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9090 days/yearimportant threshold – not a blanket banUrbanHome · Airbnb Lugano 2026
Airbnb in Lugano 2026: 90-day rule, registration and permits
Anyone letting an apartment or holiday property in Lugano for short stays through Airbnb, Booking or similar platforms must comply with several Ticino rules in 2026. The frequently cited 90-day threshold is not a blanket Airbnb cap: it mainly helps determine whether tourist letting is exempt from planning permission and which accommodation rules apply.
Author: Nikita von Niederhäuser, UrbanHome real estate expertUpdated: 29 October 2026 · Reading time: approx. 16 minutes
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IDIdentification numbermust appear in online and offline advertisements03
24hReport guestsReport NO-LEAR guests to the cantonal police within 24 hours04
>6larger accommodationmore than 6 beds and more than 90 days: check LEARKey point
In Lugano, 90 days is not a blanket Airbnb cap.
The 90-day threshold appears in several provisions of Ticino's planning and accommodation law. Bed capacity, hotel-style services, the property's approved use and municipal building practice also matter. Each case therefore needs to be checked before a listing is published.
Airbnb · Lugano · Ticino · 2026
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Up to 90 days
Within building zones, tourist letting not covered by the LEAR and lasting no more than 90 days per calendar year is generally exempt from a building permit. Prior notification to the Municipio is still required; stricter municipal rules remain reserved. [3]
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More than 90 days
Once the 90-day threshold is exceeded, this exemption from planning permission no longer applies. Lugano treats an intention to offer tourist short stays for more than 90 days a year as a change of use that must be reported; the precise permit requirement should be clarified with the Divisione Edilizia privata. [3]
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The number of days is not the only factor
Among other exceptions, the LEAR does not cover accommodation for up to six people. Larger establishments let for more than 90 days may, however, require a cantonal accommodation licence. [4]
90-day rule 2026
What do 90 days actually mean in Lugano?
The number 90 does not simply distinguish what is 'allowed' from what is 'prohibited'. It mainly determines which procedure applies to the use of the accommodation.
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Up to 90 days/year
Tourist short-term letting
There is no general Airbnb exemption, but under Article 3(1)(p) RLE, tourist letting within building zones can be exempt from planning permission if the statutory conditions are met. Notification to the Municipio remains mandatory.
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More than 90 days/year
Planning and change-of-use review
The simplified exemption no longer applies. Lugano monitors such use and, depending on the circumstances, requires a planning-law review or permission to use the property for tourist accommodation.
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More than 6 beds + >90 days
LEAR procedure
According to official Ticino guidance, properties with more than six beds that are let for over 90 days a year and do not yet hold a cantonal licence must complete the LEAR procedure.
In Lugano, 90 days is not a blanket Airbnb cap.
The 90-day threshold appears in several provisions of Ticino's planning and accommodation law. Bed capacity, hotel-style services, the property's approved use and municipal building practice also matter. Each case therefore needs to be checked before a listing is published.
Registration
6How to register an Airbnb in Lugano correctly
Registration, identification numbers, guest reporting and tourist taxes are separate obligations. This sequence helps you prepare. [1]
Ticino Turismo · Lugano RegionAirbnb · Booking · Short-term rental
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Classify the property
Classify the property
Check the number of beds, days let, hotel-style services and existing approved use.
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Register the accommodation
Register the accommodation
Properties with 1 to 6 beds and certain lettings of less than 90 days are registered through Ticino Turismo's platform.
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Display the identification number
Display the identification number
The assigned number must appear in every online listing, on your own website and in offline advertisements.
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Check with the Municipio / building authority
Check with the Municipio / building authority
For tourist letting of up to 90 days, municipal notification is relevant. Longer or more intensive use should be discussed with the Divisione Edilizia privata.
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Report guests
Report guests
For accommodation outside the LEAR, the arrival of every overnight guest must be reported electronically to the cantonal police within 24 hours.
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Settle tourist charges
Settle tourist charges
Visitor tax and, where applicable, promotional tax must be passed on to the competent regional tourism organisation according to the property category and collection method.
Permits
When does an Airbnb in Lugano need a permit?
Registration alone does not replace any building or accommodation permit that may be required. [4]
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≤ 90 days and NO LEAR
Notification may replace a building permit
In building zones, tourist letting for up to 90 days per calendar year may be exempt from planning permission if the legal conditions are met. It must nevertheless be notified to the Municipio.
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> 90 days
Check the building procedure
Once 90 days are exceeded, the special exemption from planning permission no longer applies. Lugano has building-law procedures for these short-term tourist uses.
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> 6 beds and > 90 days
LEAR may apply
Larger accommodation establishments may also need a cantonal authorisation to operate as accommodation without restaurant services.
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Condominium / rented apartment
Also check private-law restrictions
Tenants generally need their landlord's consent for paid subletting. In condominiums, the co-owners' regulations and decisions may restrict short-term letting.
Taxes & reporting
Visitor tax, guest reporting and regional obligations
Since 1 January 2025, Ticino's visitor tax for rooms, holiday apartments and holiday residences has generally been CHF 2.00 per overnight stay; the cantonal rules also set CHF 2.00 for accommodation offered through online platforms with direct collection. The actual collection method depends on the accommodation category and sales channel. [6]
Airbnb registration does not replace guest reporting
Registered NO-LEAR accommodation must also report guests to the cantonal police within the prescribed time. Tourist charges are settled separately via the relevant regional tourism organisation (OTR) or under the applicable platform arrangement. [2]
Lugano today
How big is Lugano's short-term rental market?
The latest figures published by the city come from Lugano Region and show that short-term letting is no longer a niche activity. [5]
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489Hostsaccommodation providers reported in 202502
1’127Apartments/housestourist properties registered in 202503
3’276Bedsreported capacity in 2025In October 2025, the City of Lugano also stated that its Gruppo Controllo Territoriale regularly checks online listings against Lugano Region records to see whether hosts have an identification number and are correctly registered. Irregularities can lead to on-site inspections and, where necessary, reports to the cantonal police. [5]
Checklist
Airbnb in Lugano 2026: what to check before listing
These eight checks help reduce the risk of listing an accommodation that has not been properly registered or authorised.
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Airbnb · LuganoChecklist
How many beds are being offered?
For how many days per calendar year will the property be let to tourists?
Are hotel-style services offered?
Is the accommodation registered with Ticino Turismo?
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2026Checklist
Does the listing display the identification number?
Have municipal notification and planning requirements been clarified?
Is electronic guest reporting set up?
Have landlord consent and/or condominium regulations been checked?
Sources
Official sources and legal status
This assessment draws on current Ticino legislation, official registration information and the City of Lugano's published enforcement practice. Legal and data status: 29 October 2026.
- Ticino Turismo: registration and identification number
- Canton of Ticino: guest reporting to the cantonal police (NO LEAR)
- Canton of Ticino: RLE, Art. 3(1)(p)
- Canton of Ticino: LEAR / RLEAR
- City of Lugano: reply to parliamentary question 1484, 9 October 2025
- Ticino Turismo: tourist charges for accommodation businesses
- Fedlex: Swiss Code of Obligations, Art. 262 – subletting
More on this topic
Related guides
Other published UrbanHome articles about short-term letting in Switzerland.
Direct answers
Frequently asked questions about Airbnb in Lugano in 2026
Direct answers about the 90-day threshold, registration, identification numbers, guest reporting and permits.
12FAQ
No. In Ticino, 90 days is mainly a regulatory threshold affecting exemption from planning permission and the legal classification of accommodation.
Not automatically. Under Article 3(1)(p) RLE, tourist letting in building zones for up to 90 days may be exempt from a building permit if the conditions are met, but it must be reported to the Municipio. Other rules still apply.
The special exemption from planning permission ceases to apply. The use must be discussed with the City or the Divisione Edilizia privata; other permits may be necessary depending on the property.
The official registration platform covers, among others, accommodation with 1 to 6 beds and properties let without hotel-style services for less than 90 days a year.
Yes. Ticino rules require the identification number to be displayed on online platforms, websites and offline publications.
Yes. For NO-LEAR accommodation, the host must electronically report the arrival of every overnight guest to the cantonal police within 24 hours.
According to official Ticino guidance, the LEAR procedure is particularly relevant for properties with more than six beds, let for more than 90 days a year and not yet holding a licence.
Hosts must account for tourist charges under Ticino tourism law. For holiday apartments and similar accommodation, visitor tax has generally been CHF 2.00 per overnight stay since 2025.
Yes. The City has stated that the Gruppo Controllo Territoriale regularly reviews information published on online portals and checks registration with Lugano Region.
Generally yes. Paid subletting is governed by Article 262 of the Swiss Code of Obligations; the conditions and scope should be disclosed to the landlord and ideally approved in writing.
Yes. In addition to public law, condominium regulations and co-owners' decisions may restrict intensive short-term letting.
Contact Ticino Turismo or Lugano Region for registration and tourist charges, the cantonal police for guest reporting, and the City of Lugano or Divisione Edilizia privata for planning and use questions.
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