Coxyde attracts thousands of holidaymakers each year between Koksijde, Oostduinkerke and Sint-Idesbald. Renting out your apartment short-term remains highly regulated. This guide summarises, in 2026, the rental rules in Coxyde that an owner must know: registration, fire safety, municipal taxes and taxation.
What legal framework applies in Coxyde?
Coxyde is located in the Flemish Region: therefore, the Accommodation Decree, Flemish decree of 5 February 2016, regulates all tourist rentals.Neither the Brussels ordinance nor the Walloon Tourism Code applies here. The decree requires registration with Tourism Flanders and a fire safety certificate for any accommodation offered to tourists for payment.
The municipality of Coxyde (Koksijde in Dutch) comprises three localities: Koksijde, Oostduinkerke and Sint-Idesbald. The same regional rules apply to all three, along with the tax regulations specific to the municipality.
The Logiesdecreet regulates all tourist accommodation in Flanders, including Coxyde. Decree on tourist accommodations (Logiesdecreet), Flemish government, 5 February 2016.
The urban planning permit: tourist zone and pause until 2028
In Coxyde, the first question is not fiscal but urban planning: changing from a residence to a holiday home is a change of function that requires an environmental permit as soon as the property is rented for more than four periods of thirty consecutive days per year. Registration with Toerisme Vlaanderen does not constitute municipal authorization. The municipality has stated clearly, in its political vision adopted on 17 November 2025, that only a minority of the more than 3,400 holiday homes registered in its territory at the beginning of 2025 have this permit.
Everything depends on the position of the address in relation to the tourist zone, a narrow strip to the north and around the Koninklijke Baan, cut to the parcel. It is not determined by a street name: a building two hundred meters from the sea wall can be either inside or outside. The municipality publishes an indicative map and an address verification tool "Koksijde in Kaart", and only a written confirmation from the Urban Planning service is valid.
- Property in the tourist zone: application for change of function admissible, permit for an indefinite duration according to the municipality's submission manual.
- Property outside the zone, already operated without a permit: regularisation possible, but the permit is issued for a fixed duration of six years, still according to this manual.
- Property outside the zone, not yet exploited: the municipality has announced that no permits will be issued, provisionally until 1 January 2028. This is a municipal communication (Tij-dingen magazine, June 2025), not a regulatory text: to be confirmed.
- Property outside the zone, never registered with Toerisme Vlaanderen: no regularisation possible according to the municipal decision tree.
The Flemish exemption for the four periods of thirty days does exist in Coxyde, but it is tricky: the period starts from the beginning of a rental, even for a week. Two one-week rentals in January and February already consume two periods. It is only suitable for an owner who rents four windows in the year, and it never exempts from registration or the fire safety certificate. Renting rooms in the house one lives in remains exempt from a permit if it does not contradict urban planning regulations, if the residence remains the main function, and if the rented area remains less than the living area and 100 m².
A stricter framework is announced: the vision of 17 November 2025 provides for a thematic spatial implementation plan that will set, in an enforceable manner, the areas where holiday accommodations are permitted. A file outside the zone is therefore a fragile file, regardless of its compliance status otherwise.
Registration with Toerisme Vlaanderen
All tourist accommodation in Coxyde must be registered (aanmelding) with Toerisme Vlaanderen before the first night sold, along with its safety certificates. Renting a maximum of 4 periods of 30 consecutive days is exempt from the urban planning permit for change of function, but remains subject to this registration and the safety certificates.
The concrete steps are as follows :
- Gather proof of ownership and the safety certificates (fire and electricity).
- Fill in the declaration form (model documents) available on the Toerisme Vlaanderen website.
- Submit the file via the competent office and keep the acknowledgment of receipt.
- Display the mandatory information in the accommodation and on the Airbnb or Booking listings.
HOSTEA data, 2026 : regarding the compliance files monitored on the West Coast, the complete registration practically takes 4 to 8 weeks, most of the delay coming from the preparation of the fire certificate, not from the declaration itself.
The fire safety certificate (ACEG)
Since 29 September 2025, the fire safety certificate for small accommodations is issued by ACEG vzw, and no longer by Vinçotte. This concerns accommodations of a single rental unit, with a maximum of 12 sleeping places, not part of a larger non-compartmentalised building. The digital application via the ACEG e-loket has been possible since 1 October 2025.
The inspection checks smoke detectors, escape routes, signage and materials according to Appendix 2 of the Logiesdecreet. The procedure includes three stages: filling in the application form (model documents from Toerisme Vlaanderen), sending it with the required certificates to ACEG via its e-loket, then receiving the on-site visit which results in the issuance or refusal of the certificate.
Since 29/09/2025, ACEG vzw has taken over the fire control of small tourist accommodations in Flanders. Application via the ACEG e-loket (info-be.aceg.be), forms on toerismevlaanderen.be.
The municipal taxes of Coxyde 2026-2031: €1,475 per year
The tax system changed on 1 January 2026. Until 2025, a holiday home in Coxyde only paid the tax on second residences. Since 2026, the municipality has created a category "vakantiewoning" in its tax on tourist accommodations, and the two taxes accumulate. The regulations were adopted by the municipal council on 15 December 2025 and published on 17 December 2025, for the financial years 2026 to 2031.
The tax on tourist accommodations related to rooms
The rate for 2026 depends on the capacity of the accommodation: €275 per year for a holiday home equipped for 1 to 6 people, €360 for 7 to 10 people, €550 for 11 to 16 people, €750 beyond that. The rate increases by 2.5% each year, rounded up to the nearest euro, which means, according to the formula of the regulation, €282 in 2027 and €314 in 2031 for the first bracket. The tax is indivisible: renting out in November costs for the entire year, no pro-rata is provided.
It is owed by the operator, with the property owner being jointly responsible for payment. It remains due even if the accommodation does not have the required permits, and even if it remains unoccupied. Paying the tax does not grant any operating permission.
Practical point not to be missed: the declaration is mandatory, no later than 15 September of the financial year, on the municipality's form (Financiële dienst, belastingen@koksijde.be). Without a declaration, or in the case of an inaccurate declaration, the tax is established by the municipality based on known data and increased by 25%. After the first declaration, registration becomes automatic, and any changes must be reported within the month.
The tax on second residences, which adds up
A second residence is any accommodation where no one is registered in the population registers of Coxyde as of 1 January of the financial year. The 2026 rate is €1,200 for accommodation over 40 m², €980 for accommodation of 40 m² or less, with the same annual indexing of 2.5%. It is payable by the owner on 1 January, without annual declaration.
The accumulation is written in the regulation itself: a temporary rental does not change the qualification of a second residence, and "a planning designation of holiday accommodation plays no role". The only organised non-accumulation targets locations situated in recreational zones, that is to say holiday parks, not an apartment in the city.
What it costs, and what has changed
For an apartment over 40 m² equipped for 1 to 6 people, with no one residing as of 1 January: €275 lodging tax plus €1,200 second residence tax, totalling €1,475 per year in 2026, compared to €1,289 in 2025 (second residence tax only). The decrease in the second residence rate is more than offset by the new lodging tax: about €186 more per year. A studio of 40 m² or less increases from €1,069 to €1,255. A large house with 11 to 16 sleeping places pays €1,750.
There is no tourist tax per night in Coxyde, and the 2026-2031 regulation contains no clause for passing on costs to the traveller: the owner freely sets their price. Finally, the additional municipal tax of 5% on personal income tax, introduced for 2026, only concerns residents domiciled in Coxyde as of 1 January, not the owner of a second residence. These amounts are those of the regulations in force: have your situation validated by the municipality or your accountant before any profitability calculation.
Taxation of income and DAC7
Since 2023, platforms like Airbnb and Booking transmit hosts' income to the Belgian tax administration, in accordance with the European directive DAC7. An active property in Coxyde is therefore easily identifiable by the tax authorities, making it essential to have a compliant rental situation, both in terms of registration and income declaration.
This automatic transmission concerns all hosts, including second home owners who only rent for a few weeks a year. The regularity of the Logiesdecreet registration and tax compliance now go hand in hand.
How HOSTEA supports your compliance
HOSTEA takes care of the entire Logiesdecreet compliance process for property owners in Coxyde and the West Coast. Our HOSTEA Conform' offer covers the preparation of the fire safety file, coordination with ACEG, registration with Toerisme Vlaanderen, and verification of mandatory mentions on listings.
The goal is simple: a registered, safe, and ready-to-rent property, without the owner having to navigate the Dutch-speaking procedures alone.
Check the compliance of my property
FAQ
Do you need to register your property to rent it short-term in Coxyde?
Yes. All tourist accommodation in Coxyde must be registered with Toerisme Vlaanderen (aanmelding) before the first night, along with its safety certificates. This obligation also applies to renting for a maximum of 4 periods of 30 consecutive days, exempt from urban planning permits but not from registration.
Who issues the fire safety certificate in Coxyde?
Since 29 September 2025, ACEG vzw issues the fire certificate for small tourist accommodations in Flanders (one unit, maximum 12 beds). The application is made digitally via the ACEG e-loket from 1 October 2025, with the forms available on the Toerisme Vlaanderen website.
What taxes apply to a tourist accommodation in Coxyde?
Two municipal taxes that have been cumulative since 1 January 2026: the tax on tourist accommodations, €275 per year for a holiday home for 1 to 6 people (€360 for 7 to 10, €550 for 11 to 16, €750 beyond), to be declared by 15 September at the latest under penalty of a 25% surcharge, and the tax on second residences, €1,200 (€980 for 40 m² or less), due if no one is registered at the address on 1 January. This amounts to €1,475 per year for a standard apartment. Both rates are indexed by 2.5% per year. The additional municipal charge of 5% on personal income tax only targets residents registered in Coxyde.
Is a planning permit required to rent out your apartment in Coxyde?
Yes, as soon as the rental exceeds four periods of thirty consecutive days per year: this is a change of use subject to an environmental permit. In the tourist zone (to the north and around the Koninklijke Baan), the permit is indefinite. Outside the zone, a property already in use can only be regularised for six years, and the municipality has announced a pause on permits for properties outside the zone that have not yet been used, until 1 January 2028, a municipal announcement relayed by the Tij-dingen magazine of June 2025 that is not included in any regulation. Check the address on the Koksijde in Kaart tool, then have it confirmed in writing by the Stedenbouw service.
How long does it take to achieve compliance in Coxyde?
Registering with Toerisme Vlaanderen is quick in itself, but the complete file depends on the fire safety certificate. In practice, for the files handled by HOSTEA on the West Coast in 2026, expect 4 to 8 weeks between the start of the procedures and the compliant rental.
Does the Logiesdecreet also apply to Oostduinkerke and Sint-Idesbald?
Yes. Oostduinkerke and Sint-Idesbald are part of the municipality of Coxyde, in the Flemish Region. The same regional rules of the Logiesdecreet apply there: registration with Toerisme Vlaanderen and fire safety certificate, plus the municipal taxes of Coxyde.
Are Airbnb earnings in Coxyde reported to the tax authorities?
Yes. Since 2023, platforms like Airbnb and Booking report hosts' earnings to the Belgian tax administration in accordance with the European DAC7 directive. An active rental in Coxyde is therefore easily identifiable, making a compliant rental situation essential.
About the author
Victor Timmermans is the founder of HOSTEA, a short-term rental concierge service specialising on the Belgian coast. He assists second home owners in complying with the Logiesdecreet, rental management, and revenue optimisation, from La Panne to Knokke-Heist.
This article is for informational purposes and does not replace professional legal or tax advice. Always check the official municipal regulations of Coxyde.
Official sources
- Flemish decree on tourist accommodations (Logiesdecreet), 5 February 2016, Vlaamse overheid.
- Toerisme Vlaanderen, registration of tourist accommodations, 2026, toerismevlaanderen.be.
- ACEG vzw, fire safety certificate for small accommodations (resumed since 29/09/2025), info-be.aceg.be.
- Municipality of Koksijde, tax on operating room-related tourist accommodations, assessment years 2026-2031, municipal council of 15/12/2025, published on 17/12/2025.
- Municipality of Koksijde, tax on second homes, assessment years 2026-2031, municipal council of 15/12/2025, published on 17/12/2025.
- Municipality of Koksijde, policy-desired development "affordable housing, permanent residence & tourist accommodation", municipal council of 17/11/2025.
- Municipality of Koksijde, map of the tourist zone and tool "Koksijde in Map", koksijde.be/vacation-homes; magazine Tij-dingen, June 2025 (permit pause).
Related articles : Airbnb regulation Belgian coast · Airbnb concierge in Coxyde · Airbnb concierge in Oostduinkerke · HOSTEA Compliant'
Last updated: 10 September 2026. Changelog: 6 July 2026, creation of the article, ACEG resumption (29/09/2025); 10 September 2026, addition of the urban planning section (tourist zone, permit pause outside the zone for properties not yet operated until 1 January 2028), amounts of the two municipal taxes and cumulative created on 1 January 2026 (€1,475 per year), declaration by 15 September.