Italy's Airbnb hosts celebrate as Lazio court overturns interior ministry directive.The Regional Administrative Court (TAR) of Lazio has annulled a circular issued by the interior ministry that required in-person identification of guests in short-let rentals, declaring it unlawful. The ruling marks a significant victory for Italy’s non-hotel accommodation sector and its push toward digital innovation.The appeal was filed by FARE (Federation of Non-Hotel Hospitality Associations), which argued that mandatory face-to-face ID checks were not required by law and contradicted the 2011 reform aimed at simplifying guest registration procedures. The contentious ban was issued by the ministry last November, as part of anti-terrorism measures, to put an end to the practice of checking-in remotely. The measure led to Rome police removing key boxes around the city after numerous protests. Court rationale The court found that Article 109 of the Consolidated Public Security Act (TULPS) does not mandate physical identification of guests. It ruled that the measure was disproportionate, lacked legal basis, and violated principles of legality and equal treatment. It also placed an unfair burden on small accommodation providers who do not have the resources for 24-hour reception services. Industry reactions Elia Rosciano, President of FARE, welcomed the ruling: “The court confirmed what FARE has always maintained: security cannot be used as an excuse to block progress and impose undue burdens on those operating within the law.”  Also reacting to the news, Lorenzo Fagnoni, president of Property Managers Italia and CEO of ApartmentsFlorence, stated: “The TAR Lazio ruling is a victory for legality and common sense: in 2025, it’s absurd to ban technological tools that enable self check-in for short-term rentals. Now not only the Ministry of the Interior but also the municipalities that followed its lead will be forced to backtrack.” Key precedent The ruling is a major step forward for legal clarity, innovation and competitiveness in the short-term rental and non-hotel hospitality sectors. Properties will now be free to continue using self check-in systems in compliance with existing laws—without fear of arbitrary sanctions.

The Regional Administrative Court (TAR) of Lazio has annulled a circular that required in-person identification of guests in short-let rentals, declaring it unlawful. The ruling marks a significant victory for Italy’s non-hotel accommodation sector and its push toward digital innovation. The appeal was filed by FARE (Federation of Non-Hotel Hospitality Associations), which argued that mandatory face-to-face ID checks were not required by law and contradicted the 2011 reform aimed at simplifying guest registration procedures. The contentious ban was issued by the ministry last November, as part of anti-terrorism measures, to put an end to the practice of checking-in remotely. The measure led to Rome police removing key boxes around the city after . The court found that Article 109 of the Consolidated Public Security Act (TULPS) does not mandate physical identification of guests. It ruled that the measure was disproportionate, lacked legal basis, and violated principles of legality and equal treatment. It also placed an unfair burden on small accommodation providers who do not have the resources for 24-hour reception services. Elia Rosciano, President of FARE, welcomed the ruling: “The court confirmed what FARE has always maintained: security cannot be used as an excuse to block progress and impose undue burdens on those operating within the law.”  Also reacting to the news, Lorenzo Fagnoni, president of Property Managers Italia and CEO of ApartmentsFlorence, stated: “The TAR Lazio ruling is a victory for legality and common sense: in 2025, it’s absurd to ban technological tools that enable self check-in for short-term rentals. Now not only the Ministry of the Interior but also the municipalities that followed its lead will be forced to backtrack.” The ruling is a major step forward for legal clarity, innovation and competitiveness in the short-term rental and non-hotel hospitality sectors. Properties will now be free to continue using self check-in systems in compliance with existing laws—without fear of arbitrary sanctions.