The guest register (kniha ubytovaných) is a record every accommodation provider in Slovakia must keep under Act No. 404/2011 Coll. on Residence of Foreigners — whether hosting one guest a month or dozens a day.

One register, not two

Unlike the Czech Republic, which runs a two-track system of domovní kniha + evidenční kniha as two separate documents, Slovakia keeps one unified register — the kniha ubytovaných. It covers the same purpose (guest records for inspection and reporting), without the host having to maintain and reconcile two separate books.

What the register contains

The register records basic data about each guest and their stay — typically name and surname, identity-document details, and arrival and departure dates. For foreign guests these fields overlap with the data reported in the police report.

Does it have to be on paper?

No. The law does not prescribe the form — what matters is that the record is complete, accurate and producible on demand during an inspection. A digital guest register satisfies this, and in practice is easier to audit than a handwritten book.

How long to retain the records

Transparency beats false certainty here, because available sources do not fully agree:

  • Copies of foreigner-report forms — retained for 2 years, per Podnikajte.sk.
  • The guest register itself — secondary summaries commonly cite a longer horizon of around 5 years. We could not trace that figure directly to the text of the law with equal confidence, so we do not present it as definitive.

These are most likely two distinct obligations — retention of individual reports vs. retention of the register as a whole — rather than a contradiction in one number. Until you have confirmed it with the Foreigners Police or legal counsel, we recommend not deleting or shredding records earlier than the longer of the cited periods.

Inspections

The competent Foreigners Police unit has the right to enter the premises of an accommodation establishment to check compliance — including inspecting the guest register. Keeping an incomplete or out-of-date register is a standalone risk on top of the police-reporting duty itself.

How Best Guest helps

Best Guest generates a digital guest register automatically from the data guests fill in at online check-in — no manual transcription, with an export ready for inspection at any time.

Frequently asked questions

Does the guest register have to be on paper?

No. The law does not prescribe a specific form — a digital record satisfies the requirement as long as it is complete, accurate and producible on demand during an inspection. In practice a digital register is easier to audit and less error-prone than a handwritten book.

Is the Slovak kniha ubytovaných the same as the Czech domovní kniha?

Same purpose, different structure. Czechia runs a two-track system — domovní kniha and evidenční kniha as two separate registers. Slovakia keeps one unified register, the kniha ubytovaných, covering the same ground without splitting it into two documents.

How long must the records be retained?

Two different obligations need distinguishing. Copies of the foreigner-report forms are retained for 2 years according to a secondary source (Podnikajte.sk). For the guest register itself, a longer horizon of around 5 years is commonly cited — but we could not verify that figure against the primary text of the law with the same confidence, so we flag it as less certain and recommend confirming it with the Foreigners Police or legal counsel before setting your record-deletion schedule.

Who can inspect the guest register?

The competent Foreigners Police unit has the right to enter the premises of the accommodation establishment to check compliance, including inspecting the guest register.

Sources

Verified against

Informational only

This page is provided for general information and is not legal or tax advice. Rates, deadlines and exemptions are set by law and municipal ordinances and can change — always verify current requirements with your municipality or a qualified advisor.