Running an Airbnb in Scotland legally

Since 1 October 2023, anyone offering short-term lets in Scotland must hold a licence from their local council. This applies whether you list on Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, or market independently. It covers every type of short-term let — renting a spare room, letting your home while on holiday, or operating a dedicated holiday property.

Operating without a licence is a criminal offence. This guide walks you through every step you need to take before accepting your first guest.

Who needs a licence

You need a short-term let licence if you provide residential accommodation on a commercial basis to guests for whom it is not their only or principal home, unless the accommodation is of a type excluded from the scheme. There is no minimum or maximum stay length in the definition. The scheme covers all of Scotland. Excluded accommodation types (Schedule 1 of the Licensing Order) include aparthotels, accommodation within licensed premises, hotels with planning permission for hotel use, hostels, care accommodation, student accommodation, accommodation in a guest's own tent or caravan, vehicles under way, bothies, and employer-provided accommodation.

Safety requirements

All short-term let properties must meet mandatory safety conditions before a licence can be granted. These are set out in Schedule 3 of the Licensing Order and cannot be waived.

Fire safety

You must carry out a fire safety risk assessment and have the following in place:

• Interlinked smoke alarms in every room used as living accommodation and in hallways
• Interlinked heat alarms in every kitchen
• Carbon monoxide detectors in any room with a carbon-fuelled appliance (boiler, gas fire, wood burner)
• A clear, unobstructed fire escape route with emergency lighting where appropriate

Scottish Government guidance also recommends a fire blanket in the kitchen and a suitable fire extinguisher — these are guidance recommendations rather than mandatory Schedule 3 conditions.

Gas safety

If the property has a gas supply, you must have an annual gas safety check carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer. A valid Gas Safety Certificate (CP12) must be held at all times and renewed every 12 months.

Electrical safety

You must obtain:

• An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) from a competent electrician, renewed at least every 5 years (or sooner if the electrician recommends it)
• Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) for all electrical appliances provided, renewed at least every 5 years

Water safety (Legionella)

You must obtain a Legionella risk assessment from a competent person. This identifies risks from the water system and recommends control measures such as temperature monitoring and flushing protocols for periods of vacancy.

Energy Performance Certificate

If the property is a self-catering holiday let, you must have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and include the EPC rating in any adverts or listings for the property. The certificate is obtained through a domestic energy assessor.

Planning permission and control areas

In most of Scotland, you do not need planning permission to operate a short-term let — the licence is sufficient. However, in a designated short-term let control area, using a residential property for secondary letting is treated as a material change of use under planning law, and you need planning permission in addition to your licence.

As of early 2026, the designated control areas are:

• City of Edinburgh — entire council area (from 5 September 2022)
• Highland Council, Badenoch and Strathspey Ward — (from 4 March 2024)

Other councils may designate control areas in the future. Check with your local council whether your property is affected.

Home sharing (letting while you are present in the property) does not normally require planning permission, even in a control area. Home letting may or may not require planning permission depending on the frequency and scale — occasional holiday lets (for example, during the Edinburgh Festival) are less likely to be treated as a material change of use.

Additional considerations

Council tax and business rates

If you operate a dedicated holiday let (secondary letting) that is available to let for 140 or more days and actually let for 70 or more days in the year (the test since 1 April 2022), it may be entered on the Valuation Roll for non-domestic rates (business rates) instead of council tax. You may qualify for Small Business Bonus Scheme relief. Contact your local assessor for a determination.

Insurance

Standard home insurance does not normally cover short-term letting. You need:

• Public liability insurance (mandatory licence condition)
• Buildings and contents insurance that explicitly covers short-term letting use

If the property is mortgaged, check whether your lender requires consent for short-term letting use.

Visitor levy

From 24 July 2026, accommodation providers in Edinburgh (including short-term let hosts) must collect and remit a 5% visitor levy on overnight stays, capped at 5 consecutive nights per guest. This applies to bookings made or paid on or after 1 October 2025 for stays on or after 24 July 2026. It is the accommodation provider's legal responsibility to collect, report, and remit the levy to the City of Edinburgh Council. Glasgow (5% from 25 January 2027) and Aberdeen (7% from 1 April 2027) have approved their own schemes — check whether your council has declared a levy.

Guest information pack

You must provide guests with a property information pack including emergency contact details, fire escape route, evacuation procedure, how to operate heating and hot water, waste and recycling arrangements, and house rules including maximum occupancy.