Airbnb in Cagnes-sur-Mer: the 2026 rules explained for owners

Who sets the short-term letting rules in Cagnes-sur-Mer?

Cagnes-sur-Mer is one of the 51 municipalities of the Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur. Membership matters for two things: the tourist tax, which the Métropole collects across its whole territory, and the local development plan, which is now metropolitan. It does not mean that rules decided for Nice automatically apply in Cagnes.

Change of use for housing is governed by the French Construction and Housing Code. It applies automatically in towns of more than 200,000 inhabitants, such as Nice, and in three départements around Paris. Everywhere else, it has to be introduced by a reasoned resolution. Under article L631-9 of the code, that resolution is a matter for the inter-municipal body responsible for the local development plan or, failing that, the town council. Since the law of 19 November 2024, any municipality in a high-pressure housing area can adopt it, but it is never automatic.

National rules, on the other hand, apply everywhere: the Tourism Code (declaration, day cap for a main residence), the General Tax Code (taxation of furnished lets) and the law of 19 November 2024, known as the « loi Le Meur » (energy rating, co-ownership, mayors' powers). To compare with Nice's very different regime, read our guide to Airbnb regulations in Nice.

Does the metropolitan regulation of 22 June 2026 apply in Cagnes?

No. We checked three official sources and they agree. The very title of the regulation adopted by the metropolitan council (resolution no. 2.1 of 22 June 2026) states that it sets the conditions for granting change-of-use permits « pour la ville de NICE » (for the city of Nice). Permits are issued by the Mayor of Nice, the quotas cover 39 IRIS statistical areas of Nice grouped into four zones, and the compensation rules apply to « l'ensemble de la commune de Nice ».

The Métropole's official FAQ is even more direct. To the question « Est-ce que toute la Métropole est concernée par la nouvelle règlementation ? » (is the whole Métropole covered?), it answers: « Non, seule Nice est concernée » (no, only Nice). It adds that Villefranche-sur-Mer has applied its own rules since 1 July 2024. Cagnes-sur-Mer is not mentioned.

Finally, the metropolitan tourist tax portal, shared by all 51 municipalities, flags a prior change-of-use requirement only for Nice and Villefranche-sur-Mer.

• No five-year temporary permit to apply for in Cagnes-sur-Mer
• No quotas and no IRIS zones
• No « one permit per tax household » rule
• No compensation required to let a second home

To our knowledge, as at 5 October 2026, neither the Métropole nor the town has introduced a change-of-use regime specific to Cagnes-sur-Mer: we found no such resolution on the official websites. Such a decision remains legally possible in the future. Before buying to let short term, ask the town hall's planning and housing department (urbanisme@cagnes.fr) to confirm that no recent resolution has changed the picture.

Main residence: 120 days a year at most

If the property is your main residence, meaning you live there at least eight months a year, you may let it as a holiday rental without any specific permit, up to 120 days per calendar year. That is the cap set by article L324-1-1 of the Tourism Code.

The law allows a municipality to lower this cap to as little as 90 days by a reasoned resolution. Nice did so in 2025 before returning to 120 days. For Cagnes-sur-Mer we found no resolution lowering the cap: to our knowledge, the national 120-day cap therefore applies. Check with the town hall if you expect to get close to the limit.

Beyond 120 days, the property can no longer be treated as a main residence let occasionally: it falls under the second-home regime and its obligations. Keep an accurate calendar of the nights you let: it is your best evidence in the event of an inspection.

Second home: what remains compulsory

This is where Cagnes-sur-Mer differs most from Nice. With no change-of-use regime, a second home can, on the texts we reviewed, be let as a holiday rental without prior permission and without an annual night cap. In Nice, the same plan requires a temporary permit subject to quotas, or compensation.

No permit does not mean no rules. You must still:

• Declare the holiday rental and display the registration number on every listing (next section)
• Collect and pay over the metropolitan tourist tax, or let the platform do it
• Comply with the co-ownership rules of the building, which may ban or restrict holiday lets
• Let to short-stay guests: according to service-public.fr, the same guest cannot stay more than 90 consecutive days
• Declare your income in the correct tax category (BIC)

Declaration and registration number in Cagnes-sur-Mer

The Cagnes-sur-Mer town hall states it in its own FAQ: since a metropolitan tourist office was created on 1 January 2019, every holiday rental declaration is made on the hosts' portal of the metropolitan tourist tax (taxedesejour.ofeaweb.fr/ts/metropole-nca). You create your host account there and a registration number is issued once your declaration has been validated.

The number must appear on all your listings, whether on Airbnb, Booking or your own website. Platforms ask for it when you publish, and a listing without a valid number risks being taken down.

A national change is under way. Since 20 May 2026, article L324-1-1 of the Tourism Code provides for declaration through a single national online service. According to the Directorate-General for Enterprise (page updated on 23 July 2026), it is due to open in the fourth quarter of 2026. Holders of a municipal number will have a transition period to renew it on the new service, after which old numbers will become invalid. Keep an eye on this deadline.

For the number's format and the related penalties, see our page on the holiday let registration number.

Tourist tax: collected by the Métropole

In Cagnes-sur-Mer the tourist tax is metropolitan: the Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur collects it, at the same rates as in its 50 other member municipalities. The official 2026 rates are published on the tourist tax portal.

For an unclassified holiday rental, the tax is 5% of the pre-tax price of the night per person, plus an additional tax of 34%, i.e. 6.70% in total, capped at €6.43 per person per night. The official rate sheet links this 34% additional tax to the Ligne Nouvelle Provence Côte d'Azur rail project. For a classified rental, the rate is fixed and depends on the number of stars. Minors are exempt.

On Airbnb bookings, the platform collects and pays over the tax for you. If you also let directly, collecting, declaring and paying it over is your job. Getting your rental classified can lower the tax on expensive nights and improves your tax allowance (see below).

High-pressure area, council tax, co-ownership, energy rating and tax

Cagnes-sur-Mer can apply a surcharge on council tax (taxe d'habitation) for second homes, a power reserved for municipalities in high-pressure housing areas. According to local tax data published by the French tax authority (DGFiP), the surcharge rate was 20% in 2025. At the town council meeting of 25 June 2026, the mayor announced an increase to 40%, Nice-Matin reported. Check your tax notice for the year from which the new rate applies. A holiday rental that is not your main residence generally remains liable to this tax.

Co-ownership: building rules may ban or restrict short-term letting. The law of 19 November 2024 also made it easier, under conditions, to adopt such bans, and requires owners to inform the managing agent. See our guide to co-ownership rules and holiday lets.

Energy rating: the same law introduced energy performance requirements for holiday rentals, phased in over time. The details are in our guide to the energy rating of holiday lets.

Tax: for 2026 income, an unclassified holiday rental under the micro-BIC regime gets a 30% allowance up to €15,000 of takings; a classified rental gets 50% up to €83,600. Social charges on this income are 18.6%. To fill in your return, follow our guide on declaring Airbnb income, and to choose your regime, our 2026 LMNP guide. These points are general: your accountant or notary remains the right adviser for your personal situation.

The Cagnes market: districts, seasons and guests

Cagnes-sur-Mer has three distinct moods. Cros-de-Cagnes, a former fishing village on the seafront, captures summer beach demand. Haut-de-Cagnes, a hilltop village around the Château-Musée Grimaldi, draws couples and heritage lovers. Cagnes-Ville, around the station, suits practical and business stays, minutes from Nice, the airport and Sophia Antipolis.

The season is not limited to summer. The Musée Renoir at the Domaine des Collettes and the Château-Musée Grimaldi bring visitors in spring and autumn. The Hippodrome de la Côte d'Azur hosts race meetings and many shows throughout the year. The Riviera's big events, Nice Carnival in February and the Monaco Grand Prix in spring, also benefit Cagnes properties with good rail links.

To estimate what your property could earn, use our Airbnb income estimator or discover our Airbnb concierge service in Cagnes-sur-Mer: 20% excl. VAT (24% incl. VAT) of rental income, all inclusive and with no lock-in, a €250 repair float and a detailed report every Friday.

Sources and verification date

Information checked on 5 October 2026 against the official sources below. Rules change: if in doubt, the Cagnes-sur-Mer town hall and the Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur are authoritative.

• Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur, change-of-use regulation for the city of Nice, resolution no. 2.1 of 22 June 2026 (nicecotedazur.org, PDF): title, article 3-2 and article 11-1.
• Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur, FAQ « Autorisations de changements d'usage », question 3 (nicecotedazur.org).
• Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur tourist tax portal (taxedesejour.ofeaweb.fr/ts/metropole-nca): list of the 51 municipalities, registration number, 2026 rates.
• Ville de Cagnes-sur-Mer, page « Une question ? Nous contacter » (ville.cagnes.fr): holiday rental declarations on the metropolitan portal.
• Légifrance: articles L631-7 and L631-9 of the Construction and Housing Code, article L324-1-1 of the Tourism Code; law no. 2024-1039 of 19 November 2024.
• Directorate-General for Enterprise, page « API Meublés, guichet unique de centralisation » (entreprises.gouv.fr, updated 23 July 2026).
• Service-public.gouv.fr, factsheet F2043 (updated 21 May 2026).
• DGFiP, « Fiscalité locale des particuliers » 2025 data (data.economie.gouv.fr); Nice-Matin, 27 June 2026, on the surcharge announced at the town council of 25 June 2026.