Applying for a short-term let licence in Scotland, step by step

Updated 27 September 2026. In Scotland no one may take a booking for a short let without a licence from the local council. The scheme has been in force for new hosts since October 2022 and for everyone since October 2023, and it is now routine for councils. It is not, however, quick. This article follows an application from the first decision to the licence number on your listing, using the national guidance on mygov.scot and the practice of councils such as Argyll and Bute and Dumfries and Galloway.

Step 1: choose the right licence type

There are four types, and the choice depends on who lives in the property:

• Secondary letting: a property that is not your main home, such as a holiday cottage or an investment flat.
• Home sharing: letting a room or part of your home while you are there.
• Home letting: letting your own home while you are away.
• Home letting and home sharing: a combination of the two.

For a new build that is not yet finished, some councils offer a provisional licence, which can reassure a lender but must be converted to a full licence before any guest arrives.

Step 2: check planning before anything else

Licensing and planning are separate systems, and a licence does not give planning consent. If the property lies in a control area, currently the City of Edinburgh and Badenoch and Strathspey, a secondary let needs planning permission, and the licence application will usually need evidence of it. Elsewhere, councils decide case by case whether a let is a material change of use; Glasgow, for example, says a flat used frequently as a short let needs permission. Consultations on new control areas are open in several regions, including the islands of Argyll and Bute. Sort out planning first: paying for a licence you cannot use is the most expensive mistake in this process.

Step 3: assemble the compliance file

The mandatory conditions apply across Scotland, and councils can add their own. Argyll and Bute's list of documents is typical of what you should gather before applying:

• a floor plan and a site plan;
• a fire safety checklist and a fire risk assessment;
• a Legionella risk assessment for the water system;
• an energy performance certificate, needed for most self-catering properties;
• a declaration that the owners consent to the application.

Behind these sit the gas safety record, the electrical installation condition report and appliance tests, evidence that furniture meets fire rules, buildings insurance and public liability cover. Expect questions about the maximum number of guests, which the council will set as a condition.

Step 4: apply and pay

Applications are made through your council's own portal; mygov.scot links to all 32 councils. Fees vary by council, by licence type and often by the size of the property, so check the current fee schedule before submitting. There is no national funding for application or compliance costs.

Step 5: display the site notice

When you apply, you must display a notice at or near the property for 21 days from the date of the application. It gives your name and address, the address of the accommodation, details of the application and how to object. Take dated photographs of the notice in place: if its display is challenged, you will need proof.

Step 6: the objection window

Anyone can object, not only neighbours. Dumfries and Galloway, for instance, tells residents they may object within the 28-day period and publishes a register and a map of applications to help them find yours. Objections typically raise noise, parking, waste or security of a shared entrance. A calm, factual response showing your house rules, your key-handling and your cleaning arrangements carries weight. If objections are received, the application may be decided by the licensing committee rather than by officers, which adds time.

Step 7: inspection and decision

Councils may inspect the property before deciding. They have nine months from the application to decide a new host's case; for hosts already trading when the scheme started, the limit was twelve months. If the council needs longer, it must ask the sheriff court for an extension; if it misses the deadline without one, it must issue a temporary licence valid for up to a year. Simple cases are often decided much faster, and Argyll and Bute mentions three to four months, but no one should promise bookings on the basis of a best-case timetable.

Step 8: after the licence is granted

• Put the licence number in every advert and listing.
• Keep the conditions up to date: gas certificates expire yearly, and insurance must stay in force.
• Diarise renewal: a licence usually lasts three years.
• If you sell the property, ask the council about transferring the licence to the buyer.

If the answer is no

A refusal can be appealed to the sheriff court within 28 days of the decision. Otherwise, you generally cannot reapply for the same premises for a year unless circumstances have materially changed. Operating without a licence is a criminal offence, with a fine of up to £2,500 and a possible one-year ban from applying.

Temporary routes

For events, councils can grant temporary exemptions: up to three in any twelve months, covering a total of no more than six weeks. Temporary licences also exist for short periods. They are useful around a festival or a major sporting event, not as a substitute for a full licence.

Where we come in

Most refusals and delays we read about trace back to steps 2 and 3: planning questions left unanswered and incomplete safety files. Tell us about your Scottish property; we study every request and tell you honestly whether and how we can help.