Starting a Homestay in Kerala

01 / Current rules

Read the 2020 scheme with the current pages and 2026 amendment.

G.O.(Ms) No.03/2020/TSM provides the current scheme backbone. Current Kerala Tourism pages publish the live eligibility, procedure, documents and classification checklist.

A January 2026 order added a narrow route for the spouse of an absent registered property owner to apply using a valid Power of Attorney. It should not be expanded into a general caretaker or company route.

Kerala Tourism · Homestay classification guidelines ↗Kerala Tourism · G.O.(Ms) No.03/2020/TSM ↗Kerala Tourism · G.O.(Ms) No.1/2026/TSM ↗

02 / Eligibility

Test the actual arrangement before spending.

1. Confirm ownership. The ordinary homestay route does not accept a leased or rented house. Resolve co-ownership or inherited-title questions before applying.
2. Confirm residence. The owner and family must physically reside in the unit. A caretaker or external company is not a published substitute.
3. Complete the property. Tourism classifies operational units, not proposed or under-construction accommodation.
4. Check the guest plan. Provide between one and six rooms and between two and twelve beds while retaining the resident-family arrangement.

03 / Category

Use the category that matches the facts.

Kerala’s Homestay and Serviced Villa routes can share the same six-room and twelve-bed ceiling, but differ materially in ownership, residence and lease structure.

04 / Property standards

Design for the rule and the inspection.

• Every item marked Necessary in the current checklist must be met for the requested grade.
• Bedroom minimum is 120 sq ft excluding the bathroom, reduced to 100 sq ft for traditional or heritage houses; bathroom minimum is 20 sq ft.
• Provide a toilet for every lettable room and twenty-four-hour hot and cold running water.
• Power backup and internet are Necessary for Gold and Diamond; air-conditioning is Necessary for Diamond; several other facilities change by grade.
• Waste segregation, sewage arrangements, kitchen standards, living and dining facilities and room equipment form part of inspection readiness.

05 / Documents

Prepare one consistent property file.

• Acceptance of Regulatory Conditions on ₹200 stamp paper in the published pro forma.
• Residence Certificate and Building Ownership Certificate.
• Up-to-date land-tax receipt and applicant police-clearance certificate from the local Station House Officer.
• The correct current FSSAI registration or licence for the actual food activity.
• Existing plan and elevation, plus two exterior and two interior photographs.
• A local-body NOC is no longer required for Tourism classification, but other local licences and building duties may still apply.

06 / Application

Keep the submission and inspection trail.

1. 01. Confirm owner, Kerala residence, family residence, operational status and guest-room plan.
2. 02. Complete every Necessary item for the intended Silver, Gold or Diamond grade.
3. 03. Create the official classification account and select the Homestay service.
4. 04. Upload the current document bundle and pay the amount required by the live system.
5. 05. Prepare the whole operational property for the district committee’s physical inspection.
6. 06. Display the issued certificate and diarise the reclassification window immediately.

07 / Fees and validity

Use the current official amount and printed dates.

08 / After registration

The certificate begins the operating work.

• Display the classification certificate and maintain every Necessary standard continuously.
• Maintain the bill book, occupancy register, feedback register and complaint-and-action register.
• Report a change in facility or service to the concerned District Deputy Director within thirty days.
• Prepare and provide food to guests on demand while maintaining the correct food-safety approval.
• Use Form III under the current Central rules for foreign guests rather than relying on the Kerala page’s legacy C Form wording.
• Apply for reclassification three months before expiry; otherwise the application is treated as fresh.

For central compliance, start with the official FSSAI information and Bureau of Immigration accommodation-reporting portal.

09 / Business planning

Make the commercial structure fit the registration.

A property that depends on a lease, absentee owner or resident caretaker is not a reliable Kerala Homestay candidate merely because its rooms meet the checklist. Examine Serviced Villa or another route before committing money.

An owner may contract for selected management services, but the published scheme does not establish that a company or unrelated operator can replace the resident owner and family. Obtain written clarification where operational control is material.

Tourism classification is only one layer. Building use, completion or occupancy, fire, coastal regulation, food, tax and local-body services remain property-specific checks.

10 / Common questions

Before you proceed.