The bill is the new Zakon o ugostiteljskoj djelatnosti (Hospitality Act), final proposal P.Z.E. 315. It replaces the current act and, with EU Regulation 2024/1028 which applies since 20 May 2026, sets up one national registration for short-term rentals. News stories have mostly covered the large fines. Those are for platforms. This page starts with what reaches you as a host.
Status on 27 October 2026: a bill, not a law
- Where it is
- On 21 October 2026 the Government sent the final proposal to Sabor for second reading.
- Planned start
- The law from 1 January 2027. The registration number rules from 1 May 2027.
- Next
- Committee and a plenary vote. No vote date has been announced.
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What the bill says
- The number comes from eTurizam. You apply through the national tourism information system, with a copy of your existing approval or decision (rješenje).
- Listings must show it. If you advertise on an online short-term rental platform, a valid registration number must be displayed with the listing.
- Hotels, hostels and campsites are outside. The EU regulation excludes them, and the bill's explanatory memo says the same. Apartments, rooms and holiday homes are in.
- The Central Register is public, and accommodation data from it flows into eVisitor automatically.
- Enforcement. If a tourist inspector finds a platform listing with no valid number, the inspector orders the host to stop advertising that unit. If that is ignored, the platform is ordered to remove the listing. The Government also says the State Inspectorate will be able to monitor advertising sites and social media groups.
The fines, and who they are for
The €13,000 to €130,000 (or 1% to 6% of annual revenue) in the news is the range for online platforms that do not remove listings without a valid number or miss the other platform duties. Small platforms have lower bands. Hosts have their own list in the bill:
| Who | What | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Private person renting out | No application, false documents, or no number on the platform listing | €2,000 to €6,600 |
| Business or sole trader | The same | €10,000 to €66,000 |
| Private household renter | Renting without the required decision | €2,600 to €10,000 |
| Hospitality business | Operating without registration or a decision | €5,500 to €20,000 |
These are amounts in a bill. They can change in Sabor.
When it starts, and one thing we cannot tell yet
The bill takes effect on 1 January 2027. The articles on the registration number, the authorities and the single digital entry point take effect on 1 May 2027. So the system you apply in is not expected to be open before May.
The fine articles sit in the 1 January block, while the duties they refer to start on 1 May. Whether fines can apply before the system opens is not clear from the text. We will not guess. It goes in the changelog when we know.
What to do now
- Find your current paperwork. The registration will ask for your existing approval or decision (rješenje) for each unit. Know where it is and that it is valid.
- Check your category. If your approval is temporary, the bill extends temporary decisions to 31 December 2030. Confirm which one you hold.
- Do not rent without a decision. That is already an offence, and the new fines make it more expensive.
- Wait for the system. There is nothing to apply for before eTurizam opens, and the number format has not been published. Do not pay anyone who offers to get you a number early.
- Keep registering guests in eVisitor as today. The bill links the register to eVisitor, but we have not found a change to the 24-hour guest registration.
Still open
- Whether Sabor changes the text at second reading.
- The date fines start to apply (see above).
- The format of the number and the rulebooks that will govern the register.
- How platforms will check numbers in practice.
- Whether anything replaces the current guest-book rulebook, which the bill repeals.
Where Kenova fits
Kenova does not apply for or issue the number. That is between you and eTurizam. Your welcome guide and the eVisitor helper keep working as they do now. When the number format and the rules are published, we will say here what, if anything, changes for you.
Changelog
Newest first. We add a line every time the law or our reading of it changes.
- 27 October 2026
- Page published. Based on the final proposal text (P.Z.E. 315), the Government's 21 October release and EU Regulation 2024/1028.
- 21 October 2026
- The Government sends the final proposal to Sabor for second reading (216th session).
- 3 July 2026
- First reading in Sabor.
- 26 June 2026
- The Government sends the proposal to Sabor (178th session).
- 20 May 2026
- EU Regulation 2024/1028 on short-term rental data starts to apply.
Frequently asked questions
Is the registration number law in force?
No. It is a bill. The Government sent the final proposal to Sabor on 21 October 2026 and the second reading has not taken place. If adopted, the registration number rules start on 1 May 2027.
Do hotels and campsites need a registration number?
No. Hotels and similar accommodation, hostels and campsites are outside the EU regulation, and the bill's explanatory memo says the same. Apartments, rooms and holiday homes are covered.
When can I apply for a number?
The bill puts the registration number rules into force on 1 May 2027, with applications through eTurizam. No earlier date has been announced.
Do I need a number if I do not list on Airbnb or Booking.com?
The EU regulation and the bill's article on the number are written around listings on online short-term rental platforms. We have not found a rule for other channels. Renting without the required decision is an offence either way, so keep your paperwork in order.
Does this change eVisitor?
The bill connects the Central Register to eVisitor, so accommodation data will flow into it. We have not found a change to the 24-hour guest registration. Keep registering guests as you do now.
Sources and verification. The final proposal of the Zakon o ugostiteljskoj djelatnosti (P.Z.E. 315, sabor.hr), the Government's release of 21 October 2026 (vlada.gov.hr), Regulation (EU) 2024/1028 and Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 on EUR-Lex. Article numbers are from the final proposal and can still change in Sabor. This page is general information for hosts, not legal advice. Confirm your own position with a Croatian lawyer or accountant.