Short term let - Licence and permit applications – The City of Edinburgh Council

Short Term Let

Anyone who uses accommodation to offer short-term lets.

The Scottish Government passed the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short term Lets) Order 2022 on 19 January 2022. This introduced a licensing scheme for short term lets which started on 1 October 2022.

There are four types of licences for short term let accommodation:

Secondary letting - letting a property where you do not normally live. For example a second home that is let to guests.

Home letting - using all or part of your own home for short term lets, while you are absent.

Home sharing - using all or part of your own home for short term lets, while you are there.

Home letting and home sharing - using all or part of your own home for short term lets, while you are living there and for periods when you are absent.

Download our short term let application fees.

You should upload your completed application form, all required supporting documentation and make payment. We do not accept paper application forms, postal application forms, cash or cheque payments.

All licence application fees are non-refundable. Find out more information on our refunds policy. If you wish to request a refund due to exceptional circumstances contact

The Licensing Manager
The City of Edinburgh Council
249 High Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1YJ

licensing@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Please make sure you read the notes for guidance before completing the form.

You must submit the below items with your license application. Please have them ready when you complete the online application form.

1 x A4 size copy of the floor plans of the property - required for new, temporary and any subsequent renewal application.
Annual gas certificate - for properties with a gas supply.
Annual Portable Appliance Test (PAT) certificate.
A fully completed fire safety checklist - required for all new, temporary and any subsequent renewal application.
Current Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR).
Planning permission information for secondary letting only. Find out how to apply for planning permission.
The correct application fee.

On 1 March 2023, the Scottish Parliament approved legislation, proposed by the Scottish Government, which extends the application deadline for existing hosts to 1 October 2023.

This means that existing hosts and operators have until 1 October 2023 to apply for a licence to continue operating while your application is considered. You are an existing host or operator if you have already been using your property to provide short term lets prior to 1 October 2022. Existing hosts and operators will need to be able to prove that you used the property for short term lets during this time.

New hosts and operators

If you were not using your premises to provide short term lets before 1 October 2022, you cannot take bookings or receive guests until you have a licence.

All hosts and operators need to have a licence by 1 January 2025.

Find more information on short term lets licensing and planning permission. We have a list of questions we have been frequently asked about the new licensing scheme which you may find useful.

Information is also available from the Scottish Government website:

The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short term Lets) Order 2022 provides mandatory conditions to be attached to all short term let licences. The order also allows local authorities to attach additional conditions to short term lets.