What about the scheme in plain facts?

Authority: the provincial Department of Tourism or the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism where the property is located.

What about minimum conditions (article 27)?

A house with rooms for tourists must have:

What about how to start (article 29)?

There is no pre-approval step in the text. The process is:

What about what the decree does not say?

It states no fee, no certificate or licence number for homestays, no renewal cycle and no processing time before opening. It does not cover business registration, tax, fire safety, security registration of guests or food hygiene. Those sit in other laws, and the decree points to Article 49 of the Law on Tourism for the general conditions. It also does not say what the foreign ownership rules are.

Do I need a licence to run a homestay in Vietnam?

The decree text we read requires a written notification at least 15 days before you start and an inspection against minimum conditions. It does not describe a licence for this category.

How many rooms can a homestay have?

The decree sets no cap for a house with rooms for tourists to rent. Once the property is a hotel, it needs at least 10 bedrooms under Article 22, so check which category fits.

Must the host live in the house?

The definition says guests live together with the host family, so a property where nobody lives may not fit this category. Ask the department if you plan to run a separate villa or apartment.

What training do I need?

Article 27 says the host must be trained in tourism operations. It does not name a course.

What about once you are licensed?

Registration makes you legal. Distribution is a separate job. Fursat's own guest stays are in India, so we do not list homes in Vietnam, but if you also own or manage property in India you can start at /list-your-property, and our free channel manager explains how calendar sync across booking sites works. For the basics of the Indian system, read How to Start a Homestay in India. For a neighbouring regime written the same way, see How to Start a Homestay in Nepal.

Journal/Homestay Guides

4 min read · 7 October 2026

How to Register a Homestay in Vietnam (Decree 168/2017)

Vietnam treats a homestay as a house with rooms for tourists to rent. Here is the 15 day notice, the Article 27 minimum conditions and the 7 day inspection result.

Sneha Surana

vietnamhomestay-registrationdecree-168

How to Register a Homestay in Vietnam (Decree 168/2017)

Keep reading.

Do I need a licence to run a homestay in Vietnam?

How many rooms can a homestay have?

Must the host live in the house?

What training do I need?