Whenever “Prague to ban Airbnb” appears in the media, someone always gets in touch asking me whether they should sell their apartment. So far, every time, it was enough to read what had actually happened. Here's a summary of what Prague wants, what it has done about it and what of it applies.

What applies today

Nothing new. Short-term rentals in Prague are governed by the same laws as anywhere else in the Czech Republic: trade license, business premises, reporting foreigners within 3 working days, the evidenční kniha (guest register) and domovní kniha (house book), and a poplatek z pobytu (local tourist tax) of CZK 50. Municipalities have no power to limit the number of rental days, the period or the number of people. This power isn't in any law in force or currently under discussion.

What Prague wants

The capital has long been calling for a tool that would let it regulate short-term rentals along the lines of other European cities. In 2025, it said it would like the option of limiting rentals to 60 days a year. In July 2026, Prague 1 held a local referendum in which 72% of voters came out in favor of stricter regulation, and among other things it is calling for a tourist tax in the range of CZK 0 to 200. The referendum isn't binding, and the city district has no power to set a rate above the statutory cap of CZK 50.

The Ministry for Regional Development is considering tools for local governments: the number of days per year, the period, floor area per person, inspiration from the Croatian model. But in summer 2026, the ministry itself stated that the final scope and specific parameters can't be defined yet, and no new date has been announced.

What Prague has done about it — and why it didn't work out

The power of municipalities to regulate short-term accommodation was part of the government's eTurista bill. In March 2025, a parliamentary committee removed it from the bill. The bill then died with the end of the parliamentary term. The new members' bill from February 2026 doesn't contain the power of municipalities at all, and as of September 2026 it hadn't even passed its first reading.

So Prague has no legal tool, and without a change in the law it won't have one. A city ordinance limiting the number of rental days would have no basis in law.

How many apartments it actually is

According to data from June 2026, there were roughly 7,900 units offered for short-term rental in Prague, which is about 1.1% of the housing stock. I mention the number because the debate about the housing crisis is often conducted as if it were a tenth of all apartments. It doesn't change anything about regulation, but it helps to gauge how strong the pressure really is.

What to watch

• Parliamentary print 106 (eTurista) and any new bill from the ministry — whether the power of municipalities returns to it.
• The Local Fees Act — whether the CZK 50 cap goes up.
• City district ordinances as of 1 January — the tax rate and deadlines can change even without a change in the law.

What to do now

Operate legally and be able to prove it. When regulation is eventually passed — and some form of register will most likely come — it'll be an advantage to have your trade license, registered business premises, both registers and reporting in order. The experience from other cities is that regulation hits hardest those who had been operating outside the system until then. Those who are in it usually carry on, with one more form to fill in.