Do I need to register to rent on Airbnb in Playa del Carmen?

Yes: the State Tourism Registry certificate, state tax registration for the lodging tax and, in Playa del Carmen, the city registry and license.

What is the lodging tax in Quintana Roo?

5%, and 6% for private apartments, houses and villas. If a platform collects payment, it withholds it.

If not resident in Mexico, 25% of gross income, with no deductions.

The law allows renting without neighbors' permission, within the founding deed and bylaws. Read them before you buy.

Buying · Playa del Carmen

Before you count on the income: the registrations, the taxes and what's really left at the end of the year.

Last reviewed: Oct 14, 2026 · General information, not legal advice: check it with a notary.

State Tourism Registry
To rent by the night in Quintana Roo you need a RETUR-Q certificate: yearly, free and mandatory. Platforms may not list hosts without one.^[1]
How to apply
Online at siturq.gob.mx, with your tax ID and one record per property, after your state tax registration. Miss the 60-day window and the fine is 50 to 965 UMA (about 5,900 to 113,000 pesos in 2026).^[1]^[2]
City registry
In 2026 Playa del Carmen opened an online registry for some 16,000 vacation rentals, with an operating license and a Civil Protection check. Fees and fines aren't in an official published source yet.^[3]^[4]
The condo bylaws
The law lets you rent without your neighbors' permission, within the founding deed and the bylaws; changing a unit's use takes 100% of the votes. Read them before you buy.^[5]
A pending reform
In 2025 the state congress was debating letting each condo vote on short-term rentals. We found no sign it was published.^[6]

Lodging tax
5% of what you charge; 6% for private apartments, houses and villas. If the platform collects payment, it withholds the tax; if you're paid directly, you file it, with a state certificate per property.^[7]
Income tax and VAT on platforms
If you live in Mexico and rent through a platform that collects payment, it withholds 4% income tax and half the VAT (8% of the price). Lodging and furnished rentals carry 16% VAT.^[8]^[9]^[10]
If you don't live in Mexico
Rent from Mexican property is taxed here at 25% of gross income, no deductions; in a trust, the bank withholds it. How that combines with a platform's withholding is unclear: ask an accountant.^[8]
Long-term rentals
An unfurnished home rented as a residence pays no VAT. As a resident you can deduct actual expenses or a flat 35% plus property tax.^[8]^[9]

Real occupancy
The state registry closed 2025 with 58% occupancy in Playa del Carmen at about 1,900 pesos a night; managers reported 31% in April 2026 and 22% in May.^[11]^[12]
The figures disagree
Airbtics puts average yearly occupancy at 57% as of March 2026; other data providers say 46 to 51%. Different methods: use ranges, not one number.^[13]
Lots of new supply
Over 200 developments and about 6,200 units are for sale in the city: more competition for the same guests.^[14]
What gets promised
Brokers quote 8 to 12% gross and 5 to 8% net for a well-located 1 or 2-bedroom. That's their estimate, not a measured result.^[15]

Example assumptions, not market data. Net = (rent collected − yearly costs) ÷ (price + 6% closing costs).

Do I need to register to rent on Airbnb in Playa del Carmen?: Yes: the State Tourism Registry certificate, state tax registration for the lodging tax and, in Playa del Carmen, the city registry and license.
What is the lodging tax in Quintana Roo?: 5%, and 6% for private apartments, houses and villas. If a platform collects payment, it withholds it.
How much tax does a foreigner pay on rental income in Mexico?: If not resident in Mexico, 25% of gross income, with no deductions.
Can a condo ban vacation rentals?: The law allows renting without neighbors' permission, within the founding deed and bylaws. Read them before you buy.