A Bergen Airbnb ban has the support of most residents, according to a new opinion poll showing concern about the impact of short-term rentals on housing and neighbourhoods in the Norwegian city centre.
The survey conducted by Respons for Bergens Tidende found that 52 percent of Bergen residents believe short-term rentals should be prohibited in the centre unless the host also lives in the property.
Of the 803 people who participated, 28 percent fully supported the proposal and another 24 percent partly agreed. By comparison, 32 percent said they fully or partly opposed a ban, while 17 percent gave another response.
Support for the Bergen Airbnb ban is strongest in the centre
Support was highest among people who live in central Bergen, where residents have raised concerns about homes being used primarily as tourist accommodation rather than as permanent residences.
The poll also revealed clear political and generational differences. Voters on the left were more likely to support restrictions, while supporters of the Conservative Party (Høyre) and the Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet, FrP) were the most opposed. Younger respondents were also more likely to reject a ban.
The debate comes during a period of strong tourism growth in Bergen. Critics of intensive short-term letting argue that a constant turnover of visitors can weaken neighbourhood ties and reduce the number of properties available on the long-term rental market, particularly for students and other residents looking for centrally located housing.
The proposed restriction would not prevent people from occasionally renting out a room or part of the home where they live. Instead, it would primarily target properties operated as full-time tourist accommodation without a permanent resident.
Bergen says it lacks effective regulatory tools
Bergen’s Commissioner for Finance (Finansbyråd) Eirik Tenfjord, from Høyre, acknowledged that the municipality currently lacks sufficient tools to address unwanted short-term rentals.
“We secured the City Council’s support for approaching the state authorities and asking them to introduce clearer regulations,” Tenfjord wrote in an email quoted by TV 2.
In June 2026, the Bergen City Council (Bergen bystyre) considered a case on the enforcement of short-term rental rules. The municipality’s decision to seek clearer national legislation reflects the difficulties local authorities face when attempting to distinguish occasional home-sharing from commercial accommodation activity.
The local government has not introduced the ban supported in the poll. Any future restriction would depend on new legal powers or clearer national rules allowing municipalities to regulate short-term rentals in specific areas.
Norway already limits some short-term rentals
Norwegian law already places limits on short-term letting in certain types of shared residential buildings. In condominium associations (eierseksjonssameier), renting out an entire residential unit for periods of up to 30 consecutive days is generally limited to 90 days per year. Individual associations may adjust the threshold within limits set by law.
In housing cooperatives (borettslag), owners generally have the right to rent out their home for up to 30 days per year without approval from the board.
However, the rules do not amount to a general municipal ban on Airbnb-style accommodation. Enforcement can also be difficult. In a 2024 response to the Norwegian Parliament (Stortinget), the government explained that breaches of the 90-day limit are normally handled by the board of the condominium association under private law, rather than through systematic monitoring by state or municipal authorities.
The debate in Bergen therefore concerns both the substance of the rules and who should be responsible for enforcing them.
The poll does not itself lead to a policy change, but it indicates that restrictions on commercial short-term rentals could receive broad public support. The next step will depend on whether Norway’s state authorities give Bergen and other tourist cities stronger powers to protect permanent housing while preserving occasional home-sharing.
