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If you rent your Mauritius villa or apartment to tourists - on Airbnb or anywhere else - you need a Tourist Accommodation Certificate from the Mauritius Tourism Authority. Not "eventually", not "once the bookings pick up": before you host your first paying guest.
The good news is that the process is entirely manageable. It's paperwork, an inspection, and a fee - not a lottery. This guide walks through it step by step, based on the Tourism Authority's current requirements, so you know exactly what's coming.
(For the broader legal picture - taxes, BRN, VAT thresholds - see our complete regulations guide. This article goes deep on the licence itself.)
What the certificate is and who needs it
The Tourist Accommodation Certificate is the Tourism Authority's licence to operate paid tourist accommodation. It covers the property and its operator: it confirms the building is approved for tourist use, meets safety and hygiene standards, and is run by a registered business of good standing.
Who needs one? Anyone letting accommodation to tourists on a short-term basis. That includes a single two-bedroom apartment in Flic en Flac listed on Airbnb - not just hotels. Operating without a certificate exposes you to fines and closure, and it quietly undermines everything else: your insurance position if a guest is injured, your standing with the estate syndic, and your ability to advertise legitimately.
The four accommodation categories
The Tourism Authority licenses four categories of tourist accommodation:
| Category | What it covers | Typical applicant |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel | Full-service hotel operations | Hotel groups |
| Guest House | Owner-hosted accommodation with shared services | Small hospitality businesses |
| Tourist Residence | Self-catering villas and apartments let to tourists | Private owners - this is you |
| Domaine | Estate-based accommodation with leisure activities | Rural estates |
For a private villa or apartment rented on Airbnb, the relevant category is almost always Tourist Residence. The Tourism Authority publishes a separate document checklist for each category on its website - download the Tourist Residence one and work from it.
The documents you'll need
Exact requirements come from the category checklist, but for a Tourist Residence expect to assemble:
- Identity documents - passport or national ID of the applicant
- Business Registration Number (BRN) - you're operating a business, so you need to be registered with the Corporate and Business Registration Department first
- Title deed or lease - plus the owner's written authorisation if the applicant isn't the owner (relevant if you rent-to-sublet or a company operates the property)
- Plans - site plan, interior layout and facade of the property
- Building and Land Use Permit (BLUP) - from your municipal or district council, authorising the property's use as tourist accommodation
- Character certificate - police clearance for the applicant
- Insurance - evidence of appropriate cover for guests
- Fire safety compliance - extinguishers, smoke detectors and clear escape routes, verified at inspection
The BLUP is the long pole. Most delays we see aren't at the Tourism Authority - they're at the local council, waiting for the Building and Land Use Permit. Start the BLUP application first, and the rest of the process usually flows.
The application, step by step
Register the business
Get your BRN from the Corporate and Business Registration Department. This also sets you up for the tax side - rental income is declared to the MRA at the flat 15% rate.
Apply for the BLUP at your local council
Your municipal or district council (Black River District Council for most of the West Coast) must authorise the property's use as tourist accommodation. Do this early - it's the slowest step.
Assemble the document pack
Download the Tourist Residence checklist and application form from the Tourism Authority website (tourismauthority.mu), and gather every document on it. Incomplete packs are the most common reason applications stall at the service desk.
Submit and pay the application fee
Submit the form and documents to the Tourism Authority, where they're verified at the service desk. The application fee is approximately Rs 5,000.
Pass the inspection
A Tourism Authority inspector visits the property to check it matches the plans and meets the standards: fire extinguishers and smoke detectors in place, valid insurance, hygiene and maintenance up to scratch. Fix anything flagged and the inspection is re-verified.
Receive the certificate and operate
Once issued, the certificate is valid for three consecutive years, with operating fees payable annually or for the full term. Display it, diarise the renewal date, and start hosting.
Fees and how long it takes
Budget for the ~Rs 5,000 application fee, the operating fee (which varies by category and number of rooms), and whatever the inspection requires - typically fire-safety equipment and insurance if you don't already have them. In the scheme of a rental business grossing €20,000+ a year, licensing is a rounding error.
Timelines depend mostly on how fast you assemble documents and how busy your local council is with the BLUP. With a complete pack, allow several weeks to a few months end to end. Plan licensing in parallel with furnishing and photography, not after them - the goal is a certificate in hand the day your listing goes live.
Validity and renewal rules
The rules here are precise, and worth diarising:
- The certificate is valid for three consecutive years
- Renewal applications should be submitted within three months before expiry
- Miss the expiry date? You have a 30-day grace period - but with a 50% surcharge on the renewal fees
- After 30 days, the certificate lapses - and you're back to a fresh application, with your calendar dark in the meantime
A lapsed licence in November - with a fully booked December ahead - is the nightmare scenario. It's exactly the kind of deadline a professional manager tracks so you never have to think about it.
Where applications go wrong
Applying before the BLUP is in hand. The Tourism Authority needs the council's authorisation - sequence it first.
Mismatched paperwork. The name on the application must line up with the title deed, BRN and authorisations. A property owned by a spouse or a company needs the authorisation trail to match.
Failing inspection on the basics. Missing extinguishers, no smoke detectors, expired insurance. Walk the property against the checklist before the inspector does.
Letting the renewal slip. Three years is long enough to forget. Set the reminder the day the certificate is issued.
Rather not do any of this yourself?
Licensing support is part of our management service - we handle the paperwork, the inspection prep and the renewal tracking, so your property is legal from day one and stays that way.
Book a Free Consultation →Sources & disclaimer: Requirements, validity and renewal rules reference the Mauritius Tourism Authority (tourismauthority.mu) as of July 2026, including its published category checklists and renewal conditions. Requirements can change and edge cases exist - confirm the current checklist with the Tourism Authority (+230 203 1000) before applying. This article is general information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a licence to rent my property on Airbnb in Mauritius?
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