Meublé de tourisme: DPE and energy rules in 2026 (loi Le Meur)
If you let a property short-term in France, 2026 is the year energy performance catches up with you. The [loi n°2024-1039 du 19 novembre 2024](https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000050612711) — the loi Le Meur — pulls *meublés de tourisme* (furnished tourist rentals) into the same *décence énergétique* logic that already governs long-term lets. In communes that regulate change of use, a DPE now conditions the right to rent; class F and G properties are being pushed out; and from 1 January 2034 every tourist let that is not the owner's principal residence must reach class D. On top of that, registration goes national in mid-2026 and the *taxe de séjour* still applies. This guide sets out exactly what the law requires, the dates that matter, which properties are exempt, and how to plan renovations before a deadline — or a fine — forces your hand.
What the loi Le Meur actually changes
For a decade, France regulated short-term lets mainly through change-of-use rules and rental-day caps. The loi Le Meur widens that toolbox and, crucially, adds an energy dimension that did not exist before. Communes can now activate the change-of-use procedure freely — by simple délibération if they are subject to the taxe sur les logements vacants (TLV), or by reasoned délibération otherwise — without the prefect's prior sign-off. Résidence-principale lets (capped at 90–120 days a year) stay exempt from authorization. The headline shift for landlords: obtaining or keeping the right to operate a meublé de tourisme is now tied to your property's DPE.
The DPE requirement, step by step
The legal hook is measure 4 of the loi Le Meur, which extends décence énergétique to tourist lets. Two distinct rules apply: 1. On any new change-of-use request (mainland France): the authorization can only be granted for a dwelling rated A to E. Class F and G properties are excluded until renovation works lift them out of passoire territory. 2. From 1 January 2034: every meublé de tourisme that is not the owner's principal residence must meet the long-term-rental decency level — A to D — whether or not it ever needed change-of-use authorization. Existing owners get the full runway to 2034 to comply.
| Situation | DPE required | Effective |
|---|---|---|
| New change-of-use authorization (métropole) | Class A–E (F/G excluded) | Since the law |
| All non-principal-residence meublés | Class A–D | 1 Jan 2034 |
| Principal residence let ≤90–120 days/year | Exempt from energy decency | — |
How the tourist-let calendar tracks the passoire calendar
The 2034 class-D target is not arbitrary: it lines up with the décence énergétique schedule created by the loi n°2021-1104 du 22 août 2021 (loi Climat et Résilience) for ordinary long-term rentals. That calendar removes the worst DPE grades from the rental market in three steps:
| Date | Grade no longer rentable | Minimum class to let |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2025 | G | F |
| 1 January 2028 | F | E |
| 1 January 2034 | E | D |
Registration, déclaration and the numéro d'enregistrement
Registration is being centralized. Today, depending on the commune, you either file a déclaration simple in the mairie (Cerfa n°14004) or, where registration is in force, obtain a *13-character numéro d'enregistrement* that must appear on every listing. From mid-2026*, the loi Le Meur makes registration compulsory nationwide through a single State-run platform; the old local déclaration simple disappears. Practical points: - The numéro must be displayed on Airbnb, Booking and every other listing. - In a copropriété, once you obtain a numéro you must inform the syndic, who reports it at the next general meeting. - New copropriété* by-laws must now state explicitly whether tourist lets are allowed.
Taxe de séjour and the micro-BIC squeeze
Two money items sit alongside the energy rules. First, the taxe de séjour is unchanged in principle: you (or the platform) collect it per night from guests and remit it to the commune or EPCI. Second, the loi Le Meur confirmed the micro-BIC squeeze already begun by the 2024 Finance Act, applying to income earned from 2025:
| Micro-BIC regime | Allowance (2023 → 2025) | Ceiling (2023 → 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Non-classified meublé | 50% → 30% | €77,700 → €15,000 |
| Classified meublé | 71% → 50% | €188,700 → €77,700 |
Sanctions and the mayor's new powers
The loi Le Meur converts several court-ordered civil fines into administrative fines the mayor can issue directly, and raises the ceilings:
| Breach | Type | Max per unit |
|---|---|---|
| No declaration of the meublé | Administrative | €10,000 |
| False statement at registration | Administrative | €20,000 |
| Letting in breach of DPE rules | Administrative | up to ~€5,000 (reported) |
| Exceeding the principal-residence day cap | Civil | €15,000 |
| Operating without change-of-use authorization | Civil | €100,000 |
Planning your renovations
If your property is class F or G, the clock is already running. A sensible sequence: 1. Pull your current DPE (or commission one). A DPE is valid 10 years, but those issued before July 2021 expired on 31 December 2024. 2. Check your commune's status — is change of use active? Is there a day cap or a quota of authorizations? 3. Model the jump to class D, not just E: hitting D once covers both the 2034 tourist rule and long-term decency. 4. Sequence works around insulation and heating — the two levers that move DPE letters fastest. 5. Keep every invoice and the new DPE in case the mayor asks. If you want the paperwork, deadlines and per-property obligations tracked in one place, AdminLanding's rental-compliance module maps the loi Le Meur requirements to your situation.
Is your commune concerned? Zones tendues and change of use
Whether the DPE-at-authorization rule bites on you depends entirely on your commune. Change of use is opt-in: a commune subject to the TLV can switch it on by simple délibération; others need a reasoned one justified by housing pressure. Communes can also cap principal-residence lets at 90 days (down from 120) from 2025, set quotas of temporary authorizations, or create a résidence principale servitude in the PLU. Because the rules can vary street by street, the only reliable source is your mairie — ask before you buy, renovate or list.
Conclusion: The loi Le Meur ends the era when a meublé de tourisme could ignore its energy label. In regulated communes a DPE of A–E is already the price of a change-of-use authorization, and by 2034 class D becomes the floor for every non-principal-residence tourist let nationwide. The landlords who win are the ones who renovate to D early, register cleanly, and keep their paperwork ready for the mayor. Everything here is information, not personalized advice — confirm the figures and your commune's rules at the official source before you act.
Frequently asked questions
Is a DPE mandatory for every meublé de tourisme in 2026?
Not universally. A DPE rated A–E is required to obtain a change-of-use authorization in communes that apply that procedure (mainly *zones tendues* and TLV communes). Elsewhere there is no immediate DPE ban — but from 1 January 2034 every non-principal-residence tourist let nationwide must reach class D. Check your commune's rules with the mairie.
My meublé is class F — can I still rent it short-term?
It depends where. In a commune with change of use, you cannot get a new authorization for a class F or G property until you renovate it up to at least class E. In communes without change of use, you can still let it for now, but the 2034 class-D requirement will eventually apply. Plan works accordingly.
Does the rule apply to my principal residence let on Airbnb?
No. A principal residence rented occasionally as a *meublé de tourisme* — capped between 90 and 120 days a year depending on the commune — is exempt from the energy-decency requirement, even after 2034. You still declare it and, from mid-2026, register it, but you are not required to meet the class-E or class-D DPE thresholds.
What DPE class will I need by 2034?
Class D. From 1 January 2034 every *meublé de tourisme* that is not the owner's principal residence must be rated A to D, matching the *décence énergétique* level long-term rentals reach the same year under the loi Climat et Résilience. Renovating to D now avoids a rushed, costly upgrade later and covers both regimes at once.
What are the fines if I don't comply?
The loi Le Meur raised the ceilings: up to €10,000 for failing to declare, €20,000 for a false registration statement, €15,000 for exceeding the day cap, and €100,000 for operating without a required change-of-use authorization. Letting in breach of DPE rules carries a reported administrative fine of up to about €5,000. Verify current amounts at the official source.
Do I still need a registration number?
Yes. Where registration applies you need a 13-character *numéro d'enregistrement* on every listing. From mid-2026 the loi Le Meur makes registration compulsory across France through a national State platform, replacing the local *déclaration simple*. In a *copropriété* you must also tell the *syndic* once you obtain your number.
About the author:
Julien Maurice is the founder of AdminLanding and writes the editorial guides on Green Daily Fix covering French renovation aid, energy policy, and the administrative side of the energy transition. Contact: [email protected]
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