Do you own an apartment in Cayenne, a villa in Rémire-Montjoly or a studio near Félix-Éboué airport in Matoury, and would you like to rent it out short-term? Before publishing your first listing, one step is unavoidable: registering your furnished tourist rental at the town hall. In French Guiana, a French overseas department and region (DROM), the regulations are strictly identical to those of mainland France. As local operators who support Guianese owners every day, here is the practical, hands-on guide to being compliant.
Why registering your furnished tourist rental in French Guiana is mandatory
A furnished tourist rental is a furnished dwelling let to a transient clientele who do not take up residence there, for a maximum of 90 days per tenant. As soon as you offer your property on Airbnb, Booking or directly, you fall within this legal framework defined by the Tourism Code (articles L324-1 onwards).
Registration at the town hall serves three purposes:
- Enabling the collection of the tourist tax by the municipality or inter-municipal authority.
- Regulating the tourism offer across the territory (a census of accommodation).
- Assigning you a registration number, increasingly required by the platforms.
In French Guiana, every tourist municipality is concerned: Cayenne, Rémire-Montjoly, Matoury, Kourou, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, Roura or Macouria. Failing to register exposes you to a fine of up to €5,000 (up to €12,500 if you fail to comply with a registration procedure involving an online process).
Primary residence or second home: two distinct regimes
The nature of your property changes your obligations. This is the point owners most often confuse.
You are renting out your primary residence
If you live in the dwelling more than 8 months a year and rent it out occasionally (during your absences, for example on a trip to mainland France with the -5h time difference in winter and -6h in summer), the rental is capped at 120 days per year. In a municipality without a specific registration procedure, a simple declaration is not always required, but it remains strongly recommended for the tourist tax.
You are renting out a second home or a dedicated property
This is the most common case in rental investment. Here, prior registration at the town hall is systematically mandatory, with no day limit. If your municipality has introduced a change-of-use procedure (converting a residential property into a tourist rental), additional authorisation may be required. In Cayenne, enquire directly with the urban planning department at the Town Hall, place Léopold-Héder, as the situation is evolving.
The step-by-step procedure in Cayenne and the Guianese municipalities
Here is the concrete process we apply for our owner clients.
Step 1: fill in the Cerfa form no. 14004*04
This is the official document for registering a furnished tourist rental at the town hall. On it you indicate:
- Your identity and your contact details as a landlord.
- The precise address of the rental.
- The number of rooms and beds, and the maximum capacity.
- The anticipated rental periods.
The form can be downloaded free of charge on service-public.fr. Allow 15 to 20 minutes to complete it.
Step 2: submit the declaration to the municipality
Two options depending on the town hall:
- Online procedure: municipalities that have adopted an online service (an ever-growing number) issue a 13-digit registration number immediately.
- Paper submission or registered mail: you hand the Cerfa to the relevant department. The town hall sends you a receipt.
For Cayenne, contact the Cayenne town hall; for the other municipalities, contact the Communauté d’Agglomération du Centre Littoral (CACL), which groups together Cayenne, Rémire-Montjoly, Matoury, Roura and Macouria, and which manages the inter-municipal tourist tax.
Step 3: obtain and display your registration number
Once the declaration is validated, you receive your number. It must appear on all your listings (platforms and direct website). Without it, some platforms block or suspend publication. Keep the receipt carefully: it will be requested in the event of an inspection.
The tourist tax: what you must collect and remit
The tourist tax is owed by the traveller, but it is up to you, the landlord, to collect it and then remit it to the local authority.
- Indicative amount: for an unclassified rental, expect generally between €0.80 and €2.50 per night per adult, depending on the rate voted by the municipality or the CACL.
- Remittance frequency: most often half-yearly or annually.
- Exemptions: children under 18 are exempt.
If you use a platform that collects the tax automatically, make sure it remits it to the correct Guianese authority: this is not always the case for overseas territories.
Star classification: a tax-attractive option
Furnished tourist rental classification (from 1 to 5 stars) is not mandatory, but it offers real advantages, especially since the 2025 tax tightening:
- Enhanced tax allowance under the micro-BIC regime (a more favourable rate for a classified rental than for an unclassified one).
- Increased credibility with travellers.
- Tourist tax sometimes capped differently.
The process goes through an accredited body that carries out an inspection visit. Allow around €150 to €300 and a classification valid for 5 years. During the Guianese high tourist season — the dry season, from mid-July to mid-November — the ideal time to visit the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, the Salvation Islands or the Kaw marshes, a classified property rents out more easily and at a higher price.
The other obligations not to forget
Beyond registration, being a compliant landlord involves:
- Declaring your rental income (micro-BIC or actual regime) and, where applicable, registering under the furnished landlord status (LMNP/LMP).
- Taking out non-occupying owner insurance suited to short-term rentals.
- Complying with safety standards: smoke detector, equipment in good condition.
- Drawing up a clear seasonal rental contract with an inventory of fixtures.
That is a significant volume of administrative tasks, especially when managing from mainland France with the time difference and the +594 dialling code.
Hostel Toucan supports you on the path to compliance
At Hostel Toucan, a 100% Guianese concierge and seasonal rental service, we take on this regulatory journey for owners in Cayenne, Rémire-Montjoly, Matoury and beyond. From registration at the town hall to the collection of the tourist tax, and through to optimising your listing, we save you time and bring you peace of mind.
And for your travellers as well as for you, we focus on direct booking with no platform fees, free cancellation up to 7 days before arrival, and WhatsApp assistance 7 days a week. Discover our accommodation in French Guiana, consult our complete guide to French Guiana to better advise your guests, and if you are an owner, the dedicated owners area details our support from A to Z.
Registering your rental is not a formality to be neglected: it is the foundation of a serene and lasting rental activity under the equatorial Guianese climate. Once compliant, you can focus on what matters: offering an unforgettable experience to travellers who have come to discover the Maroni River by dugout canoe, the leatherback turtles of Awala-Yalimapo or the colourful Cayenne market.
FAQ
Is registering a furnished tourist rental mandatory in Cayenne?
Yes. For a second home or a property dedicated to short-term rental, prior registration at the town hall via the Cerfa form no. 14004*04 is systematically mandatory in Cayenne and in the other Guianese municipalities. Failure to register exposes you to a fine of up to €5,000.
Where do you submit your furnished tourist rental declaration in French Guiana?
At the town hall of the relevant municipality (Cayenne town hall, place Léopold-Héder, for the capital). For the tourist tax, the Communauté d’Agglomération du Centre Littoral (CACL) manages the inter-municipal scheme covering Cayenne, Rémire-Montjoly, Matoury, Roura and Macouria. Some municipalities offer an online procedure.
How much does registering a furnished tourist rental cost?
Registration at the town hall via the Cerfa 14004 is free. Only the optional star classification is chargeable: expect around €150 to €300 for a visit by an accredited body, with a classification valid for 5 years that entitles you to an enhanced tax allowance.
Must the registration number be displayed on listings?
Yes, as soon as your municipality uses a registration procedure. The 13-digit number issued must appear on all your listings, platforms included. Without it, some platforms suspend publication, and its absence may result in a fine.
