Council Licensing Guide · Scotland

How Much Does a Short-Term Let Licence Cost in East Dunbartonshire Council?

Application fees in East Dunbartonshire Council run £275–£594, plus the safety certificates every Scottish short-term let needs. Confirm current fees on the official council page.

Licence valid 3 years Mandatory since Oct 2023

Licence fees

East Dunbartonshire Council Fees

Fee band Application Renewal
Home sharing (per room let) £275 £275
Home letting - up to 10 persons £495 £495
Home letting & home sharing combined - up to 10 persons £495 £495
Home letting / combined - each extra block of 5 persons above 10 £55 £55
Secondary letting - up to 10 persons £594 £594
Secondary letting - each extra block of 5 persons above 10 (e.g. 11-15 persons = £649 total) £55 £55

East Dunbartonshire charges a single combined 3-year application/renewal fee (paid again at each renewal) rather than separate application and renewal amounts. Published bands (from the council's Short-Term Lets Policy, section on fees): Secondary letting = £594 for up to 10 persons, plus £55 for every additional 5 persons (e.g. 11-15 persons = £649). Home letting = £495 for up to 10 persons, plus £55 for every additional 5 persons. Combined Home letting & Home sharing = £495 for up to 10 persons, plus £55 per additional 5 persons. Home sharing (letting room(s) in your own main home only) = £275 per room. Fees are non-refundable if the application is refused.

No separate planning permission needed

East Dunbartonshire is NOT a designated short-term let control area. As of mid-2026 only two control areas exist in Scotland: the whole of City of Edinburgh Council (designated 5 Sept 2022) and the Badenoch and Strathspey ward within Highland Council (designated 4 March 2024) — confirmed via mygov.scot's official control-areas page. Because East Dunbartonshire has no control area, hosts do not face the extra "planning permission required on top of the licence" trigger that applies automatically in Edinburgh/Badenoch & Strathspey. However, ordinary Scottish planning law still applies regardless of control-area status: East Dunbartonshire's own planning guidance states planning permission is NOT required where fewer than 4 bedrooms in total and only 1 is let, or 4+ bedrooms with only 1-2 let; but IS required for letting more rooms than that or letting a whole secondary property, as this counts as a material change of use. The council's STL licence conditions (Appendix 2) also state that IF a property later falls inside any future control area, the host must hold or have applied for planning permission before the licence can be used.

Before you apply

Documents You'll Need

  • Completed short-term let licence application form and supporting checklist (available from the council's Short-Term Lets Policy page, Appendix 7)
  • Evidence/floor plan showing room sizes and fire escape routes (where requested)
  • Current gas safety certificate (CP12) covering all gas pipework, flues and appliances, if the property has a gas supply
  • Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) - fixed wiring inspected by a competent person, renewed at least every 5 years
  • Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) certificate/dated labels for all portable electrical appliances
  • Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) - a valid rating must also be shown in all listings/adverts
  • Legionella/water hygiene risk assessment (and compliance evidence for any private water supply)
  • Evidence of valid buildings insurance
  • Evidence of public liability insurance providing cover of not less than £2 million
  • Confirmation that upholstered furniture/mattresses meet the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988
  • Proof the required 21-day public notice has been displayed at/near the property (site notice display certificate)
  • Evidence of planning permission (or a submitted planning application) only if the property would otherwise need it under general planning rules, or if it later falls within a designated control area

Safety certificates

Certificates Required

Your East Dunbartonshire Council licence application must be backed by current safety certificates. These are jobs for a certified assessor, and getting them booked early is the most common thing that holds an application up.

ReferralFree. We'll pass your details to a local certified assessor who covers your area.

Get your licence certificates sorted

A short-term let licence in East Dunbartonshire Council needs a set of safety certificates. Tell us about your property and we'll connect you with a local certified assessor for a no-obligation quote.

Gas safety certificate (if gas supply present)Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR, min. every 5 years)PAT (Portable Appliance Testing) certificateEnergy Performance Certificate (EPC)Legionella / water hygiene risk assessmentFire safety compliance record (Furniture and Furnishings (Fire)(Safety) Regulations 1988)Buildings insurancePublic liability insurance (minimum £2 million cover)

No obligation. Your details go only to a local assessor covering East Dunbartonshire Council.

Local conditions

Key Rules in East Dunbartonshire Council

  • Every short-term let in East Dunbartonshire has needed a council licence since the national 1 October 2023 deadline; operating unlicensed is a criminal offence.
  • Fees are charged per 3-year licence term (same figure due again at renewal), banded by let type (home sharing / home letting / secondary letting) and by number of persons (or per room for home sharing).
  • Secondary letting is the most expensive tier: £594 up to 10 persons, +£55 per extra 5 persons.
  • Home letting and the combined home letting & home sharing category are £495 up to 10 persons, +£55 per extra 5 persons.
  • Home sharing (letting only within your own main home) is charged per room at £275.
  • Fees are non-refundable if an application is refused.
  • A 21-day public notice must be displayed at/near the property as part of the application; the council aims to decide within 21 days of that notice period ending.
  • East Dunbartonshire is NOT a designated short-term let control area (unlike City of Edinburgh, which is whole-council, and Highland's Badenoch & Strathspey ward) - so the automatic 'planning permission needed on top of the licence' trigger does not apply here.
  • Ordinary planning rules can still require planning permission separately from the STL licence: letting a whole secondary property, or letting more than 1-2 rooms depending on total bedroom count, counts as a material change of use requiring planning permission regardless of control-area status.
  • Mandatory conditions include annual gas safety checks, 5-yearly EICR, PAT testing, a legionella risk assessment, buildings insurance, and public liability insurance of at least £2 million.
  • Licences must be displayed at the property along with safety certificates and emergency contact details; adverts must show the licence number and EPC rating.

Apply through East Dunbartonshire Council

Applications are made directly to the council. This guide is a summary — always check the official page for the current fee and conditions.

Typical processing time: No fixed statutory number of weeks published by the council itself; realistically allow 6-10+ weeks. Process = a mandatory 21-day public/neighbour notice period after submission, and the council states it "aims to make a decision within 21 days from the end of the consultation period." Scottish STL legislation sets an overall statutory backstop of up to 9 months for councils to determine an application if it runs into objections, hearings or extra checks, so straightforward applications are much quicker but contested ones can take far longer.

Official council licensing page

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a short-term let licence cost in East Dunbartonshire?
It depends on the letting type and capacity, and covers a 3-year term. Home sharing (letting a room in your own main home) is £275 per room. Home letting is £495 for up to 10 persons (plus £55 per extra 5 persons). Secondary letting (a whole separate property) is the most expensive at £594 for up to 10 persons (plus £55 per extra 5 persons) - so 11-15 persons would cost £649 in total. The same fee is charged again at renewal, and it is not refunded if your application is refused.
Do I need planning permission as well as the STL licence?
Not automatically. East Dunbartonshire has not been designated a short-term let control area (only City of Edinburgh, whole-council, and Highland's Badenoch and Strathspey ward currently are), so the extra control-area planning trigger does not apply here. But separate, ordinary planning permission can still be needed regardless of control-area status - for example if you let a whole secondary property, or let more rooms than the council's stated thresholds (broadly, more than 1 room in a smaller home or more than 2 rooms in a 4+ bedroom home), because that counts as a material change of use.
What documents and certificates do I need to apply?
You'll need a completed application form and checklist, a floor plan, a current gas safety certificate (if you have gas), an EICR (electrical safety report, renewed at least every 5 years), PAT testing records for portable appliances, a valid EPC, a legionella/water risk assessment, and evidence of buildings insurance plus public liability insurance of at least £2 million. You must also display a 21-day public notice at the property as part of the application.
How long does an East Dunbartonshire STL licence last, and when do I renew?
Licences run for up to 3 years. You need to renew before it expires and pay the same banded fee again (there isn't a separate cheaper renewal rate published) - the council treats the application and renewal fee as the same figure.
How long does the application take to process?
There's a mandatory 21-day public notice/consultation period after you submit, and the council says it aims to decide within 21 days after that period ends - so a straightforward case might take around 6-10 weeks in practice. Scottish STL law allows councils up to 9 months in total if there are objections, hearings or extra checks needed, so more complex or contested applications can take considerably longer.
What happens if I operate a short-term let without a licence?
It's a criminal offence under the Scotland-wide rules that took effect 1 October 2023. Beyond that, East Dunbartonshire can refuse or revoke a licence for non-compliance with mandatory or local conditions, so it's worth applying in good time before you start operating or before your current licence expires.

Short-Term Let Licences in Other Councils

The Highland Council Licence cost & rules Argyll and Bute Council Licence cost & rules Perth and Kinross Council Licence cost & rules The City of Edinburgh Council Licence cost & rules Aberdeen City Council Licence cost & rules Dundee City Council Licence cost & rules

See all Scottish council STL licence guides →

Council data last reviewed 2026-07. Fees and conditions are set by East Dunbartonshire Council and can change — always confirm on the official council page before applying. This page is general information, not legal advice.