– transfer tax, legal fees, and other costs associated with the purchase of the real estate

– community fees

– advertising fees

– non-national taxes, e.g. local council rates (IBI)

– maintenance and repair costs

– utility fees, i.e. water, gas, and electricity costs if you pay them

– insurance policy costs

The Spanish tax authorities do not allow you to deduct the expenses of property renovations or improvements. You cannot also claim expenses for addition, such as adding another room or a swimming pool. The maximum deductible amount is not bigger than your total income.

If you want to know more, check out our guide on  Non-resident Tax in Spain . 

If I am a non-resident, earning Airbnb income from Ireland do I need to declare it and file a tax return?

In general, in Ireland, income from short-term lettings is not considered rental income.

This type of income is taxable as trading income (Case I) or miscellaneous income (Case IV) and is subject to income tax.

Revenue will most likely classify your income as Case I ‘trading’ if you:

• you rent out the room or property on 6 or more occasions per year
• or you rent out the room or property on 6 or more occasions per year,
• or you host for 30 or more nights per year
• or your Airbnb income exceeds €5,000 per year
• or you rent out the room or property on 6 or more occasions per year

This income must be reported on your Irish property tax return with the appropriate income reference. When income is not classified as trading income, it is classified as miscellaneous income by default.

If you are a host, it’s important to remember that tax will be due on any income you receive. In short, Airbnb income doesn’t qualify for rent-a-room relief and you’ll need to fill out a tax return each year by 31 October.

If your Airbnb business is considered Case I ‘trading’ income, you must first register with Revenue by completing a TR1 form . Each year, the next step will be to file a Form 11 tax return. If your Airbnb income is less than €5000 in a year, you must complete Form 12 because the income is not coded into your tax credit.

If you are a non-resident, your ordinary residency and domicile will affect how you are taxed. As a non-resident in Ireland, you might not be entitled to full tax credits.

If you are neither a tax resident nor domiciled in Ireland for tax purposes, you are chargeable to tax in Ireland on – Irish-source income, including income from an Irish public office, and foreign employment income where the duties of the employment are carried out in Ireland.

For example, if you are an EU citizen, an Irish national, or a citizen of a country that has a tax treaty with Ireland, and if at least 75 percent of your worldwide income is taxable in Ireland, you receive full tax credits on a cumulative basis.

However, if less than 75 percent of your worldwide income is taxable in Ireland, you may receive a portion of tax credits. All other non-residents receive no tax credits.

How much tax will I pay on my Airbnb income in Ireland as a non-resident landlord?

The tax on rental income is 20% up to a certain earnings limit, called the standard cut-off rate.

Beyond this limit, the tax rate increases to 40%. Additionally, you are required to pay PRSI and USC.

The standard cut-off rate for 2024 is €42,000 for single individuals and €51,000 for married couples or civil partners.

When a tenant pays rent directly to a non-resident landlord, the tenant must deduct tax at the usual rate of income tax (currently 20%) from the payment.

This means that 80% of the rent goes to the non-resident landlord and 20% goes to the Irish tax authorities.

The tax should be paid as soon as it is deducted.

However, the Irish Tax Authorities will accept payment when the tenant files a tax return for the relevant year.

After paying the tax, the renter submits the landlord a form stating the amount of tax deducted, and the landlord can then claim a credit for it when completing their tax return.

Can I claim any tax deductions for my Airbnb income in Ireland?

If I am a non-resident, earning Airbnb income from Germany, do I need to declare it and file a tax return?

Yes. If you are not a German resident, you are only taxed on your German-source income.

German rental income is usually classified as German source income, and an annual German property tax return is obligatory there and in your home country.

How much tax will I have to pay on my Airbnb income in Germany as a non-resident landlord?

German rental income is taxed at the same rate as regular income, with progressive rates.

The solidarity surcharge is now set at 5.5%, however, single people earning less than €18,130 per year are exempt from paying this tax.

*Note: Non-residents are always paying Income tax even if their income is below €11,604. This threshold is added to their profit.

Can I claim any tax deductions for my Airbnb income in Germany?

Yes. Thousands of German landlords pay more taxes on their rental revenue than they should every year because they do not claim their allowable expenses.

You can check them in our blog – What expenses are tax-deductible in Germany

If I am a non-resident, earning Airbnb income from Poland do, I need to declare it and file a tax return?

Every non-resident who owns a rental property in Poland is liable to taxation.

Owners of rental properties in Poland who receive rental income must declare this income to the tax authorities each year by filing a Polish property tax return .

Everyone earning rental income must submit monthly calculations and payments to the tax office by the 20th of the month following the month in which rent was received. It is important to know that if you are a married couple that owns a rental property in Poland, you must file two personal tax returns.

How much tax will I have to pay on my Airbnb income in Poland as a non-resident landlord? Can I claim any tax deductions for my Airbnb income in Poland?

As per the tax reform in Poland, from the 2023 tax year, all rental income will be taxed at 8.5%, with no allowable expenses to be deducted.

If I am a non-resident, earning Airbnb income from Hungary do I need to declare it and file a tax return?

If you are a foreigner who owns a rental property in Hungary that generates a rental profit, you must file a Hungarian property tax return with the tax office every year.

How much tax will I have to pay on my Airbnb income in Hungary as a non-resident landlord?

In Hungary, income tax is levied at a flat rate of 15%. You should pay tax on either your rental earnings, reduced by 10%, or your real profit (rental income with allowable costs deducted).

Can I claim any tax deductions for my Airbnb income in Hungary?

Yes, you can claim the general tax deductions that we mentioned earlier.

If I am a non-resident, earning Airbnb income from the USA, do I need to declare it and file a tax return?

Nonresidents with properties in the US usually should file a US property tax return (and one in their home country) and pay tax to the IRS on income earned through Airbnb.

In this situation, you can provide Airbnb with Form W-8288 – B and they won’t withhold tax on your payouts. Instead, Airbnb will issue you an IRS Form 1042-S annually reporting your income, so that you can report it on your US income tax return .

The other option is – Airbnb will withhold 30% of your payments from US listings if you present an IRS Form, and pay the tax to the tax authorities. Airbnb will give you an IRS Form 1042-S at the end of the year detailing the amount of withheld tax credits on your payouts.

How much tax will I have to pay on my Airbnb income in the USA as a non-resident landlord?

Real estate income in the United States owned by a nonresident alien is taxed at 30% (or a lower treaty rate) if it is not effectively associated with a US trade or business.

On the other hand,  ECI (associated with a US business/ trade) is taxed at progressive rates based on the net income earned after expenses and deductions are applied.

Can I claim any tax deductions for my Airbnb income in the USA?

Yes, you can claim the tax deductions we mentioned earlier.

If I am a non-resident, earning Airbnb income from the UK, do I need to declare it and file a tax return?

Yes. Even if the landlord lives in another country, the income is taxed by the UK government, even if it is paid into a foreign bank account. They should file a UK property tax return both in their home country and the UK.

The tenant or rental agent has a legal obligation under the Non-resident Landlord Scheme to withhold the tax before the rent is paid to the landlord.

Every three months this tax is paid to HMRC.

When the overseas landlord files a UK Self Assessment Tax Return, any tax withheld by the tenant or letting agent is deducted from the landlord’s UK tax liability.

How much tax will I have to pay on my Airbnb income in the UK as a non-resident landlord?

Before standard income tax rates are applied to rental revenue, a personal allowance of £12,570 (for 2023/24) can be deducted from the non-resident landlord’s profit.

The Income Tax rates in the UK  for 2024 are (including Scotland):

Can I claim any tax deductions for my Airbnb income in the UK?

Do i need a property tax expert to help me file my airbnb taxes.

Before submitting an Airbnb tax return, it is best to seek professional assistance. Taxes are a complicated subject, and you can definitely benefit from professional tax assistance.

Tax professionals can advise you on how to save money, which expenses you can claim, and how to fill out your tax returns appropriately. If you can afford it, you should certainly hire tax assistance.

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Who can help me deal with my Airbnb property taxes?

No one wants to pay more tax than they have to.

If you own a rental house, apartment, or office space out of your country, you might be able to save on taxes.

With the help of an experienced property tax expert, you will be able to claim all the tax credits and deductions applicable to your personal circumstances.

Our services are available to non-resident and resident property owners in the following countries:

• France (non-residents)
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Airbnb tax guide for hosts

Renting your property through Airbnb  can be a great way of earning extra income. However, even if hosting is your side hustle, Airbnb hosts are responsible for complying with UK tax laws. We have created this guide to simplify the process for you, and help you say on the right side of Airbnb tax.  

In 2020, Airbnb shared the income data of 225,000 UK hosts with HMRC , placing many hosts’ finances under the microscope. This is why Airbnb hosts need to be up-to-date with the latest tax rules and regulations. That said, it can sometimes be pretty tricky and confusing to try and navigate this by yourself.

Whether you have questions around how much tax you need to pay, if you’re eligible for tax relief, or if there are any tax advantages for Airbnb hosts, soon you’ll have all the answers you need. However, if you are left with any burning questions it’s best to reach out to your local tax office for confirmation and clarity.

If you’re not already registered with airbnb as a host, sign up now via our link and see how much you could earn.

Do I have to declare income earned through Airbnb?

Whether or not you need to declare the income you earn through Airbnb depends on how much you earn. If you earn less than £1,000 a year through hosting, you do not need to declare the income you earn through the platform.

So, if you’re just starting as a host and trying to work out whether it’s for you, luckily you can do this without the hassle of filing a self-assessment tax return.

On the other hand, if you earn income above the £1000 threshold, you will have to declare this through HMRC’s self-assessment tax return under the UK Land & Property section, and pay tax on your Airbnb income.

Before filing a self-assessment tax return, you must register with HMRC . But don’t worry it’s not a difficult process. Once you’ve registered with HMRC, you will be sent a 10-digit Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) number. Remember, keep this number safe because just like your National Insurance (NI), it’s yours for life.

Get a free Cashplus business account for your Airbnb

From 2024 Airbnb will be sharing your earnings data with HMRC

As such, it makes sense to seperate your Airbnb earnings and expenditure, from your personal income with a dedicated business bank account

A Cashplus business account is free to open, with 3 free transactions a month, and just 30p after that.

How do I locate my Airbnb Earnings for Tax Purposes?

It’s always a good idea to keep an eye on how much you are earning through Airbnb so that when it comes to filing your tax return you’re well-informed and up-to-date. After all, nobody wants the last minute panic of not being able to locate important tax information.

To find all the essential data on your Airbnb earnings, simply locate the Settings page, and select “Transaction History”. Once there, you will be able to filter transactions by payout method, listing, and date.

You will then have the opportunity to view completed payouts, upcoming payouts and gross earnings. This page also gives you the option to export your earnings and transaction history into a spreadsheet which will be useful when you file your tax return.

Do I have to pay income tax on my Airbnb property?

It may come as a surprise that Airbnb hosts are not actually legally classified as self-employed workers. As a result, hosts must adhere to slightly different HMRC rules than those who run their own businesses.

The rules vary depending on whether you are letting out a room in your home ( jump to rent a room information ), or renting out an entire property. In the case of the latter it would most likely be classified as a Furnished Holiday Let (FHL). We’ll look at both of these separately.

Whether or not you pay tax on this income and the amount of tax that you pay will depend on several different factors. This includes the kind of property that you let, how much you earn through letting this property, and any tax relief that you are eligible for.

Fortunately, in the UK, everyone is entitled to a certain amount of tax-free income. For the year 2020/21 this amount was £12,500, however from April 6, 2021, the Personal Allowance amount is set to rise to £12,570. If you already have a full time job the chances are that this tax-free allowance is already spoken for, but if Airbnb hosting is your only income then earning under £12,570 means you won’t have to pay a penny in income tax. Horray!

What is a Furnished Holiday Let (FHL)?

UPDATE: In his March 2024 Budget, the Chancellor announced plans to abandon all tax relief on furnished holiday lets. The details below have been left for historical  purposes. 

According to HMRC, to classify as a Furnished Holiday Let (FHL), a property must fulfil the following criteria:

• The property must be available to rent for at least 210 days per year
• Of those 210 days, the property must be rented out for at least 105 days per year
• The furniture in the property should be adequate for normal occupation and occupants must be permitted to use the furniture within the property
• The property must be located in the United Kingdom, or the European Economic Area (EEA)
• It must be rented out to holidaymakers not just friends and family
• The property must be rented out on a short-term basis, not exceeding 31 days in duration for the same tenant – except for in exceptional or unexpected circumstances

Are there any FHL tax advantages?

FHLs come with many tax advantages. If your property is classified as an FHL, you will be entitled to capital allowance for property furniture, equipment and fittings (this includes plants and machinery). This can significantly reduce your income tax liability, giving you more money to spend elsewhere!

Moreover, if your property is an FHL, for tax purposes you will be classified as a business. This means that you will also be entitled to allowable expenses. Allowable expenses can offset the costs of repair bills, utility bills and cleaning bills (which can sometimes, depending on the renter, can be pretty high).

Another tax advantage that comes with FHLs, is that unlike buy-to-let properties, rental profits from FHL’s are considered “Relevant Earnings”. But what exactly does that mean? Well, primarily it means that you can make tax-advantaged pension contributions , something which your future self will certainly thank you for. On top of this, earnings from FHLs are not subject to National Insurance Contributions.

Further to this, if you share the ownership of your property with a spouse, you can decide how to split the profit and divide it up in a more tax-efficient way. Again, this will certainly save you some pennies in the long run.

Additionally, FHLs also qualify for mortgage interest relief. This means that you can offset your mortgage interest against your profit, once again reducing your income tax liability.

It’s worth bearing in mind that iff you go from letting out a room in the home that live in, to letting out the entire property (perhaps because you are staying elsewhere), you’ll likely need a consent to let, or to change your mortgage to a buy to let , which itself has a number of advantages, and disadvantage.

Is my FHL Airbnb property eligible for Capital Gains Tax relief?

Fortunately, there are some instances where an Airbnb property can be eligible for Capital Gains Tax relief . If your property qualifies as an FHL and is a second home, there are schemes that can minimise tax liability.

Business Asset Disposal Relief , previously known as Entrepreneurs’ Relief enables individuals who sell their Airbnb property to have their gain taxed at 10%, rather than at 18% or 28%. Considering how much you will save with this kind of tax relief you should double-check your eligibility.

Another big (temporary) money saver is Rollover Relief. This allows individuals who sell on their Airbnb property and acquire another to defer paying their Capital Gain Tax until they sell on their new property.

Can you rent a room through Airbnb?

While you may not want to rent out your whole property, if you have some extra space in your home, you can always choose to rent out a room on Airbnb. Whether your children have just flown the nest, or you’ve finally cleared out the clutter in your spare room, renting a room can be a great way to boost your income.

However, it’s important to bear in mind that even if you only rent out a room in your home, the income that you earn through this will still be subject to UK tax laws. Luckily, the Rent a Room Scheme (see below) can significantly reduce your tax liability.

What is the Rent a Room Scheme and who qualifies for it?

You can earn up to £7,500 tax free from letting a room out via Airbnb

The Rent a Room Scheme was launched back in 1992 and enables home occupiers to rent out part of their home tax-free up to the threshold of £7,500. This amount reduces to £3,750 in situations where there are joint owners.

According to HMRC : “The government intended this to increase the quantity and variety of low-cost rented accommodation, giving more choice to tenants and making it easier for people to move around the country for work”.

Importantly, one thing to note is that home occupiers do not have to own their property to be eligible for this tax break. That said, if you do not own the property and wish to rent out a room in your home, you must not violate your tenancy agreement by doing so. So, it’s always best to double-check with your landlord or letting agency. In addition to this, another qualifier for this scheme is that the home must be sufficiently furnished, and must be part of the occupier’s main home.

Likewise, individuals are not eligible for the scheme if their property is used for business, or if it’s let out while the occupier lives abroad.

In April 2019, further rules were introduced to stop people from taking advantage of the scheme. Under the new rules, the beneficiary of the scheme must reside in the property at some point throughout it being let out. So, that means if you take a month-long trip to the France, you cannot claim relief for the room that you rent out if you are not living at the property at some point during it being let.

How much money will I have to pay in income tax?

When it comes to the amount of income tax that you have to pay, once Personal Allowance and tax reliefs are deducted, it’s really pretty simple and the normal rules apply.

This means that the rate of tax you owe will be calculated depending on the relevant tax band. In England, the basic tax rate is 20% and applies to income of £12,501 to £50,000. The higher rate is 40% and applies to income of £50,001 to £150,000. Lastly, the additional rate is 45% and applies to income of £150,000 and above.

In Scotland, the tax bands are slightly different . The starting rate is 19% and applies to income of £12,501 to £14,585. The basic rate is 20% and applies to income of £14,586 to £25,158. The intermediate rate is 21% and applies to income of £25,159 to £43,430. The higher rate is 41% and applies to income of £43,431 to £150,000. Finally, the top rate is 46% and applies to income of £150,000 and above.

Don’t miss: Our guide on allowable expenses for Airbnb hosts

Will I have to pay council tax or business rates on my Airbnb property?

When renting your property as an Airbnb host, you mustn’t forget about the existence of council tax. Whether or not you pay this tax will depend on whether your property qualifies for business rates.

In England, if your property is available to rent for 140 days or more in a year, it will be subject to business rates as it will be classified as a self-catering property. The same goes for Airbnb properties in Scotland.

However, the rules are slightly different if your property is in Wales. In Wales, if your property is available to let for at least 140 days, but is rented for at least 70 days, it will be subject to business rates.

If this doesn’t apply to you, then you will need to pay council tax on your Airbnb property instead.

That being said, over the last few years some councils have been lobbying for the introduction of business rates for all Airbnb properties. A change could potentially be on the horizon, so it’s best to keep an eye out for updates.

Do Airbnb hosts pay VAT?

Value Added Tax or VAT is an area that is sometimes overlooked when it comes to Airbnb letting. However, while it doesn’t apply to all hosts, you don’t want to risk getting caught out on this one. Late payments can mean that you get hit with a pretty hefty amount of interest.

If your taxable income exceeds the VAT threshold of £85,000 over 12 months, you will have to register for VAT . In situations where VAT does apply, hosts can apply a 20% charge on the rent of their Airbnb property. This also means VAT can claimed back on legitimate expenses, for example Airbnb’s service fee.

You can voluntarily register for VAT even if you don’t meet the £85,000 threshold, and while it will make some of your costs cheaper, it isn’t normally recommended given you’ll likely need to increase your prices to cover the VAT, and there’s additional burden in terms of reporting and tax submissions.

Managing your income (Do you need a business bank account?)

Unless you are operating as a limited company there is no legal need to open a business bank account to receive rent and pay bills on the property, but separating the revenue and expenditure from your Airbnb can make it easier to manage your finances. Reduces the real risk of your bank closing your personal account (If being used for business purposes).

This is particularly true when it comes to furnished holiday lets. As these are always classified as businesses, HMRC will expect you to be able to identify all receipts and expenditure on the business. Not only that, but operating a business from your personal bank account is almost certainly a breach of your bank’s terms and conditions and could see your account closed.

A traditional high street business account would work fine for this purpose but they can be costly and take time to setup. Some even request a meeting a business advisor. Instead a digital account such as Tide (see our Tide review here) or Cashplus Go  ( see our Cashplus Business account review ) could be worth a look. Especially given all Airbnb transactions are likely to be digital themselves.

Both are free to open and can be set up in minutes. With Tide there are no ongoing fees, and just 20p per transaction. Cashplus Business Go is even cheaper as the first three transactions a month are free. After that it’s 30p to send payments, and receiving payments is free. These accounts are specifically designed small businesses and micro entrepreneurs, so work well as basic business accounts for managing your property’s finances.

One comment on “Airbnb tax guide for hosts”

I’m an Airbnb Super-Host with constant 5* Reviews. I rent out a room in my residential property as a part-time income to top up other self employed work which since Covid is a struggle to gain now. However, Airbnb Hosting has become my main income and is great so I can stay home as a single-parent. I invest many hours into Advertising/Host Management/Accountancy/Communications/HouseKeeping and even as a Taxi service for Guests on top of attend Airbnb Host webinar meetings and listen to podcasts on how to improve. I cannot believe that in England, I am not considered “self-employed”. when I invest so much time and effort and consider myself working. This is a concern to me.

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Airbnb to Display Total Price by Default in California to Comply With New Law

Dennis Schaal , Skift

June 20th, 2024 at 5:04 PM EDT

Varying state laws on price transparency may become confusing for consumers and a more complex issue for short-term rental providers.

Dennis Schaal

People who visit Airbnb’s website and app in the U.S. first view the nightly rate and they can toggle to view the total price with all fees before taxes.

However, starting July 1, Airbnb said consumers in California will see the total price before taxes right away as the company gets into compliance with a new California law, SB 478 , designed to expose hidden “junk fees.”

Those junk fees would include host cleaning fees and Airbnb’s service fee, for example.

In travel, consumers have been particularly incensed about “gotcha” cleaning fees in short-term rentals and resort fees in hotels that often aren’t adequately disclosed.

The law applies to companies that have offices and operations in California and covers consumers located in California. A guest in Connecticut booking an Airbnb in Los Angeles will not automatically see the total price unless they choose to view it.

Airbnb introduced the total price toggle button in December 2022, and rolled it out across the U.S. in May 2023. The European Union has mandated total price display for several years, and Airbnb has complied with that law.

The total price display not only enables prospective guests to more easily determine whether a listing fits their budget, but also helps hosts set prices by viewing the cost of competing properties.

The current default on Airbnb in the U.S. shows the nightly rate in a bold font and the total price before taxes in a light gray font, as seen in the image below.

Source: Airbnb

The default view in California starting July 1, according to Airbnb, will be total price before taxes, as it appears in the image below.

Airbnb shows the total price before taxes at first glance in search results, but likewise on the map, filter, listing page and wish lists.

A spokesperson for Booking.com said it will comply with the California law that mandates pricing displays inclusive of fees, but didn’t provide more detail.

A spokesperson for Expedia Group didn’t address the California law, but said since 2020 its brands “have made efforts to provide a clearer understanding of the cost of their booking up front, a core part of a positive traveler experience.”

In California, Booking.com currently displays the total price before taxes, and Vrbo shows the nightly rate in bold and the total price before taxes in a light gray font. Vrbo would likely have to show the total price, including fees but excluding taxes, more explicitly to comply with the California law.

The new law would also impact property managers if they have offices and operations in the state.

All three of the major short-term rental platforms are looking for uniform federal standards about price transparency so they are not dealing with laws varying state by state.

None of the platforms are ready to display the total price including taxes because the taxes often vary by municipality, county or state. 

Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch

Tags: airbnb , alternative accommodations , booking.com , california , cleaning fees , dwell , expedia , junk fees , online travel newsletter , resort fees , short-term rentals , vacation rentals , very online , vrbo

Photo credit: An Airbnb listing in Pasadena, California in 2021. Airbnb

News | World

Barcelona plans to shut all holiday apartments by 2028 to cut housing costs

Barcelona has announced it will bar apartment rentals to tourists by 2028 in an effort to make housing more affordable for residents.

The city's leftist mayor, Jaume Collboni, said on Friday that by November 2028, Barcelona will scrap the licences of the 10,101 apartments currently approved as short-term rentals.

The decision came amid soaring housing costs in Barcelona - Spain ’s most visited city by foreign holidaymakers.

"We are confronting what we believe is Barcelona's largest problem," Mr Collboni told a city government event on Friday.

The boom in short-term rentals means some residents cannot afford an apartment, rents rose 68 per cent in the past 10 years and the cost of buying a house rose by 38 per cent, Mr Collboni said. Access to housing has become a driver of inequality, particularly for young people, he added.

National governments relish the economic benefits of tourism , and Spain ranks among the top-three most visited countries in the world.

But with local residents priced out in some places, gentrification and owner preference for lucrative tourist rentals are increasingly a hot topic across Europe.

Local governments have announced restrictions on short-term rentals in places such as Spain's Canary Islands, Lisbon and Berlin in the past decade

Spain's Socialist housing minister, Isabel Rodriguez, said she supported Barcelona's decision.

"It's about making all the necessary efforts to guarantee access to affordable housing," she posted on X.

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"Collboni is making a mistake that will lead to (higher) poverty and unemployment," Barcelona's tourist apartments association APARTUR said in a statement, adding the ban would trigger a rise in illegal tourist apartments.

Hotels stand to benefit from the move. The opening of new hotels in the city's most popular areas was banned by a far-left party governing Barcelona between 2015 and 2023, but Mr Collboni has signalled he could relax the restriction.

Barcelona's hotel association declined to comment on Friday's announcement.

"Those 10,000 apartments will be used by the city's residents or will go on the market for rent or sale," said Mr Collboni said of the measure.

Barcelona's local government said in a statement it would maintain its "strong" inspection regime to detect potential illegal tourist apartments once the ban comes into force.

No new tourist apartments have been allowed in the city in recent years.

The local government has ordered the shutting of 9,700 illegal tourist apartments since 2016 and close to 3,500 apartments have been recovered to be used as primary housing for local residents, it said.

Holiday rentals platform Airbnb, which hosts a significant number of Barcelona listings, has been approached for a comment.

The move by Barcelona comes amid a number of restrictions European countries have rolled out in recent years, in a bid to make cities that are popular among tourists more livable for residents.

Earlier this year, Venice rolled out a pilot “tourist tax” scheme that means day-trippers must purchase tickets costing five euros in order to enter the city. Florence announced in October it was banning new short-term residential lets on platforms such as Airbnb in its historic centre. It also offered three years of tax breaks to landlords of short-term holiday lets if they start offering ordinary leases for residents.

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Gov. DeSantis must veto SB 280 to protect private property rights

Florida needs a statewide, uniform system of regulations for vacation rentals, but Senate Bill 280 goes about it the wrong way, and Gov. DeSantis should veto it. The bill gives local governments the ability to fine and regulate vacation rentals out of existence, which is not only a serious violation of private property rights but will crush our tourism industry and drive people away from the state.

That tourism is necessary to keep our economy going, and it’s essential to the success of local restaurants, retail stores and other small businesses that can’t exist on the dollars of residents alone. Earlier this year, the governor celebrated that over 140 million visitors traveled to Florida in 2023. According to a recent study , these guests spent nearly $5 billion on restaurants last year and contributed more than $15.16 billion to Florida’s GDP.

When you remove a popular lodging option, which is effectively what SB 280 would allow local governments to do, visitors are going to consider other states for their travels. 

The disappointing part is that SB 280 seems to be driven by a false narrative that was recently repeated in an opinion column in this paper. The author essentially blames unlicensed vacation rentals as the root cause for a wide variety of terrible tragedies throughout the state. Those tragedies are not a reflection of the vacation rental industry, and it’s inappropriate to try to link the two to accomplish a political objective. 

So, why exactly should SB 280 be vetoed? Well, the Florida Alliance for Vacation Rentals warns that the bill introduces a range of bureaucratic requirements that would burden both local governments and property owners. The excessive penalties through various fees and fines will lead to fewer vacation rentals and will discourage property owners from participating in the vacation rental market. This is particularly harmful to small property owners who rely on rental income for their livelihoods.

To further emphasize that point, I know a local retiree who owns three vacation rentals in Tallahassee to supplement her retirement income and help make ends meet. She rents them from time to time – last month, she housed workers dealing with the aftermath of the recent tornadoes in the city. These excessive fees and regulations could prevent her from renting her property when it makes the most sense to her and when it could help others.

Most vacation rental owners already maintain their properties in top condition, and it is in their best interest to be good neighbors. These homes add value to the neighborhoods and increase the curb appeal, which helps generate more property taxes. Not to mention that these vacation rentals generate billions of dollars in tax revenue for the state—in 2023, Airbnb collected a whopping $387 million in tax revenue in Florida, the highest of any U.S. state, not counting that generated by other vacation rental services.

Instead of trying to wipe out an industry that helps make Florida a top tourist destination in the world, feeds billions of dollars into our economy and supports the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Floridians, we should look for a more fair and balanced way to regulate it. SB 280 is not the answer and will have severe unintended consequences that will be hard to reverse once it is law.

The stakeholders involved in this issue can work this out if they are given more time. Thankfully, Gov. DeSantis has the power to give them that time by vetoing SB 280.

Rennai Palmer-Kelly is the Broker/Owner of Regal Homes, LLC in Tallahassee.

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