Quick answer: for bookings made on or after 20 November 2026, Airbnb limits the rules hosts can impose and the checkout tasks they can request. The policy does not change Portugal’s legal obligations for local accommodation (Alojamento Local, or AL). Hosts should explain guest requirements, including legally required information collection, in the listing before booking.
By Daniel de Oliveira, founder of EazyAL and an AL host in Madeira · Updated 6 November 2026
What changes on Airbnb on 20 November?
The new policy applies to bookings made on or after 20 November 2026, regardless of when the stay takes place. Earlier bookings remain subject to the previous policy.
- Seven standard rules: maximum overnight guests, quiet hours, events, pets, smoking, commercial photography and locking up at checkout.
- Additional rules: hosts can still set reasonable rules for the stay and checkout. Airbnb says it is changing the app label from “requests” to “additional rules”.
- Cleaning tasks: guests generally should not be asked to wash and put away dishes, strip beds, start laundry or take rubbish off the property.
- No surprises: rules must be disclosed in the designated listing section at booking. New rules cannot be added afterwards by message, signs or in person.
- Fines: hosts generally should not impose their own fines. They can disclose potential local government or homeowners’ association fines in the designated listing section.
- Identification and contracts: collecting identification and separate contracts are restricted, with exceptions including legal requirements. Contracts may also be permitted in other cases, such as stays of 28 nights or more.
Airbnb considers the circumstances and may grant exceptions to its general guidance. Reviews begin on 20 November; hosts asked to make changes will have at least 20 days to update or appeal. Persistent violations may lead to a listing notice or reduced search visibility. Read Airbnb’s updated explanation and its reasonable house rules policy.
What can hosts still ask?
Airbnb gives examples of reasonable requests: putting used dishes in the sink, gathering used towels, sorting rubbish and recycling into indoor bins, and turning off air conditioning when leaving. Avoid restricting access to advertised amenities during the stay. Disclose additional rules in the designated section before booking.
What does Portuguese law still require?
Platform policies do not replace the law. These are general obligations; check the requirements for your property’s type, location and capacity. The Azores have separate regional rules.
- SIBA: report every foreign guest’s arrival and departure, including children, to UCFE through SIBA. The official portal says each report is due within three working days. This covers guests without Portuguese nationality, including other EU nationals.
- Insurance: maintain valid civil liability insurance covering harm arising from the accommodation business. A unit in a condominium building also requires valid insurance for property damage directly caused by fire in or originating from the unit.
- Safety: for properties with capacity for up to 10 guests, the law requires an accessible fire extinguisher and fire blanket, first-aid equipment and a visible 112 emergency number. General fire safety rules apply above 10 guests.
- Complaints book: maintain the book and comply with applicable physical and electronic requirements.
- Information book: provide information about the property, waste, appliances, noise, neighbours and the operator’s contact in Portuguese, English and at least two other foreign languages. Include relevant condominium rules where applicable.
- Tourist tax: where a municipality charges it, check rates, exemptions and night limits, and disclose charges according to the platform’s rules.
- INE: properties covered by the IPHH survey must respond monthly. Check with INE whether your property must respond.
See the official SIBA guidance, Decree-Law 76/2024, ANEPC safety guidance and INE.
How to put both sets of requirements into practice
- Review your listing: remove requirements that conflict with the policy and add reasonable additional rules in the designated section.
- Explain legally required data collection before booking: state in the listing’s additional rules what information is needed and why. For example: “Portuguese law requires us to report foreign guests to SIBA. We collect each guest’s full name, nationality, date of birth, document type, number and issuing country, country of residence, and check-in and check-out dates. We will request the necessary details using a secure form.” The stay dates may already be available from the booking. Adapt the notice to your actual process. Check Airbnb’s policy on data and contracts and applicable data protection rules.
- Make access easy: Airbnb restricts requiring guests to create an external account or install a third-party app to enter a property or use an essential amenity, with limited exceptions including legal requirements. A form that does not require an account can reduce friction; check the policy for details.
- Prepare the information book: include relevant instructions and contacts without using signs to add new booking rules.
- Check your own obligations: review insurance, equipment, books, deadlines, any tourist tax and statistical reporting duties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the new Airbnb rules apply to bookings I already have?
No. The new policy applies to bookings made on or after 20 November 2026; earlier bookings are covered by the previous policy.
Can I still ask for a passport for SIBA?
Airbnb allows collection of identification information when legally required, subject to its policy. Before booking, explain in the listing what information is needed and why; collect only what is necessary and protect it. Do not assume that keeping a passport copy is necessary.
Does the fire extinguisher have to be 6 kg?
The law requires an accessible extinguisher for AL properties with up to 10 guests, without specifying a capacity in that article. ANEPC guidance lists a 6 kg ABC powder extinguisher or a 5 kg additive-water extinguisher depending on the fire type. Confirm the right choice with a fire safety professional or the competent authority.
Can I fine a guest for leaving the property dirty?
Airbnb generally does not allow hosts to impose their own fines. Check its terms for cleaning and damage claims; any applicable cleaning fee must be included in the price shown at booking.
Sources
- Airbnb: important changes to house rules, updated 3 November 2026.
- Airbnb: reasonable house rules and contracts and other requirements.
- SIBA: frequently asked questions.
- Decree-Law 76/2024 and ANEPC: local accommodation fire safety.
- INE: IPHH survey.
This article is informational and is not legal advice. EazyAL helps hosts collect guest information and manage compliance workflows, including SIBA, statistics and tourist tax.
