All you need to know about Airbnb's 90-day limit
Understand London’s 90-night short-let limit, how Airbnb applies it, and what to do if you have planning permission.
Understanding the limit in Greater London
London’s short-term letting rules and Airbnb’s calendar limit are related, but they are not the same thing. The rules apply to the property’s use, not just to bookings received through Airbnb.
What is the 90-day limit?
Residential premises in Greater London can generally be used as temporary sleeping accommodation for up to 90 nights in a calendar year without planning permission for a change of use, provided the relevant conditions are met. These include a Council Tax liability condition.
If you want to use the property for short-term letting for more than 90 nights in a calendar year, contact the local council about planning permission.
Count short-let nights across all booking channels and direct bookings, not only Airbnb. Moving bookings to another platform does not avoid the planning rules.
What is the 90-day limit?
Airbnb introduced the 90-day annual limit for “entire home” listings across Greater London in early 2017. This means properties in London can only be rented for a maximum of 90 nights per calendar year unless you have special permission (known as a planning permit) from your local council.
If a host rents their property for more than 90 nights without a permit, they may be asked to stop hosting and could face fines of up to £20,000.
Why was the rule introduced?
The Deregulation Act 2015 introduced an exception to Greater London’s planning restrictions for short-term use, subject to conditions including the 90-night annual threshold.
The legislation is separate from Airbnb’s own system for limiting bookings on its platform.
How does Airbnb apply the limit?
Airbnb automatically limits entire-home listings in Greater London to 90 booked nights per calendar year, unless an exemption is confirmed.
The count resets on 1 January. Once the limit is reached, Airbnb prevents further short-term bookings for that calendar year unless an exemption applies.
What if I have planning permission?
If you have permission from your local council to host beyond the limit, send the details to Host Support so Travelnest can help provide them to Airbnb on your behalf.
Keep the council’s permission and any relevant conditions available for review.
Where can I find more information?
Read Airbnb’s guidance for Greater London hosts for its current calendar-limit and exemption process.
Contact your local council if you are unsure whether your property’s proposed use requires planning permission or meets the conditions for the short-let exception.