Council Licensing Guide · Scotland

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

Application fees in Inverclyde Council run £311–£621, 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

Inverclyde Council Fees

Fee band Application Renewal
Home Letting or Home Sharing (or both) - max occupancy 4 or under £311 £254
Home Letting or Home Sharing (or both) - max occupancy 5 or over £396 £339
Secondary Letting - max occupancy 4 or under £508 £451
Secondary Letting - max occupancy 5 or over £621 £564

Figures taken from the council's published '2026 Short Term Lets Fee List' (part of the Inverclyde Council Fees and Charges 2026/27 schedule). Two occupancy bands (max occupancy 4-or-under vs 5-or-over) crossed with two letting categories: (1) 'Home Letting or Home Sharing (or both)' - property is the host's only/principal home, and (2) 'Secondary Letting' - a separate premises not the host's principal home (secondary lets cost noticeably more). A flat Variation fee of £85.00 applies to all licence types/bands regardless of occupancy. Fee figures are set annually via the council's Fees and Charges schedule, so amounts may change year to year - always confirm against the current year's published fee list before applying.

No separate planning permission needed

Inverclyde has NOT designated any Short-Term Let Control Area (whole-council or partial). The policy statement explicitly says: "Inverclyde Council does not intend on implementing Control Area Regulations mainly due to the estimated low prevalence of Short-term Let activity" - though this is kept under review. So planning permission is not automatically triggered by a control area designation here. However, planning permission (or a Certificate of Lawful Use) may still separately be required on a case-by-case basis depending on how the let operates (materiality of the use change) - applicants must contact the Planning Service (dmplanning@inverclyde.gov.uk) before applying for a licence to check this. Objections to planning applications are kept separate from licensing objections and are not shared between the two teams.

Before you apply

Documents You'll Need

  • Completed STL Application Form (Appendix 5 of the Policy Statement) and accompanying checklist
  • Scottish Fire & Rescue Service Checklist (fire safety checklist, ~88KB PDF, available on council website)
  • Police Scotland Form/Checklist
  • Gas Safety Report/Certificate (CP12) - only if the premises has a gas supply; annual inspection by a Gas Safe registered engineer
  • Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) for fixed wiring - at least every 5 years, from a competent person
  • Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) report for movable/portable appliances
  • Legionella risk assessment for the premises' water system
  • Compliance evidence for private water supply (Water Intended for Human Consumption regs) if applicable
  • Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) - valid rating, where required, must be included in any listing/advert
  • Evidence of buildings and public liability insurance
  • Evidence of a 21-day public notice displayed at the premises plus a signed Certificate of Compliance confirming this was done (template on council website)
  • Confirmation from Planning Service (dmplanning@inverclyde.gov.uk) on whether planning permission/Certificate of Lawful Use is needed
  • Application fee payment (telephone or bank transfer)

Safety certificates

Certificates Required

Your Inverclyde 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 Inverclyde 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/Report (CP12) - if gas supply present, renewed annuallyElectrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) - fixed installations, at least every 5 yearsPortable Appliance Testing (PAT) report - for movable appliancesLegionella / water hygiene risk assessmentEnergy Performance Certificate (EPC) - where requiredBuildings and public liability insurance evidenceFire and carbon monoxide detection equipment compliance (satisfactory smoke/CO alarms; fire-safety-compliant furnishings and mattresses)

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

Local conditions

Key Rules in Inverclyde Council

  • Inverclyde is NOT a designated Short-Term Let Control Area (no whole-council or partial/ward designation) - the council has stated no current intention to introduce one, though this is kept under review.
  • Planning permission or a Certificate of Lawful Use may still be required independently of licensing, assessed case-by-case on how material the change of use is - always check with Planning (dmplanning@inverclyde.gov.uk) before applying for the STL licence.
  • Licences last up to 3 years (or a shorter period at the General Purposes Board's discretion); Inverclyde does not anticipate renewing beyond 3 years even though the law allows up to 5 years where there are no objections/enforcement issues.
  • Four licence categories: Home Sharing, Home Letting, Home Letting+Sharing combined, and Secondary Letting - the first three relate to the host's only/principal home, Secondary Letting is a separate, non-principal property and is charged at a higher fee.
  • Fees are further banded by maximum occupancy: 4-or-under vs 5-or-over.
  • A flat £85 fee applies to variation applications for any licence type/band.
  • Applicants must publicly display a notice at the premises for 21 days and submit a signed Certificate of Compliance confirming this was done.
  • No temporary exemptions or short-term/temporary licences are granted - all applications go through the full consultation process regardless of how briefly the letting will operate.
  • If a licence holder dies, the licence transfers to the executor and remains valid for 3 months from the date of death (extendable if needed for estate administration).
  • Mandatory conditions include annual gas safety inspection (if gas supply), 5-yearly EICR, PAT testing of portable appliances, a legionella risk assessment, satisfactory fire/CO detection equipment, EPC disclosure in adverts, and evidence of buildings/public liability insurance.
  • Operating without a licence is a criminal offence under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2022, in force since 1 October 2023 for all existing operators (from 1 October 2022 for new hosts).

Apply through Inverclyde 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: Up to 9 months (39 weeks) from receipt of a complete application (all documents + fee) under standard statutory timescales. For applications made by operators who were already trading as an STL before 1 October 2022 and applied before the 1 October 2023 deadline, the council allows up to 12 months (52 weeks). The council can also pause the clock for up to 3 months if planning permission/lawfulness issues need to be resolved first.

Official council licensing page

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a short-term let licence cost in Inverclyde?
It depends on letting type and maximum occupancy. Home Letting/Home Sharing costs £311 to apply (occupancy 4 or under) or £396 (occupancy 5+); renewals are £254 and £339 respectively. Secondary Letting (a separate, non-principal-home property) costs £508 to apply (occupancy 4 or under) or £621 (occupancy 5+); renewals are £451 and £564. A variation to an existing licence costs a flat £85 regardless of type or band. These figures are from the council's 2026/27 Fees and Charges schedule and are reviewed annually, so check the current year's published fee list before applying.
Is Inverclyde a short-term let control area, meaning I need planning permission as well as a licence?
No - Inverclyde has not designated any control area (whole-council or partial), so a control area designation does not itself trigger a planning permission requirement here. But planning permission or a Certificate of Lawful Use can still be needed separately depending on how the let is used (this is assessed case by case), so you should email the council's Planning Service at dmplanning@inverclyde.gov.uk before submitting your licence application to check your specific property.
What documents and certificates do I need to apply?
You'll need the completed STL application form and checklist, a Scottish Fire & Rescue Service checklist, a Police Scotland form, a gas safety certificate (if you have gas), an EICR (electrical safety report, valid within 5 years), a PAT report for portable appliances, a legionella/water risk assessment, an EPC where required, evidence of buildings and public liability insurance, and proof you displayed a 21-day public notice at the property (via a signed Certificate of Compliance).
How long does Inverclyde take to process a short-term let licence application?
The council has up to 9 months from receiving a complete application (full documents and fee) to decide. For operators who were already trading before 1 October 2022 and applied before the 1 October 2023 deadline, the timescale extends to 12 months. The clock can also be paused for up to 3 months if planning permission issues need resolving first. While your application is pending, if you were an existing operator with a valid application in, you can generally keep operating.
How long does an Inverclyde short-term let licence last, and how do I renew it?
Licences are granted for up to 3 years (or shorter at the council's discretion). Inverclyde does not expect to renew for longer than 3 years even though the law technically allows up to 5 years in some cases. If you submit a complete, correctly-paid renewal application before your licence expires, your existing licence stays valid until the council decides on the renewal, so there's no gap in legality while it's processed.
What's the difference between Home Letting, Home Sharing and Secondary Letting for fee purposes?
Home Sharing and Home Letting both apply when the let is at the host's own principal/only home (e.g. renting a spare room, or letting the whole home while you're away) - these attract the lower fee band. Secondary Letting is a separate property that isn't your principal home (e.g. a dedicated holiday let or second property) - this is charged noticeably more, reflecting the different risk profile the council assesses.

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 Inverclyde Council and can change — always confirm on the official council page before applying. This page is general information, not legal advice.