Change of use in Nice: understand it, do it, in 2026

It is the authorisation to turn residential premises to another use, notably a furnished holiday rental let repeatedly for short stays to transient guests (Construction and Housing Code, art. L631-7). In Nice it is granted by the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur.

Any owner letting as a holiday rental a property that is not their main residence, or their main residence beyond 120 days a year.

For new applications since 1 September 2026: 5 years maximum, non-renewable, one per owner and tax household. Beyond that: compensation, mixed letting or a mobility lease.

Yes: La Joyeuse Conciergerie prepares and files your application for free, with online tracking.

Four zones covering 39 IRIS blocks, with 691 temporary authorisations in 2026: Old Nice (47), Riquier – Port – Mont-Boron (204), City centre (324) and West (116). Outside these zones there is no numerical cap.

Processing takes 4 months and silence means refusal. In a quota zone an incomplete file is rejected, with no chance to complete it and no waiting list: everything must be ready when you file.

A DPE less than 10 years old, carried out after 30 June 2021, rated A to E. From 2034 a D rating at least will be required, including for flats already authorised.

According to the Métropole’s public notice, applications in quota zones are filed online from 1 September to 21 December 2026, one file per owner, for one flat and one zone.

Turning non-residential premises (office, shop) of at least the same floor area, anywhere in Nice, into housing. It gives a permanent authorisation attached to the premises. Companies whose main business is letting property must compensate from the first flat.

Up to €100,000 per property for breaching change-of-use rules, €80,000 for a false declaration, and up to €10,000 without a registration number (€20,000 for a false one).