RETUR-Q in 2026: what Airbnb owners in Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Cancún must do now

If you own, or plan to buy, a condo in Playa del Carmen, Tulum or Cancún to rent on Airbnb, two things changed. Quintana Roo's tourism ministry, Sedetur, says that from 2026 only properties registered in the state tourism registry, RETUR-Q, can be offered on Airbnb, Booking and Vrbo. And the state is drafting a single set of rules on where short-term rentals may operate, which each municipality will write into its urban plans.

What RETUR-Q is

RETUR-Q is the Registro Estatal de Turismo de Quintana Roo, kept by Sedetur under the state Tourism Law. It covers every kind of tourism provider, hotels and vacation rentals included. According to Sedetur, registration lets the authorities confirm that an owner operates legally, where each property is, and that it meets safety rules. Sedetur reported more than 3,500 registrations so far in 2026.

Press reports have put the fine for operating without registration at up to 100,000 pesos. The more practical risk is simpler: a listing without a registration number can be removed by the platform.

What is coming next: zoning for short-term rentals

In August 2026, the state deputy tourism minister, Andrés Aguilar Becerril, said a working group of municipalities and hotel associations is building one state criterion for rentals booked through digital platforms. Each town council would then adapt it in its regulations and in its urban development plan (Plan de Desarrollo Urbano, PDU). The criterion weighs 18 variables per zone, with the stated aim of allowing rentals where there are adequate safety and basic services. Cancún's new PDU is leading the process.

For owners this means the question is shifting from "is my unit registered?" to "is my unit in a zone where short-term rental is allowed?" For buyers, it means the rental income in a sales brochure is an assumption until the rules for that zone are published.

Checklist for owners

• Register the property in RETUR-Q and keep the registration number on every listing.
• Make sure you are registered with the state tax authority (SATQ) for lodging tax, and that the federal taxes the platforms withhold match your filings.
• Read your condominium regulations (reglamento de condominio). Many restrict or prohibit short-term rentals, and the owners' assembly can change them.
• Keep the safety items Sedetur checks: civil protection measures, extinguishers, emergency contacts.

Checklist for buyers

• Ask the seller or developer whether existing units in the building are registered in RETUR-Q.
• Get the condominium regulations before signing, not at closing, and check what they say about rentals under 30 days.
• Check the land use in the municipal urban plan, and watch for the new PDU in your municipality.
• Treat projected occupancy and rental yields as marketing until an independent review supports them.

We review condominium regulations, land use and permits as part of every buyer representation. Our FAQ on short-term rentals covers the basics.

General information, current on the date shown. It is not legal advice for your situation, and the law and the facts reported may have changed since.

Sources

1. Solo alojamientos con registro Retur-Q podrán operar en 2026, advierte Sedetur — Quintana Roo Hoy, November 23, 2025
2. Instauran mecanismo para fortalecer y regular rentas vacacionales — Heraldo de México, Quintana Roo, August 19, 2026