Primary or secondary residence: what are the Airbnb rules in Nice in 2026?

A primary residence is the home usually occupied by its owner or tenant.

In the context of tourist rentals, this status is particularly important because, under certain conditions, it allows you to rent out your home occasionally without following exactly the same regime as a secondary residence.

In Nice, since 1 September 2026, a primary residence can be rented as furnished tourist accommodation for up to 120 days per calendar year.

The cap in Nice is now 120 days per calendar year.

This means an owner who lives in their home as a primary residence can list it on Airbnb or another short-term rental platform when they are not using it, within the regulatory cap.

This rule may apply, for example, to an owner who wants to rent out their apartment during their holidays, on certain weekends or when they are away for several weeks.

Be careful, though: staying within the 120-day limit does not exempt you from checking the other administrative obligations that apply to the property.

A secondary residence is a property that is not its occupant's primary residence.

It may be, for example, an apartment bought as an investment, a pied-à-terre in Nice or a home occupied only a few weeks a year.

For this type of property, tourist rental rules can be more restrictive.

Unlike a primary residence rented out occasionally, renting a secondary residence to tourists may in particular require a change-of-use authorisation.

Yes, provided the property's situation allows tourist rental and the necessary authorisations have been obtained.

In Nice, it is particularly important to check this before publishing the listing and accepting bookings.

Depending on the property's characteristics and location, different rules may apply.

A change of use is an administrative procedure that concerns, in particular, turning a property intended as a home into premises used for short-term tourist rental.

In some situations, an owner wishing to operate a secondary residence as furnished tourist accommodation must obtain this authorisation from the relevant local authority.

Change of use (changement d'usage) should not be confused with change of designated purpose (changement de destination): these are two different legal concepts.

The situation must therefore be assessed for each property.

Yes.

Nice's regulations on furnished tourist accommodation include specific measures for certain geographical areas.

The exact location of the property can therefore affect the possibilities of obtaining a change of use and the procedures required.

Before investing in a property with the aim of offering it mainly as a short-term rental, it is therefore best to check the regulations that apply precisely to that area.

Buying an apartment in Nice to rent it out all year round on Airbnb is very different from occasionally renting out your own primary residence.

As a rental investment, the property will generally be considered a secondary residence or a home dedicated to rental.

An apartment that is very attractive to travellers is not necessarily automatically eligible for tourist rental.

The regulatory check should therefore come before building your profitability plan.

This is another important point to check.

When a property is located in a co-ownership building, its rules may contain provisions on how the apartments can be used.

Before starting a short-term rental activity, it is therefore recommended to read the co-ownership rules carefully and, if in doubt, seek advice from a qualified professional.

The fact that a property is a primary residence does not mean that no formalities are required.

Owners must check the declaration and registration formalities that apply in Nice.

When a registration number is required, it must be displayed on listings published on rental platforms.

The obligations related to the tourist tax and associated declarations must also be met.

There is no single strategy that works for every owner.

Someone who simply wants to earn income from their apartment while on holiday will not have the same needs as an investor with a property intended mainly for short-term rental.

Before getting started, it is therefore useful to determine: the property's status → the applicable rules → the number of rental days possible → the costs → the income potential.

This analysis gives a much more realistic view of the project.

At B&C Conciergerie, we support owners in letting and managing their properties in Nice and on the French Riviera.