Airbnb and Booking Remove Listings Without CWTON 2026 [How To]

Do Airbnb and Booking Remove Listings Without a CWTON Number? What Platforms Actually Do (as of July 2026)

If you rent out an apartment on Airbnb, Booking.com, or any other booking platform, you have probably seen alarming headlines: "platforms are removing listings without a registration number", "without CWTON your listing will disappear". The reality, as of July 2026, looks completely different. In this article we explain what platforms actually do with registration numbers, why no listing has been removed, and when the platform obligations will genuinely kick in.

Key takeaways

• Airbnb and Booking.com are NOT removing Polish listings without a registration number - the number field is optional
• EU Regulation 2024/1028 applies from 20 May 2026, but it concerns data collection and sharing, and its practical effects in Poland depend on the launch of the national register
• The CWTON system has not been launched - registration is physically impossible, so platforms have nothing to verify numbers against
• Realistic register launch: 15 October 2026 at the earliest (some sources point even to Q1 2027)
• Fines (up to 50,000 PLN) exist only in a draft bill, not in binding law

Where Did the Listing-Removal Rumour Come From?

Regulation (EU) 2024/1028 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the collection and sharing of data relating to short-term rental accommodation services applies from 20 May 2026 across all member states. Many websites stopped at that date and drew a simple but wrong conclusion: since the regulation applies, platforms must require numbers and remove listings without them.

The problem is that the regulation is primarily about collecting and exchanging data between platforms and a national single digital entry point. The platform obligations tied to registration numbers assume that a national register exists in which a host can obtain a number, and against which a platform can verify it. In Poland, no such register exists today.

What Platforms Actually Do With Registration Numbers (July 2026)

The factual state on the platforms looks like this:

• The registration number field is optional. Both Airbnb and Booking.com have a licence/registration field in their host panels (used in countries where such registers operate, e.g. France or Portugal). For Polish properties the field is not required.
• No Polish listing has been removed or hidden for lacking a number. Platforms have no database to compare numbers against - so there is nothing they could enforce.
• There is no "automatic verification against the CWTON database". There is no API, no number format, no sanction schedule. The CWTON system simply has not been launched.
• There are no warnings or ultimatums. Platforms are not sending Polish hosts requests to add a number, because there is nothing to require.

Why the Platform Obligations Are Not Active Yet

The Polish implementing act has not been passed

The EU regulation is a framework. For it to work in Poland, a national act is needed to establish the register, define the registration procedure, and set sanctions. The government bill UC135 (an amendment to the Act on Hotel Services, prepared by the Ministry of Sport and Tourism) and a parliamentary bill (print no. 2353) are still in the legislative process. Until an act is passed and enters into force, there is no legal basis either for host registration or for platforms to enforce anything.

The CWTON system has not been launched

CWTON (the Central Register of Tourist Accommodation Facilities) is to be maintained by the minister responsible for tourism. As of today, the system does not exist - there is no portal, no application form, no numbers. Registration is physically impossible. Deputy Minister Ireneusz Ras confirmed on 15 April 2026 that the transition period runs until 15 October 2026, and some sources indicate that host registration may realistically start only in the first quarter of 2027.

Platforms will act only once the register launches

When the register goes live, platforms will be obliged to collect registration numbers from hosts and transmit booking data to the national entry point. Only then will real requirements appear: the number field will become mandatory for Polish properties, and listings persistently missing a number may gradually lose visibility. That, however, is a scenario for after the system launch - not the current state.

What About Fines?

Fines for failing to register (up to 50,000 PLN) and for providing false data (up to 10,000 PLN) appear in the draft of the Polish act. The draft may still change, and the fines will apply only after the act is passed, enters into force, and the register is launched. Today there is no legal basis to fine anyone for lacking a number that cannot be obtained.

The Only Register That Applies Today: the Municipal Records

Keep in mind that, independently of CWTON, one real statutory obligation already exists today: registering the property in the municipal records of other facilities providing hotel services, kept by the local municipality (Articles 38-39 of the Act on Hotel Services). You file this notification at the municipal office for the property's location - and this is the first step to legal short-term rental that you can (and should) take right away.

What to Do Now - Instead of Panicking

1. Register the property in the municipal records - this obligation applies already today (Articles 38-39 of the Act on Hotel Services)
2. Install smoke detectors - from 30 June 2026 smoke detectors are mandatory in premises where hotel services are provided, including short-term rentals (Regulation of the Minister of Interior and Administration of 21 November 2024). Where fuel combustion takes place, a carbon monoxide detector is also required
3. Get your documentation in order - house rules, GDPR privacy notice, emergency contact list, documents confirming your legal title to the property
4. Get your taxes in order - platforms already report host revenues to the Polish tax administration under DAC7, independently of CWTON
5. Follow the Ministry's announcements - when the register launches, you will have time to register calmly; there is nothing to do in advance in a system that does not exist

Frequently Asked Questions

Has Airbnb or Booking removed any Polish listing for lacking a CWTON number?

No. The registration number field is optional for Polish properties, and platforms have no register to verify numbers against. No listing has been removed, hidden, or demoted in search results for lacking a registration number.

Do I have to enter anything in the platform's "licence/registration" field?

No. As long as the CWTON register is not operating, you have no number to enter. Do not enter the municipal records reference or made-up identifiers either - wait for the system launch and official instructions.

When will platforms start requiring a registration number?

Only after the national register launches. The declared deadline for preparing the system is 15 October 2026, but some sources indicate host registration will realistically start in early 2027. After the launch, hosts will get time to register and add their numbers - it will not happen overnight.

Can I be fined today for not having a registration number?

No. The fines (up to 50,000 PLN) are provisions of a draft bill that has not been passed. Nobody can be fined for not registering in a system that has not been launched.

What do platforms already report to the authorities?

Independently of Regulation 2024/1028, digital platforms report sellers' (including hosts') revenue data to the tax administration under the DAC7 directive. If you rent via Airbnb or Booking, the tax office has visibility into your platform revenue - which is why honest tax reporting is not optional.

Summary

The claim that "platforms remove listings without CWTON" is false - and as of July 2026 has no basis whatsoever. EU Regulation 2024/1028 applies, but its practical effects for Polish hosts will begin only with the launch of the national register, expected no earlier than 15 October 2026. Instead of panicking, do what genuinely applies today: the municipal records notification, smoke detectors (mandatory from 30 June 2026), and order in your documents and taxes.

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--- *Legal note: The content of this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Legal status: July 2026. EU Regulation 2024/1028 applies from 20.05.2026, but the practical obligations for Polish hosts and platforms depend on the adoption of the national implementing act (bill UC135) and the launch of the CWTON register. Use at your own risk. For complex matters, consult a legal counsel or tax advisor.*