Mahārāštra

When deciding to become an Airbnb Host, it’s important for you to understand the laws in your State. As a platform and marketplace, we do not give legal advice, but we do want to provide some useful information that may help you better understand the laws and regulations for hosting in Maharashtra. This list is not exhaustive and should not be considered legal advice, but it should give you a good head start in understanding your local laws. If you have questions, please contact the relevant officials from the Directorate of Tourism (“DoT”) – Maharashtra Tourism, other Government agencies directly, or consult a local lawyer.

First things first — you should obtain necessary registrations and permissions prior to listing on Airbnb.

Residential hotels, residential clubs, or any other premises used for the reception of guests and travelers to stay

If you are planning to list any premise as residential units on Airbnb, then make sure you have obtained requisite registrations and permissions to operate the premises under the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments Act, 1948. New registration and renewals can be done online by logging onto the Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation (“BMC”) website. You may also refer to the checklist of documents for submitting online registration or renewal applications.

Lodging houses, homestays and Bed & Breakfasts (“B&Bs”)

B&Bs or lodging houses require a license from the BMC as per the provisions of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888. For this, hosts can log into the BMC website to submit their license applications to the BMC online

Business and Trade Licensing

In addition to the above, there may be other registrations applicable to you, depending on the kind of activities you offer (e.g., adventure and water sports, restaurants, etc.). You may be required to comply and obtain certain registrations under the:

• Adventure Tourism (Activities) Policy – Adventure tourism activities conducted on land, water and air.
• Caravan Tourism Policy – Caravans and caravan parks.
• Beach Shack Policy – Beach shacks, deck-beds, giant umbrellas.

Hosts must always ensure to obtain and timely renew the necessary registrations, health and safety permits and NoCs from the concerned authorities. More information regarding the registration process and checklist of documents required can be found under the respective policies. All applications for registration can be filed online through the Maharashtra Tourism website. For more details, you may visit the Maharashtra Tourism website or contact the relevant officials of the DoT.

Hosts on Airbnb are responsible for ensuring that all their registrations and licenses are up to date and renewed in a timely manner.