Scotland Short-Term Let Licensing

Short-Term Let Licensing Scotland 2026, Mandatory STL Licence, Edinburgh Control Zone, Planning Permission and Criminal Offence for Unlicensed Operation

Scotland's mandatory STL licensing regime under the Licensing of Short-term Lets (Scotland) Order 2022 (Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 as amended). Four licence types: home sharing (host present in own home); home letting (host absent from own home); secondary letting (property not principal home, includes Airbnb BTL landlords); home letting + home sharing. Criminal offence to operate without a licence. Edinburgh STL control zone (whole city from 5 September 2022): secondary lets also require planning permission for change of use (Class 9 to STL use). Existing operators: apply by 1 October 2023. Mandatory conditions: £2m public liability insurance; gas safety; EICR; smoke/CO alarms; anti-social behaviour management. Distinct from Scottish PRT (residential lets of 6+ months as main home).

9 min readUpdated 7 June 2026Last reviewed: 2 September 2026short-term-letSTL-licensingScotlandAirbnb

Written and reviewed byRichard Wood· Founder, LetSafe UKLast reviewed: 2 September 2026

The four STL licence types and who needs a licence

Four types of STL licence: (a) home sharing, host lets part or all of own principal home while present; (b) home letting, host lets entire principal home while absent; (c) secondary letting, host lets a property not their principal home (BTL Airbnb landlords); (d) home letting + home sharing, both types at same property. All types require a licence from the local council. Operating without a licence is a criminal offence under paragraph 8(1) of Schedule 1 to the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982.

Edinburgh STL control zone and planning permission for secondary lets

The City of Edinburgh Council designated the entire Edinburgh local authority area as an STL control zone from 5 September 2022. Within Edinburgh's control zone, secondary lets (property not the host's principal home) require planning permission for a change of use from Class 9 (houses) to short-term let use, in addition to the mandatory STL licence. Home sharing and home letting in a principal home do not require planning permission in the control zone.

Mandatory licence conditions

Mandatory conditions (Schedule 3, LSO 2022, applicable in every council area): (a) valid buildings insurance and public liability insurance in place (no prescribed minimum amount); (b) fire safety: smoke alarms every floor; heat alarm kitchen; CO alarm where carbon-fuelled appliance; (c) gas safety: current gas safety record from Gas Safe registered engineer; (d) electrical safety: EICR from qualified electrician; (e) planning compliance: use of property must comply with all planning requirements; (f) anti-social behaviour management: reasonable steps to prevent ASB; complaints procedure maintained.

Interaction with Scottish PRT and enforcement

STL licensing and Scottish PRT (Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016) cover different letting types. PRT applies to lets where the property is the occupant's main home (typically 6+ months). STL licensing applies to short-term lets (typically under 31 days per booking; holiday lets; Airbnb). Enforcement: councils can prosecute unlicensed operators (criminal offence); issue compliance notices; attach conditions. Applications and refusals are decided by the council's licensing committee and can be appealed to the Sheriff Court.

Primary sources

This page is drafted against the legislation below. Always check the current text of the law before acting.

Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016 (legislation.gov.uk)

Frequently asked questions

Do all short-term let operators in Scotland need a licence?+

Yes, all STL operators across Scotland must hold a valid licence from their local council under the Licensing of Short-term Lets (Scotland) Order 2022. Operating without a licence is a criminal offence under paragraph 8(1) of Schedule 1 to the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. Four licence types: home sharing; home letting; secondary letting; home letting + sharing. Existing operators were required to apply by 1 October 2023.

What is the Edinburgh STL control zone?+

The City of Edinburgh Council designated the entire Edinburgh local authority area as an STL control zone from 5 September 2022. Within Edinburgh's control zone, operators of secondary lets (properties not the host's principal home, including Airbnb BTL landlords) must obtain planning permission for a change of use from Class 9 (houses) to short-term let use, in addition to the mandatory STL licence. Home sharing and home letting in a principal home do not require planning permission.

What is secondary letting and why does it matter for BTL landlords?+

Secondary letting is where the host lets a property that is NOT their principal home, including buy-to-let landlords letting investment properties on Airbnb or other short-term platforms. It is the most significant STL licence type for BTL landlords. Secondary letting within Edinburgh's STL control zone also requires planning permission for change of use in addition to the STL licence.

Does STL licensing apply to the same properties as the Scottish PRT?+

No. The Scottish PRT (Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016) applies where the occupant uses the property as their main home (typically 6+ months). STL licensing applies to short-term lets (typically under 31 days per booking, Airbnb; holiday lets). A let that begins as STL but becomes the tenant's main home may convert to a PRT, landlords should monitor the nature of the occupation.

Templates recommended in this guide

Put this guide into practice, get the Landlord Annual Compliance Checklist from the LetSafe shop, the regulation-current pack that matches this guide.

ComplianceLS-E-020

Landlord Annual Compliance Checklist

Annual walk-through of every compliance touchpoint: gas, electrical, EPC, smoke/CO, Right-to-Rent, deposit, licensing, database registration.

£19

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Hand-picked by topic overlap with this guide.

Planning Law

Change of Use Planning UK, Use Classes, HMOs, and Short-Term Lets

How the Use Classes Order and permitted development rights govern residential-to-HMO conversions, commercial-to-residential prior approval, and the new Use Class C5 for short-term lets.

England and Wales, Separate from Planning Permission, Both Systems May Apply, Part B: Fire Safety, Escape Routes; Smoke Detection; Fire Compartmentation; Sprinklers (New Builds Over 11m), Part L: Energy Efficiency, U-Values; SAP; New Builds and Major Renovations, Part F: Ventilation, Extract Fans; Whole-House Ventilation; Condensation/Mould Prevention, Part P: Electrical, Notifiable Work (New Circuit; Consumer Unit; Special Location: Bathroom; Kitchen; Garden) Must Use Part P Registered Electrician or Notify Building Control, RBCA (Registered Building Control Approver): Replaced Approved Inspector Under Building Safety Act 2022, Completion Certificate: Issued on Completion, Essential for Sale; Remortgage; Insurance

Building Regulations for Landlords UK 2026, Part B Fire, Part L Energy, Part F Ventilation, Part P Electrical Notifiable Work, RBCA and Completion Certificate

Building regulations for landlords UK 2026: building regulations approval (Building Act 1984; Building Regulations 2010) is required for most structural, energy, fire safety, electrical, and ventilation work, separate from planning permission. Key approved document parts: Part B (fire safety, escape routes; fire detection; compartmentation; sprinklers for new builds over 11m); Part L (energy efficiency, U-values for extensions; SAP for new builds; maximum U-values: walls 0.28 W/m²K; roofs 0.18 W/m²K; windows 1.4 W/m²K/Energy Rating C); Part F (ventilation, extract fans; whole-house ventilation to prevent condensation and mould, relevant to Awaab's Law damp/mould obligations); Part P (electrical notifiable work: installing new circuit; replacing consumer unit; work in special location, bathroom; kitchen near sink; garden; garage, must use Part P-registered electrician or notify local authority building control). Planning permission vs building regulations: two entirely separate systems; a landlord may need both, one, or neither. RBCA (Registered Building Control Approver): replaced approved inspector system under Building Safety Act 2022 from 6 April 2024. Completion certificate: issued on completion by local authority or RBCA, needed for sale; remortgage; insurance. Regularisation certificate: available from local authority for certain work done without approval, more expensive; not always available.

England, Planning Permission IS Required (NOT Permitted Development, Material Change of Use from Single C3 to Multiple C3 Dwellinghouses), Part B Fire Safety; Part E Acoustic (45 dB Rw; 62 dB Ln,w); Part F Ventilation; Part P Electrical, Completion Certificate from BCB or Approved Inspector, Each Flat: Separate Leasehold Title; Service Charge; RMC Structure

House to Flats Conversion UK 2026, Planning Permission Required, Building Regulations (Parts B E F P), Acoustic Separation, Completion Certificate and Leasehold Demise

House to flats conversion UK 2026: converting a single dwellinghouse (C3) to multiple self-contained flats requires planning permission, this is NOT permitted development; it is a material change of use under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Building regulations compliance: Part B fire safety (fire doors FD30; compartmentation; smoke/heat detectors; 60-90 min fire resistance); Part E acoustic separation (airborne DnT,w + Ctr = 45 dB; impact L'nT,w = 62 dB, the most commonly failed requirement; timber floors require acoustic mat plus floating screed); Part F ventilation (trickle vents; mechanical extract); Part P electrical (separate consumer units; SWA cables; EICR). Completion certificate from Building Control Body (BCB) or Approved Inspector required before lawful occupation. Each flat demised as separate registered leasehold title; freeholder retains freehold; service charge provisions; buildings insurance; residents management company (RMC). HMO licensing if 3+ persons from 2+ households share building facilities.

Scotland Only, Scottish PRT (Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016), Notice to Leave: Must Cite One of 18 Schedule 3 Grounds, No Section 21 in Scotland, All 18 Grounds Discretionary Since 1 October 2022 (Coronavirus (Recovery and Reform) (Scotland) Act 2022), Notice Periods (s.54(3)): 28 or 84 Days by Tenancy Length and Grounds Cited, Rent Arrears Pre-Action Requirements (SSI 2020/304), First-tier Tribunal (Housing and Property Chamber): Only Body That Can Issue an Eviction Order

Notice to Leave Scotland 2026: 18 PRT Grounds and Periods