Laws & Regulations
Do I need to register my holiday let?
Yes, in most parts of the UK. England introduced a mandatory short-term let registration scheme under the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023, with the digital register opening in 2026. Every holiday let advertised through Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo or directly must be registered and display its registration number on the listing.
Scotland has run a separate short-term let licensing scheme since October 2023 — operators apply to their local authority and pay a fee, typically £250 to £900, with renewals every three years. Wales introduced a statutory registration scheme as part of its tourism levy framework. London additionally enforces the 90-night rule for entire-home short-term lets, which Airbnb auto-blocks past the cap. Failing to register is an offence carrying fines of up to £2,500. See the GOV.UK short-term lets guidance.
What this means in practice
An owner of a Cornwall cottage marketed on Airbnb registers the property on the England scheme in 2026, receives a registration number, and adds it to every listing. The same owner with a flat in Edinburgh has held a Scottish short-term let licence since 2023 — a separate £640 licence per property, renewable every three years. A second flat in Westminster used as a whole-home let is auto-capped by Airbnb at 90 nights per calendar year unless the owner holds planning permission for a C3-to-sui generis change of use. Three properties, three regulatory regimes.
Related questions
Do I need planning permission as well as registration?
From 2026, England requires planning permission for a change of use to short-term let in tourist hotspots designated by local authorities. Outside designated areas, registration alone may be sufficient, but check with the planning authority — some councils (Bath, the Lake District) treat short-term letting as a material change of use even without national rules. In Scotland, "control areas" designated by Edinburgh and others require planning permission alongside the licence.
Are room rentals covered by the registration scheme?
Letting a room in your own primary residence while you remain present (the classic Airbnb "host home" model) is treated more leniently — England exempts it from the planning change-of-use requirement, although registration may still apply for advertising. Letting an entire property when you are not present is the regulated activity. The GOV.UK guidance defines the threshold.
Related reading
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