In Romania, short-term rental is not automatically considered tourist accommodation. However, when an apartment or room in a home is offered to the general public for tourist stays, usually measured in days and for less than one year, the owner or operator may need to obtain a tourism classification certificate in Romania. This applies both to Romanian companies, PFA/sole traders and other entities registered with the Trade Register, as well as to individuals renting their own apartments or rooms for tourist purposes. Individuals may rent a maximum of 7 rooms under this regime; exceeding this threshold generally requires business registration and a different tax treatment.
The tourist accommodation classification procedure in Romania in 2026 is handled by the Ministry of Economy, Digitalization, Entrepreneurship and Tourism, through the tourism authorization department. Applicants must prepare a file including identity or company documents, property and construction legal documents, the standardized classification forms, and, where applicable, the consent of the owners’ association and neighboring owners. For companies, the accommodation address must usually be registered as a work point with the Trade Register where the relevant CAEN/NACE code for short-term holiday accommodation must be authorized. A frequent practical obstacle is obtaining neighbors’ consent, especially for apartments in residential buildings.
Once the file is complete, the authority may issue a provisional operating authorization, allowing the accommodation activity to start until the on-site inspection. The inspection checks whether the apartment or room meets the legal requirements for the requested 1, 2 or 3-star classification, including layout, facilities, sanitary access and minimum room standards. If compliant, the classification certificate for tourist accommodation in Romania is issued; if classification is refused, the operator must stop the tourist accommodation activity. Operating an unclassified or unauthorized tourist accommodation unit can lead to significant fines, of up to RON 50,000, making legal compliance essential for Airbnb/Booking-style rentals, short-term rentals and tourist accommodation businesses in Romania.
For a detailed analysis in Romanian, see the author’s full article published on Avocatnet.ro