If you own a property in Thailand and want to rent your property occasionally, you must take into account the following two criteria: the number of rooms and the duration of the rental (less than a month): If the property has a maximum of 4 rooms, a simple registration at the town hall will be necessary (I), but if your has well more than 4 rooms, then according to the Hotel Act (2004) you must obtain a hotel license.
I- Up to 4 bedrooms
1) Your property has a maximum of 4 rooms to rent in the same building or in several buildings of the same set;
2) the accommodation cannot accommodate more than 20 people at a time;
3) profits are complementary and not your only source of income.
A license is not required, however, a declaration at the city hall will be required. After reviewing all required documents, a building safety and health inspection will be conducted. The process can take up to 4 months.
List of documents for the registration at City Hall
- Owner’s or Director’s ID card or passport (if applicable)
- Company Affidavit (if applicable)
- Building floor plan
- Building map
- Title of the construction
- Photo of a building such as a bedroom, parking, swimming pool, laundry, etc.
What are the risks if you do not walk to the town hall?
(1) imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year;
(2) a fine of not more than THB 20,000;
(3) a fine of not more than THB 10,000 per day for the duration of the violation.
II- Hotel license
If your property has more than 4 rooms, you must apply for, and obtain, a hotel license, the applicant for a hotel license must be the owner or tenant of the property. The process can take up to 8 months.
Documents for the submission of an application for a hotel license:
- Director’s ID or passport
- Affidavit of the company
- Map of the hotel
- Map of the hotel
- Hotel Construction Engineer Certification Report
- Title to the hotel
- Hotel EIA Report
- Photo of the hotel (room, parking, pool, laundry, etc.)
Annual fees
- First demand: between 10,000 and 40,000 THB (depends on size and type of hotel)
- Each year: 80 THB/room/year (example: 10 rooms = 800 THB per year).
What are the risks if you rent a villa of more than 4 rooms without a hotel license?
(1) imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year;
(2) a fine of not more than THB 20,000;
(3) a fine of not more than THB 10,000 per day for the duration of the violation.
Opera consulting accompanies you in your projects, contact us: contact@opera.co.th
This article is a general briefing note that does not replace advice for any individual situation, the firm would not be held responsible for its contents.