Do you own a villa in Rémire-Montjoly, a one-bedroom flat in downtown Cayenne or a fitted-out carbet over near Roura, and are you thinking of renting it to travellers? French Guiana attracts a unique clientele: families coming to watch an Ariane 6 launch from Kourou, naturalists on their way to the Kaw marshes, professionals on long assignments. Before you publish your first listing, you need to understand the legal framework for a furnished tourist rental in French Guiana. As an Overseas Department and Region (DROM), French Guiana applies French law, but each town adds its own rules. Here is the complete guide, step by step.
What is a furnished tourist rental in French Guiana?
A furnished tourist rental is a furnished property (villa, flat, studio, equipped carbet) rented to a transient clientele who do not make it their permanent home, for a maximum of 90 consecutive days per tenant. This is the definition in Article L324-1-1 of the Tourism Code, which applies in full in French Guiana.
In practical terms, your property must be:
- Decent and fully equipped: bedding, a functional kitchen (air conditioning is all but essential in the equatorial Guianese climate), a bathroom.
- Rented exclusively to the tenant: no common areas shared with other travellers at the same time.
- For holiday use: by the night, week or month, but never as the tenant’s main residence.
This distinction matters: a furnished tourist rental is neither a bed and breakfast (where you live on site and serve breakfast) nor a standard unfurnished rental governed by the 1989 law.
Town hall registration: mandatory in every town
This is the unavoidable step. Any furnished tourist rental put on the market must be the subject of a prior declaration at the town hall using form Cerfa No. 14004. This obligation applies across the whole of French Guiana, whether your property is in Matoury, Macouria, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni or anywhere else.
How to register, in practice
- Download the Cerfa 14004 (declaration of a furnished tourist rental).
- Fill in the declarant’s identity, the exact address of the property, the number of rooms and the capacity (number of beds).
- File the form with your town’s urban-planning department, by registered post or, where the town offers it, via an online service.
- Keep the acknowledgement of receipt: it is your proof in the event of an inspection.
Registration is free and generally takes about ten minutes. Until it is done, you are in breach of the law, with a fine of up to €5,000.
The registration number and change of use
In the tight-supply zones of mainland France, large cities require a 13-digit registration number and a change-of-use procedure. In French Guiana, towns such as Cayenne, Rémire-Montjoly, Matoury and Kourou have not, to date, rolled out these measures as strictly. But the situation is changing fast: since the “Le Meur” law of November 2024, more French towns can decide to introduce mandatory registration and cap the number of nights. Always check with your town hall before launching your activity, because a municipal decision can change the rules from one year to the next.
A tip from the field: call your town’s urban-planning department directly. In Cayenne as in Kourou, the staff answer quickly and will tell you whether a specific local procedure applies to your neighbourhood.
Star classification: optional but strategic
The furnished tourist rental classification (from 1 to 5 stars) is not mandatory, but it offers real advantages, especially in a niche market like French Guiana.
Why get classified
- A major tax advantage: a classified rental enjoys a more favourable allowance under the micro-BIC scheme (see below).
- Credibility with an international clientele (astronauts, researchers, CNES staff) accustomed to hotel standards.
- Increased visibility on platforms and with tourist offices.
How to obtain the classification
Classification is carried out by a Cofrac-accredited body that performs an inspection visit against a grid of criteria (equipment, surface area, accessibility, services). Budget around €150 to €250 for the visit, with a classification valid for 5 years. For an upmarket villa in Rémire-Montjoly with a pool and air conditioning, aiming for 3 or 4 stars is entirely realistic and quickly pays for itself.
Taxation: declaring your rental income
The rents from a furnished tourist rental are Industrial and Commercial Profits (BIC), not property income. Two main schemes:
- Micro-BIC: if your revenue stays below the thresholds, a flat-rate allowance (higher for a classified rental than for an unclassified one). Maximum simplicity, declared on form 2042-C-PRO.
- Actual-expenses scheme: you deduct your real costs (loan interest, works, depreciation of the property, management fees). Often more advantageous as soon as you have a loan or significant expenses.
Also remember to:
- Register to obtain a SIRET number (declaration of the start of activity as a furnished-rental landlord via the single online portal).
- The CFE (business property tax), due in most Guianese towns.
- The possible tourist tax: some tourist towns in French Guiana collect it. Look into it, because as the landlord you are the one who collects it.
Important: tax rules change regularly. Have your scheme validated by an accountant familiar with the specifics of the Overseas Departments; some overseas provisions may work in your favour.
Specific obligations and best practices in French Guiana
Beyond the administrative framework, renting in French Guiana calls for a few habits specific to the territory:
- Insurance: take out non-occupant landlord cover including protection for the rainy season (from December to July, heavy rainfall).
- Health safety: yellow fever vaccination is mandatory to enter French Guiana; remind travellers of this in your communications, and provide mosquito nets and repellent.
- Accessibility: a car is essential. Specify distances in your listing — Félix-Éboué airport in Matoury is about 15 minutes from Cayenne, but Kourou is a 1-hour drive away and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni is 2 hours 30 minutes from the capital.
- Seasonality: the high tourist season corresponds to the dry season, from mid-July to mid-November, the ideal time for the Salvation Islands, the Maroni River by dugout canoe or watching leatherback turtles at Awala-Yalimapo. Adjust your rates accordingly.
To go further on the territory and its must-sees, read our complete guide to French Guiana.
Manage it yourself or hand it to a concierge service?
Managing a furnished tourist rental in French Guiana is time-consuming: registration, classification, cleaning between stays, welcoming travellers who sometimes come from mainland France with a 5-hour time difference, handling tropical surprises. Many owners choose to delegate.
At Hostel Toucan, a local concierge service based in French Guiana, we support owners from A to Z: help with town hall registration, optimising the classification, dynamic pricing according to the dry season, cleaning and guest welcome. Our travellers book directly with no platform fees, enjoy free cancellation up to 7 days before arrival and WhatsApp assistance 7 days a week. Discover our owners offer or browse our rentals in French Guiana to see how we showcase properties like yours.
Putting your property on the rental market while following the rules means protecting your investment and offering a flawless experience. Once the registration is done and the classification obtained, your rental becomes a genuine asset in a destination that is still under the radar but booming.
FAQ
Is town hall registration mandatory for a furnished tourist rental in French Guiana?
Yes. Putting any furnished tourist rental on the market in French Guiana requires a prior declaration at the town hall using form Cerfa No. 14004, whatever the town (Cayenne, Kourou, Matoury, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, etc.). It is free, and failure to register exposes you to a fine of up to €5,000.
Is star classification mandatory in French Guiana?
No, classification from 1 to 5 stars is optional. But it offers a more favourable tax allowance under micro-BIC and strengthens credibility with the clientele. The visit by an accredited body costs around €150 to €250 for a classification valid for 5 years.
How is income from a furnished tourist rental taxed in French Guiana?
The rents fall under Industrial and Commercial Profits (BIC), not property income. You can opt for micro-BIC (a flat-rate allowance, higher if the property is classified) or the actual-expenses scheme (deduction of real costs). A SIRET number and the CFE are generally required.
Do you need a registration number to rent in French Guiana?
To date, Guianese towns do not systematically require a registration number or change of use as some large cities in mainland France do. But since the Le Meur law of 2024, each town can introduce it by decision. Always check with your town hall before starting.
