Hotels and guesthouse operations
If you wish to operate a hotel or guesthouse for at least nine guests or that includes at least five guest rooms you need to report it to the police, who registers the information. You must notify business changes or if the operation ceases to the police.
Before starting a hotel or guesthouse operation, a report must be made to the police. This applies to hotel and guesthouse operations that can accommodate at least nine guests or that includes at least five guest rooms. The notification requirement does not apply:
- residences used for care, supervision, education or upbringing,
- unmanned cabins that can be used for temporary overnight stays,
- simply equipped cabins without water and sewerage on campsites.
The notification must contain certain information about the hotel or guesthouse and about the person who runs the business. If any information that has been reported changes, this must be reported to the police. The same applies if the business ceases.
It is the person who will run the business who must make the report. If the business is run by a company (or other legal entity), an authorized representative of the company must make the notification. If the business is conducted in the form of a sole trader (natural person), it is the trader himself who should make the notification.
The notification must be in writing. Send an email or letter to the police containing the following information:
- The hotel or guesthouse's name, address, number of rooms and maximum number of guests
- Organization number/personal identification number
- Company name
- Postal address
- Email address
- Telephone number
- Name, telephone number and e-mail address of the authorized representative of the operation
- Date for when the operation begins
If some of the information from the original notification has changed or the operation ceases, you have to submit the changes to the police. When doing so, remember to state your case number. The case number is the unique number of your original report. You will find it in the confirmation email you received when you made the original notification (eg A123.123/2000).
The notification is free of charge.
When you have submitted the information, you will receive a confirmation email from the police. If something is missing or unclear, the police will contact you, otherwise you do not need to do anything further and your report is complete.
Hotel and guesthouse operations with valid permits 1 January 2025
On January 1, 2025, a new legislation on hotel and guesthouse operations entered into force. This implicates that the previous requirement for permission to operate a hotel or guesthouse business has been removed and replaced with a notification procedure. The hotel and guesthouse operations that on 1 January 2025 had valid permits for the operation do not need to make a new notification. These are already seen as reported under the new regulations and the police already have the necessary information.
Keep in mind that if any information changes, such as the address of the hotel or guesthouse, you must notify the police. The same applies if the operation ceases.
