Decree-Law No. 151/2026 establishes temporary and extraordinary measures designed to overcome constraints encountered in the exercise of municipal powers to regulate local accommodation activities.

The document says that municipal procedures regarding local accommodation “were affected by the transition of local government administrations following the 2025 municipal elections.”

Given this situation, “and without substantively altering the current legal framework, it is necessary to grant municipalities an additional period” to declare their intention to draft or amend their local accommodation regulations, in cases where they had reached one thousand registrations by 31 December 2025.

At the same time, the Government aims to “ensure, on an exceptional basis, that municipalities may determine the extension of any currently active suspension of new local accommodation registrations, or impose an additional suspension, in either case limited to the period strictly necessary for drafting or amending the relevant municipal regulations, and which, in any event, may not extend beyond 31 December 2026.”

This exceptional regime automatically expires upon the entry into force of the municipal regulation or the amendment to an existing one, following a resolution by the municipal assembly; furthermore, the extension or suspension of new registrations cannot be applied retroactively.

Since October 2024, municipalities have been permitted to adopt their own administrative regulations defining “procedures and operational measures” for local accommodation within their respective territories.