Change-of-use application: a simple and up-to-date guide for Short-Term Rentals

Romagna continues to be one of Italy’s most dynamic and exciting tourist destinations. If you own a property in this beautiful area, the short-term rental market represents an excellent opportunity to enhance the value of your property and generate an attractive income.

To welcome guests with maximum peace of mind and professionalism, it is essential to navigate the regulatory framework correctly. Regional Law No. 10 of 19 December 2025 (“Regulation of Properties Intended for Short-Term Rentals in Emilia-Romagna”), which came into force on 20 December 2025, introduced clear rules.

Here is everything you need to know about the urban planning use classification required to generate income from your property in a simple, secure and advantageous way.

Regional Law 10/2025 defines “Short-Term Rental” as a specific urban planning use classification, included within the tourism and hospitality category.

For those wishing to start a new non-hotel accommodation activity for stays of less than 30 days, the legislation establishes a straightforward procedure for bringing the property into compliance with urban planning requirements.

How does it work?

The first step is to appoint a qualified professional to carry out the necessary checks. In most cases, the procedure involves three stages:

• Access to official records, in order to obtain the property's urban planning and building documentation from the Municipality. The technical processing time is approximately one month.
• Technical inspection, to verify that the actual condition of the property corresponds to the available documentation. There are two possible outcomes: in Case A, the documentation matches the actual condition of the property; in Case B, discrepancies are identified. In this situation, the professional will first assess the procedure required to regularise and bring the property's situation into compliance and will then determine any requirements relating to the change of use.
• Submission of the change-of-use application.

When does it apply?

The rules apply to new tourist rental agreements for an entire residential unit with a duration of 30 days or less, whether the property is managed by a private individual or as part of a business activity.

A transitional period is provided for existing activities. Those who were already operating lawfully are granted a three-year transitional period to comply with the requirements of Regional Law 10/2025, provided that the existing SCIA (Certified Notification of Commencement of Activity) is not modified.

The benefits of the new regulations

Bringing a property into compliance provides guarantees in terms of value, safety and efficiency, protecting both property owners and guests:

1. Free and straightforward reversibility: if, in the future, you decide to use the property for long-term rental or for personal use, the law allows the residential use to be restored freely and without additional costs, simply by notifying the Municipality.
2. Safety and quality for guests: compliance with the requirements established by the Regional Law provides assurance that the property meets the applicable standards.

Make your property work for you, with peace of mind, with fued

Bringing your property into compliance with current regulations is not simply a legal obligation; it is also an investment in quality that can enhance the value of the property and provide greater peace of mind for your guests.

At fued, we support apartment owners in Romagna throughout every stage of the process. As always, we take care of coordinating the entire process for you. We provide access to a qualified external professional, who initiates the procedure, collects the necessary documentation and manages the application through to completion.

But there’s more: property owners who choose to work with fued can benefit from an advance of up to €2,000 to help cover the costs of the procedures required under the regulations.

It is a practical way to remove the initial financial barrier and allow you to start generating income from your property without having to deal directly with the complexity of the process.

You provide the property; we take care of the process to get it ready.

Contact us for an assessment of your property and discover how you can turn your home into a profitable and secure asset.

In summary

Changing the property's use classification is an important step for anyone wishing to make their property available for short-term rentals. To formalise this choice correctly, it is necessary to first verify the property's current status and the requirements established by Regional Law No. 10 of 2025. These requirements therefore represent an opportunity to verify the property's compliance and, where necessary, regularise any discrepancies.

The benefit is twofold: you can welcome your guests with greater peace of mind, knowing that your property has been correctly classified and meets the required standards; furthermore, if you decide to sell or transfer the property in the future, you will already have verified and clarified its urban planning and building status.

To read the legislation: https://demetra.regione.emilia-romagna.it/al/articolo?urn=er:assemblealegislativa:legge:2025;10