Rental contracts on Airbnb: support confirms they stay allowed in France

Airbnb's rules update of 20 October 2026 did more than ban checkout chores. It also sent a message that worried many hosts in France: by default, a host can no longer ask a guest to sign a rental contract. One host filed a complaint with support. The written answer is clear: in France you can keep your contract, on one condition. Here is the exact wording of the rule, what French law says, and the steps to stay compliant on both sides.

What Airbnb actually wrote

The policy is called "Limiting host-imposed contracts and other requirements". It applies to reservations booked on or after 20 November 2026, like the rest of the new house rules policy. The principle: a host may not ask guests to sign a separate contract, except in four cases (source: Airbnb Help Center, article 4169, consulted October 2026):

• the contract is required by law or by community association rules;
• it gives access to an optional amenity, such as a golf cart;
• it covers a monthly stay of 28 nights or more;
• the listing is part of Airbnb Luxe.

Three practical rules complete the text. The contract must be uploaded under Contracts in the listing settings, where it is publicly visible, so it must contain no personal data. Airbnb does not ask guests to sign it and does not help enforce it: collecting the signature is your job. Finally, Airbnb may ask you for evidence that your contract fits one of the four cases (sources: Airbnb, "Important changes to house rules", 20 October 2026, and Rental Scale-Up, October 2026).

The first case is the one that matters to you. In France, it is met.

What Airbnb support answered

A host sent us the message she received from support after her complaint. Her insurer, like many, refuses to cover a rental without a written contract. Here is the answer, translated from the French:

"The rental contract: you have the right to keep it. In France, the law (Code du tourisme) requires it, and Airbnb allows third-party contracts when they are legally required. The only condition is to state clearly in your listing description and in your house rules that a written contract must be signed after booking."

Same message on cleaning: "if a cleaning fee applies, guests no longer have to take the rubbish outside or do the dishes. However, you may require in your house rules that they gather waste in the house bins and put dirty dishes in the dishwasher." That is exactly the list we detailed in our article on the checkout chores Airbnb now bans.

What French law says

Article L324-2 of the Code du tourisme fits in one sentence: any offer or contract for a seasonal rental must be in writing and state the price asked and a description of the premises (source: Légifrance, consulted October 2026). No distinction between a week and a single night, or between a private host and a professional.

To be precise: some lawyers consider that the Airbnb listing, with its price and description, already satisfies that requirement. But this is the article Airbnb support relies on to allow your contract, and the signed document is what your insurer will ask for on the day something goes wrong. When in doubt, a signed contract costs you nothing and covers you.

A second useful text, for foreign guests: article R814-1 of the CESEDA requires furnished tourist rental operators to have each foreign guest fill in and sign an individual police form on arrival (source: Légifrance, version in force since 1 May 2021). That too is a legal obligation, so a data collection Airbnb allows, provided you announce it in the listing's requests. Details are in our guide to the individual police form (in French).

What the contract protects, concretely

• Insurance. After a water leak, a fire or serious damage, a landlord or liability policy very often requires a proper contract identifying the occupants. Without it, the claim becomes a negotiation. AirCover is not an insurance, as we explained in our article on AirCover for hosts (in French).
• House rules. The contract sets in writing the maximum occupancy, pool or garden rules, respect for neighbours, and the ban on parties and subletting. A guest who signed argues less.
• Deposit and inventory. A contract that provides for a security deposit and a check-in and check-out inventory gives any deduction a clear basis. Our tools for the Airbnb security deposit and the holiday rental inventory rely on it.

The steps on Airbnb

1. Announce it before booking. In the listing description and in the house rules, one sentence is enough: "In accordance with the French Code du tourisme, a written rental contract must be signed after booking to confirm the stay." A guest cannot be made to sign a contract that was not on the listing when they booked.
2. Upload the contract under Contracts in the listing settings, as a PDF. It is public: remove your contact details, your insurance policy number and any personal data. One contract per listing.
3. Collect the signature yourself after booking, by electronic signature or on paper at check-in, and keep a copy. Airbnb will not do it.
4. Keep the justification at hand. If Airbnb asks you to prove the contract is required by law, the reference to article L324-2 of the Code du tourisme and, where relevant, your insurer's written requirement are enough.

The house rules themselves must sit in the listing's "House rules and requests" section and nowhere else: not in your messages, not on a sign in the home. A welcome book can remind guests of them, not replace them. If you are starting from scratch, our house rules generator produces a compliant text in a few minutes.

What remains off limits

The contract must not be used to get around Airbnb's other rules. Its terms must stay relevant to the stay and comply with the platform's terms of service (source: Airbnb, article 4169). In practice, do not slip in mandatory dishes at checkout, fees that do not appear in the listing, or a collection of ID documents beyond what the law provides. For ID, the rule is the same as for the contract: you may ask for what the law requires, announced in the listing, and nothing more.

Frequently asked questions

Can I refuse a guest who will not sign the contract?

If the contract was announced in the listing and the house rules before booking, a guest who refuses is breaking your rules. Airbnb states that a host can cancel without penalty when a guest indicates before arrival that they do not intend to follow the rules. Contact support before cancelling, so the cancellation is recorded as such on their side.

Should the contract be signed before or after booking?

After. Airbnb support speaks of a contract "to be signed after booking". What must happen before is the announcement in the listing.

Does the price have to be in the contract?

Yes, article L324-2 requires the price and a description of the premises. Use the amount of the Airbnb reservation, tourist tax included, and describe the property as rented.

Does my Booking or Abritel contract change?

No. This is an Airbnb rule. On other channels and for direct bookings, your contract applies as before.

Can I ask for a security deposit through the contract?

The contract can provide for a deposit, but Airbnb does not collect it and bans fees not shown in the listing. If you want a real deposit, use a card hold handled outside the Airbnb reservation, as our Airbnb deposit service does, and announce it in the listing.