<<I found listings for apartments, privately owned not part of a chain, on booking. com. Is this new or have I just not noticed before? Will these also sport registration numbers?>>

Maybe you just didn't notice, they didn't originally have apt rentals on there, but they have for quite a while now. I couldn't tell you how long but at least a couple years, I think, if not longer. After all, "apartments" is one of the checkboxes by which you can limit the results at the left (TYpe).

I'd seriously look for the 13 digit registration number before booking on booking.com.

People who have "excess appartements" probably will have them sold by March, due to the fines involved.
I've been looking at the real estate listings, and it's already true in the 7th, 15th, 16th and Neuilly-sur-Seine.

Is this registration number system solely for apartments owned by full-time residents who rent for 120 days of less? If so, how would one check the legality of apartments found on an agency's website as opposed to a listing portal like AirBnB?

I may have missed something (not the first time), but if the popular/established agencies typically renting to non Europeans - you know the ones - are doing the right thing why wouldn't they be providing registration numbers in advance of the December 1 deadline, particularly as bookings are usually made months ahead? Surely the overwhelming majority if not the entire rental stock of the aforementioned is not about to be pulled?? Then again...

>>If so, how would one check the legality of apartments found on an agency's website as opposed to a listing portal like AirBnB?<<

Agencies have to display the registration numbers too. Agencies are basically listing sites - they generally don't own the properties, just rent them out and 'manage' them. But no matter where a property is listed it needs a registration number.

Some people like to wait until the last minute, so we really have to wait until December 1st when it is obligatory. On that day, I believe that a huge number of listings is going to disappear. The listing sites have no reason to do it ahead of time because they are still getting money from the people listing until then, legal or not.

I would not send funds if you are going to Paris until at least the end of January or mid-February 2018.
You might be caught in a scam - it happens.

JAMH - yes, this is the same 13-digit registration number that is tied to the owner's financial information.

Thank you all for your answers. I told a friend that for rentals next year, the apartment should have a registration number when she starts looking but she told me that she already contacted a US-based agency and they told her that their apartments do not need to be registered.

<<they told her that their apartments do not need to be registered.>>

That would raise a huge red flag for me, but whatever....

<<they told her that their apartments do not need to be registered.>>
I would certainly asked why? What allows them to not register? I asked the agency we have rented through over the years and they said they would be registered. We'll see whenever I go to rent.

"...they told her that their apartments do not need to be registered."

That may be their pitch and untrue, as kerouac says, "...they are still getting money from the people listing..." and booking, hoping enforcement won't catch up with them for a while. But where my accommodations are concerned, I like as sure a thing as I can get and booking an unregistered apartment in Paris won't, it appears, be a sure thing much longer. Maybe it will be available for them when they arrive, or maybe not. Wish them good luck.

Agree about asking more questions of the agency and the red flag but I am not the one renting the apartment so I all I can do is inform my friend. She seems inclined to ignore my advice so we will see what happens.

Having a solid <i>plan B</i> in place could save the day.

It is possible that the FATCA laws do not apply in New Jersey, but I doubt it, because you have to declare revenue in France and the US.

1 December has come and gone, so is there evidence of compliance and enforcement, or are we still in the phoney war period?

I'd be curious too. I inquired on December 2nd to an agency I have used in the past asking if they had any 1 bedroom apartments available for a two week period beginning towards the end of December. There are no registration numbers noted on any of their apartments on their website (which is not accessible in France - a clue).

I was told there were no apartments available (of any size) for the period in question. They were all booked. They advised me to contact them again if my dates changed..

To be honest, I was mainly just curious how/if they would reply. So, obviously agencies are just continuing as if nothing changed.

"or are we still in the phoney war period"

Wonderful comment!!!! I think we're all waiting to see. The term "Mexican standoff" may also apply.

Furthermore:

An article in Le Figaro that states the whole registration business was a "flop"

http://immobilier.lefigaro.fr/articl...-0c665ca6a5c5/

perhaps we will not see a decline in vacation rentals but an increase in the rental rates to accommodate the taxes associated with the registration?