Carte G delegation
Contact usCarte G for short-term rental management: the complete guide (2026)
Everything about the carte G (French real-estate property-management licence) for short-term rental management companies: obligations, procedures, costs and alternatives.
What is the carte G?
The carte G (French real-estate property-management licence), whose full name is the professional property-management card, is an official document issued by the Chamber of Commerce (CCI). It is governed by the Hoguet Act (Act no. 70-9 of 2 January 1970), which regulates real-estate brokerage and management activities in France.
This licence authorises its holder to manage real-estate assets on behalf of third parties. In practice, if you run a short-term rental management company (conciergerie) and you want to collect rent from your owners, manage their deposits or sign management mandates in their name, the carte G is essential.
The « G » simply stands for « Gestion » (management), as opposed to the carte T (French transaction licence) for « Transaction ». Since the ALUR act of 2014, the carte G is valid for 3 years (down from 10 years before) and its renewal is conditional on a continuing-education requirement.
What the carte G authorises you to do
- Collect rent and pay it out to owners
- Sign rental management mandates
- Manage deposits and security deposits
- Issue rent receipts
- Represent the owner with tenants
- Sign seasonal rental contracts on behalf of the owner
- Administer dedicated accounts (segregation of funds)
Is the carte G mandatory for a short-term rental management company?
The answer is nuanced: the carte G is not always mandatory to operate as a short-term rental management company. It all depends on your business model and the activities you carry out day to day.
The carte G is mandatory if:
- You collect rental income on behalf of your owners (the funds pass through your account)
- You sign leases or rental contracts on behalf of the owners
- You manage the security deposits and deposits of travellers
The carte G is not required if:
- You operate as a service provider: the platforms (Airbnb, Booking) pay the income directly to the owners
- You invoice your services (cleaning, check-in, listing management) separately
- You sign no management mandate on behalf of the owners
| Operation | Without carte G | With carte G |
|---|---|---|
| Service provision contract | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rental mandate | ✗ | ✓ |
| Management mandate | ✗ | ✓ |
| Administrative declarations (town hall) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Photos and visuals | ✓ | ✓ |
| Signing a seasonal rental contract | ✗ | ✓ |
| Setting prices and paying out | ✗ | ✓ |
| Collecting down payments/deposits | ✗ | ✓ |
| Stay cancellation insurance (Orias) | ✗ | ✓ |
Operating without a carte G: the service-provider model
Most short-term rental management companies that are starting out operate without a carte G, by adopting the service-provider model. This model is perfectly legal provided you comply with three fundamental rules:
1. Direct payment to the owner
The platforms (Airbnb, Booking) pay the rental income directly to the owner. The money never passes through your bank account.
2. Separate invoicing
You invoice your services separately to the owner: cleaning, check-in/check-out, listing management, guest communication, etc.
3. No management mandate
You do not sign a management mandate or a rental contract on behalf of the owner. Your contractual relationship is limited to a service provision contract.
Warning — this model has limits
As a service provider, you cannot collect rent, manage deposits or sign leases on behalf of the owners. This limitation can hold back your growth, because some owners prefer full « turnkey » management.
How to obtain the carte G
Obtaining the carte G goes through the Chamber of Commerce (CCI) of your department. Two main routes let you prove the required professional aptitude:
By qualification
- BTS in real-estate professions
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in law, economics or business
- ICH diploma (Institute of economic and legal studies applied to real estate)
- Any bac+3 (three-year higher-education) real-estate degree
By professional experience
- 10 years of experience in real estate (without the baccalaureate)
- 4 years of experience with the baccalaureate
- 3 years of experience with a bac+2 or higher
- The experience must be salaried employment with a licence holder
The steps to obtain it from the CCI
Put together the file
Proof of identity, diploma or experience certificate, criminal record extract (bulletin no. 2), and proof of the company's registration.
Take out a financial guarantee
A minimum of 30,000 euros for the first two years you hold it. Beyond that, the amount rises to 110,000 euros if you collect funds on behalf of third parties. This guarantee is taken out with a bank or a specialised organisation.
Take out professional liability insurance (RC Pro)
Professional liability insurance is mandatory to cover damages linked to your real-estate management activity.
Submit the application to the CCI
The complete file is submitted to the Chamber of Commerce (CCI) of your department. The application can generally be made online via your CCI's website.
Receiving the card
Allow 2 to 4 weeks of processing time after the complete file is submitted. The card will be sent to you by post or available for collection at the CCI.
How much does the carte G cost
Obtaining the carte G represents an annual investment you need to factor into your business plan. Here is the breakdown of the costs to plan for:
| Item | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| CCI application (first issuance) | 120 € |
| Financial guarantee (30,000 € minimum) | 500 to 1,000 €/year |
| Professional liability insurance (RC Pro) | 300 to 800 €/year |
| CCI renewal (every 3 years) | 120 € |
| Mandatory continuing education (42h / 3 years) | 0 to 1,500 € |
In total, budget around 1,000 to 2,500 € for the first year, then 800 to 1,800 €/year in the following years. These amounts vary depending on your insurer, the amount of the financial guarantee chosen and the cost of the continuing education.
Carte G delegation: the alternative
You are not obliged to obtain the carte G yourself. An increasingly popular solution is to operate under a third party's carte G — an individual or a company that already holds the licence.
The holder issues you a collaborator certificate, which authorises you to carry out real-estate management acts in their name. You then act as an agent or collaborator, under the holder's responsibility.
This option is particularly well suited to short-term rental management companies that want to get started quickly without waiting for the CCI formalities, or to those that do not yet have the qualifications or experience required to obtain the licence in their own name.
Advantages
- Fast start, no CCI formalities
- No financial guarantee to take out
- Immediate access to rental management activities
Disadvantages
- Dependence on the licence holder
- A commission or fee to pay
- Less operational freedom
Carte G vs carte T: what are the differences?
The carte G and the carte T (French transaction licence) are two distinct professional cards issued by the CCI. They cover different activities and are not interchangeable. A short-term rental management company that offers a full-service offering (rental management + marketing) often needs both cards.
| Aspect | Carte G (management) | Carte T (transaction) |
|---|---|---|
| Main activity | Rental management, rent collection | Marketing, publishing listings |
| Rent collection | ✓ | ✗ |
| Signing leases | ✓ | ✗ |
| Publishing listings | ✗ | ✓ |
| Managing deposits | ✓ | ✗ |
| Prospecting tenants | ✗ | ✓ |
| Financial guarantee | Mandatory if collecting funds | Not required |
To find out more, see our complete guide on the carte T for short-term rental management.
The penalties for operating without a carte G
Carrying out real-estate management activities without holding the carte G is a criminal offence. The penalties set out in article 14 of the Hoguet Act are severe:
- A fine of up to 7,500 € (Article 14, Hoguet Act)
- Up to 6 months' imprisonment
- Nullity of contracts signed without the card
- Refund of the commissions received
- A ban on carrying out a real-estate activity
Recent case law: in 2025, the Tours judicial court cancelled a short-term rental management contract because the company was carrying out rental management acts without holding the carte G. The owner obtained a refund of all the commissions paid. This type of ruling is becoming more common and is a reminder of the importance of complying with the regulations.
Frequently asked questions
Not automatically. It is only mandatory if you collect rent on behalf of owners or sign management mandates. If the platforms pay owners directly and you invoice your services separately, you can operate without a carte G.
You must prove a real-estate qualification (BTS PI, law degree, etc.) or sufficient professional experience (3 to 10 years depending on your level of study). Submit your file to the Chamber of Commerce (CCI) of your department with your financial guarantee certificate and your professional liability insurance (RC Pro).
Budget around 1,000 to 2,500 € for the first year (CCI fees + financial guarantee + professional liability insurance). In the following years, the annual cost is 800 to 1,800 €. Renewal with the CCI costs 120 € every 3 years.
Yes, provided you stay within the scope of a service provider. The platforms must pay the income directly to the owners, you invoice your services separately, and you sign no management mandate on behalf of the owners.
The carte G covers rental management (rent collection, management mandates, deposits). The carte T covers transactions and marketing (publishing listings, prospecting tenants). A full-service short-term rental management company often needs both.
A carte G holder issues you a collaborator certificate that authorises you to operate under their card. You act as an agent. It is a fast solution to get started without the CCI formalities, usually in exchange for a commission or fee.
Yes, the legal status changes nothing about the obligation. Whether you are a sole trader, an SARL or an SAS, the carte G is required as soon as you carry out rental management acts on behalf of third parties.
It depends on their role. If the co-host is limited to operational management (cleaning, check-in, guest communication) without collecting funds, the carte G is not required. However, if they collect payments or sign contracts, it becomes mandatory.
Operating without a carte G exposes you to a 7,500 € fine, 6 months in prison, cancellation of contracts and the refund of commissions. The Tours court recently cancelled a contract for this reason.
The carte G is valid for 3 years (since the ALUR act of 2014). Renewal requires 42 hours of continuing education over the 3-year period and payment of the CCI fees (120 €).
Do you need a carte G for your short-term rental management company?
We offer a carte G delegation service for short-term rental management companies. Get started quickly and fully legally.
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