Homestays in Himachal Pradesh

Since 2025, the key question in Himachal is not how attractive your home is, but whose name is on the land record and what kind of building it is.

Homestays multiplied in Kullu-Manali, Shimla, Kangra and around Kasauli over the past decade. Many operated in rented flats or leased houses, often unregistered. The state responded with the Himachal Pradesh Home Stay Rules 2025. A draft was published by the tourism department in February 2025 and opened for objections; the final rules were notified in June 2025, and in July 2025 the government made clear that homestays in leased buildings and rented flats would not be registered.

The eligibility test, in four questions

Is the applicant the recorded owner? Certificates are issued only to the person named as owner in the jamabandi, the revenue record. A tenant or lessee cannot register.

Is it an independent house or a whole demarcated floor? One- or two-room sets inside shared residential complexes do not qualify.

Do guests have their own entry? A separate entrance and access route for guests has been cited as mandatory.

Does it fit the size cap? Up to six rooms and twelve beds, with attached toilets. Houses in orchards and tea gardens can also qualify.

Categories and what they imply

• Silver: room rate below ₹3,000 per room per day.
• Gold: between ₹3,000 and ₹10,000.
• Diamond: above ₹10,000.

Registration fees vary by category and by location (municipal corporation, TCP area or panchayat). Published reports on the final rules state that Gold and Diamond units attract GST registration and commercial utility tariffs, while Silver units keep domestic electricity and water rates. Confirm your own position with the department and your chartered accountant.

How registration works

Applications go through the tourism department's online e-services portal. Reports on the June 2025 notification say the department must decide within 60 days, with complete applications deemed approved if it does not, and that separate police and panchayat NOCs are no longer required. Existing homestays must re-register on the new system.

Obligations once you operate

• Display the registration certificate and the department's rate list where guests can see them.
• Keep a guest register and submit Form C for foreign nationals.
• Maintain fire-safety equipment and the security measures the rules list, such as CCTV in common areas.

Practical preparation for a Himachal house

Manali and upper Kullu have hard winters: insulate pipes, install reliable geysers and room heaters, and stock fuel before November. Around Shimla and Kasauli, parking is often some distance from the door on steep lanes, and the listing should say so plainly. The Kangra valley near Dharamshala sees heavy monsoon rain, and road closures in Himachal make headlines most years; ask guests to check conditions before travelling and keep flexible terms for those weeks. Trekking bases in the upper valleys benefit from a gear-drying room and early breakfasts.

Where a manager fits

Because registration is personal to the owner, any management arrangement in Himachal works alongside the owner rather than replacing them. We can help with preparation, the listing, guest communication and on-the-ground care, while the registration and its responsibilities stay with you.

Before you apply

Gather the jamabandi extract in your name, room measurements, photographs of the rooms and toilets, and the structural and fire-safety documents the portal asks for. Decide your category honestly from the room rate you plan to charge, since it drives fees, tariffs and tax treatment.