Council Licensing Guide · Scotland

How Much Does a Short-Term Let Licence Cost in The City of Edinburgh Council?

Application fees in The City of Edinburgh Council run £120–£5,869, 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

The City of Edinburgh Council Fees

Fee band Application Renewal
Home sharing £120 £120
Home letting (per occupant) £120 £360
Home sharing and home letting combined (per occupant) £120 £360
Secondary letting: 1-3 occupants £653 £1,053
Secondary letting: 4-5 occupants £1,089 £1,489
Secondary letting: 6-10 occupants £2,481 £2,881
Secondary letting: 11-15 occupants £3,872 £4,272
Secondary letting: 16-20 occupants £5,264 £5,664
Secondary letting: 21+ occupants £5,869 £6,869
Temporary licence/exemption: 1-5 occupants £250 —
Temporary licence/exemption: 6-10 occupants £350 —
Temporary licence/exemption: 11+ occupants £600 —
Transfer of licence £120 —
Change of manager £137 —
Variation (excluding capacity/type change) £74 —

Edinburgh's fee structure (per the Council's official Short Term Let Licence Application Fees schedule) splits fees by licence TYPE and, for secondary letting, by OCCUPANCY BAND. New licences are typically issued for 1 year initially; most renewals run for 3 years and carry a higher (amortised) fee than the 1-year figure. HOME SHARING: flat £120 to apply (1 yr) or renew (3 yr) — not occupancy-scaled. HOME LETTING and HOME SHARING+LETTING combined: £120 PER OCCUPANT to apply (1 yr), £360 per occupant to renew (3 yr). SECONDARY LETTING (whole-property lets where the host does not live there) scales steeply by maximum occupancy, with separate 1-year and 3-year figures. Additional fees apply for temporary licences/exemptions (banded by occupancy: £250 for 1-5, £350 for 6-10, £600 for 11+), licence transfer (£120), change of manager (£137), minor variation excluding capacity/type change (£74), and provisional licences (20% of the full fee upfront, 80% on confirmation). All fees must be paid online — no cash, cheque or postal applications accepted.

You also need planning permission

The entire City of Edinburgh Council area was designated a Short-Term Let Control Area, effective 5 September 2022 — the first such designation in Scotland and still whole-council (no partial wards). Effect: change of use of a dwelling that is NOT the operator's principal home (i.e. secondary letting) to a short-term let is deemed a material change of use requiring planning permission. New full STL licence applications for secondary letting must submit, at the same time as the licence application, either (a) evidence they have applied for/obtained planning permission, or (b) confirmation planning permission isn't needed (e.g. a Certificate of Lawfulness) — if neither is provided the licence application is not considered and is returned. Home sharing (host living in the property) and home letting (host's principal home, used while temporarily absent) are normally exempt from needing planning permission. Planning fees (from 1 April 2026): change of use £742 (<100 sqm), £1,484 (100-200 sqm), £2,226 (200-300 sqm), plus a 25% retrospective surcharge; Certificate of Lawfulness (existing use) is charged at the same tiered rates as change of use.

Before you apply

Documents You'll Need

  • Completed online application form and self-declaration checklist (paper/postal/cash/cheque not accepted)
  • Floor plan (hand-drawn acceptable if to scale) showing room sizes/dimensions, fire escape routes, and any accommodation for guests with mobility impairment
  • Gas safety certificate (CP12) if the property has gas appliances
  • Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
  • Portable Appliance Test (PAT) certificate for electrical appliances
  • Fire safety risk assessment / completed fire safety checklist (self-assessment accepted, no need to pay a professional)
  • EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) details — required for full licences; waived on the application form for temporary home-sharing/home-letting exemption applications since 31 Jan 2025
  • Legionella / water hygiene risk assessment
  • Evidence of planning permission applied for/granted, or a Certificate of Lawfulness (secondary letting applications only, due to city-wide control area status) — without this the application is returned unconsidered
  • Evidence of adequate public liability and buildings insurance
  • Application fee payment

Safety certificates

Certificates Required

Your The City of Edinburgh 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 The City of Edinburgh 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 appliances present)Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)Portable Appliance Test (PAT) certificateEPC (Energy Performance Certificate)Fire safety risk assessmentLegionella/water risk assessmentFloor planPlanning permission or Certificate of Lawfulness (secondary letting only)

No obligation. Your details go only to a local assessor covering The City of Edinburgh Council.

Apply through The City of Edinburgh 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: Council targets a decision within 4 months (~17 weeks); Scottish legislation allows up to 9 months (~39 weeks). Faster if all documents are complete and no objections are received; Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service get a mandatory 28-day statutory consultation window on every new/renewal application. Summer is the busiest period for the service.

Official council licensing page

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a short-term let licence cost in Edinburgh?
It depends on the type of let and, for secondary letting, occupancy. Home sharing is a flat £120 to apply and £120 to renew. Home letting (or combined home sharing/letting) is £120 per occupant to apply and £360 per occupant to renew. Secondary letting (whole-property lets where the host doesn't live there) is banded by capacity, from £653 (1-3 occupants) up to £5,869 (21+ occupants) for a new licence, rising to £1,053-£6,869 for a 3-year renewal.
Do I need planning permission as well as a licence in Edinburgh?
For secondary letting, yes. The whole of the City of Edinburgh Council area has been a designated Short-Term Let Control Area since 5 September 2022, so letting a property that isn't your principal home is treated as a material change of use requiring planning permission (or a Certificate of Lawfulness confirming it isn't needed). You must supply evidence of this with your licence application or the Council will return it unconsidered. Home sharing and home letting (your own principal home) don't normally need planning permission.
How long does it take to get an Edinburgh STL licence?
The Council aims to decide within 4 months, though Scottish legislation allows up to 9 months. It's faster with a complete application, no neighbour objections, and if you avoid the busy summer festival period. Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service have a mandatory 28-day consultation window on every application.
How long does an Edinburgh STL licence last, and when do I renew?
New licences typically run for 1 year, and renewals for 3 years thereafter. You must submit your renewal before the current licence expires — the Council states you cannot apply to renew once it has lapsed, so you'd need to reapply as new (and stop trading until the new licence is granted).
What documents and certificates do I need to apply?
A floor plan, gas safety certificate (if applicable), EICR, PAT certificate, a fire safety risk assessment, a legionella/water risk assessment, EPC details, evidence of adequate insurance, and — for secondary letting — proof of planning permission or a Certificate of Lawfulness. Hand-drawn floor plans are accepted if reasonably to scale with room sizes and escape routes marked.
Can I get a temporary exemption instead of a full licence, e.g. for the Fringe?
Yes. The Council considers temporary exemptions for events like the Edinburgh Festival Fringe/International Festival, Christmas & Hogmanay, and major sporting/international events, for up to 3 periods totalling 6 weeks per calendar year. Fees are banded by occupancy (£250 for 1-5, £350 for 6-10, £600 for 11+ occupants), and since January 2025 temporary home-sharing/letting exemptions no longer need EICR, PAT or EPC submitted (though still good practice).

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 Aberdeen City Council Licence cost & rules Dundee City Council Licence cost & rules Aberdeenshire Council Licence cost & rules

See all Scottish council STL licence guides →

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