Council Licensing Guide · Scotland

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

Application fees in The Moray Council run £220–£540, 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 Moray Council Fees

Fee band Application Renewal
Short-term Let Licence (new application, any occupancy/type) £540 —
Temporary Short-term Let Licence (max 6 weeks) £540 —
Provisional Short-term Let Licence £220 —
Confirmation of a Provisional Short-term Let Licence £320 —
Transfer of Short-term Let Licence £309 —
Variation to a Short-term Let Licence £30 —
Copy of a Short-term Let Licence £24 —
Inspection of Short-term Let premises £220 —

Moray Council does NOT band its core short-term let licence fee by occupancy/capacity or by let-type (home sharing / home letting / secondary letting) — it charges a single flat fee. Schedule effective 1 April 2026, published on the council's 'Property Licence fees' page: Short-term Let Licence (new application) = £540; Short-term Let Licence renewal (existing operator) = £540 (same fee as new); Temporary Short-term Let Licence (up to 6 weeks) = £540; Provisional Short-term Let Licence = £220; Confirmation of a Provisional Short-term Let Licence = £320; Transfer of Short-term Let Licence = £309; Variation (change) to a Short-term Let Licence = £30; Copy of a Short-term Let Licence = £24; Inspection of Short-term Let premises = £220. Separate, additional fees are payable directly to other council services (Planning for a Certificate of Lawfulness/planning permission, Building Standards for a Building Warrant/certificate) where applicable — these are NOT included in the licensing fee.

No separate planning permission needed

Moray Council is NOT a designated short-term let control area, anywhere in the council area. On 30 June 2026 councillors considered a report on whether to introduce STL control areas (which would trigger a mandatory extra requirement for planning permission for secondary letting) and agreed NOT to proceed, despite localised concentrations of short-term lets in Cullen, Findhorn and Lossiemouth. The report found no clear evidence STL was reducing local housing availability, pushing up house prices, or harming local services/amenity, and noted STL supports tourism in coastal/rural Moray. The council said it will keep this under review and could revisit control areas if circumstances change. This means: no automatic/blanket planning permission requirement tied to a control area designation. However, ordinary planning law still applies independently of control-area status — a change of use from a dwelling to commercial short-term let accommodation may still need standard planning permission or a Certificate of Lawfulness, which applicants must obtain BEFORE applying for the STL licence, since the certificate is a required supporting document.

Before you apply

Documents You'll Need

  • Completed application form (online portal, or Word application form + Appendix 2 checklist emailed/posted to licensing@moray.gov.uk)
  • Application fee of £540 paid in full at time of submission (online, phone, or cheque to The Moray Council)
  • Layout/floor plan of the premises
  • Appendix 3 - Style Declaration/Consent of Owners (if applicable)
  • Appendix 4 - Legionella Risk Assessment (using the council's style template) plus Risk Review Template
  • Appendix 5 - completed Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) fire safety checklist
  • Evidence of satisfactory private water supply sample results, if the property is not on mains water
  • Planning Permission or a Certificate of Lawfulness (existing or proposed use), obtained BEFORE applying for the licence
  • For provisional-licence confirmation: the relevant Building Standards Certificate (separate fee payable to Building Standards)
  • Public Notice display (Appendix 1) - the council sends this once the application is valid, and the applicant must display it and confirm display

Safety certificates

Certificates Required

Your The Moray 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 Moray 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.

Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)Portable Appliance Test (PAT) certificateGas Safety Certificate (if the property has gas appliances)Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)Buildings and Public Liability Insurance certificateLegionella Risk AssessmentScottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) fire safety checklistWorking smoke and carbon monoxide detection installed (per Scottish Government tolerable standard)Private water supply satisfactory sample results (if not on mains water)Planning Permission or Certificate of Lawfulness (where required)Building Standards Certificate (for confirmation of a provisional licence, where construction/alteration works were involved)

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

Local conditions

Key Rules in The Moray Council

  • Since 1 October 2022 (Moray implemented ahead of the October 2023 national deadline), every host/operator needs a Moray Council licence before advertising can convert to taking bookings or receiving guests — you can advertise but not take bookings/guests pre-licence.
  • A separate licence is needed for each individual short-term let property, even if an operator has multiple properties all within Moray.
  • Moray is NOT a designated short-term let control area (decision reaffirmed 30 June 2026) — no council-wide or zonal extra planning-permission trigger from STL control area rules, though ordinary planning permission / Certificate of Lawfulness may still be required for change of use.
  • Moray currently imposes NO additional local licence conditions beyond the Scotland-wide mandatory conditions in the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2022, though this is kept under regular review and could change.
  • Moray is NOT granting temporary exemptions from licensing under any circumstances (position under review, last stated to be reviewed on/before 1 October 2025); a short (up to 6-week) Temporary Licence is available instead, at the same £540 fee, still subject to full mandatory conditions and consultation.
  • Every application is consulted on with Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and the council's own Environmental Health, Planning and Building Standards services, and is subject to a 'fit and proper person' test on all named applicants.
  • Statutory determination period is up to 9 months from a valid application; an application isn't treated as 'made' at all until it is complete and the fee is paid.
  • Fee schedule updated effective 1 April 2026 - always check the live 'Property Licence fees' page as amounts change periodically.
  • Types of licence available: Home Sharing, Home Letting, Home Letting and Home Sharing, and Secondary Letting; plus Provisional Licence, Confirmation of Provisional Licence, and Transfer of Licence as related application types.

Apply through The Moray 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: Statutory maximum of 9 months from the date a valid (complete + paid) application is received; the council states it aims to process applications faster than this but does not publish a target turnaround time. Every application requires consultation with Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and the council's own Environmental Health, Planning and Building Standards services, which adds to timescale.

Official council licensing page

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a short-term let licence cost in Moray, and does it vary by how many guests I can sleep?
Moray charges a flat £540 for a new Short-term Let Licence (effective 1 April 2026) - the same fee applies whatever your maximum occupancy or letting type (home sharing, home letting, or secondary letting). This is different from many other Scottish councils that band the fee by guest capacity. Renewal costs the same £540. Related fees include £220 for a Provisional Licence, £320 to confirm a provisional licence, £309 to transfer a licence, £30 for a variation, £24 for a copy, and £220 for a premises inspection.
Is Moray a short-term let control area, and do I need planning permission?
No. On 30 June 2026 Moray Council's elected members formally decided NOT to introduce any short-term let control areas, anywhere in the region, despite some concentration of lets in Cullen, Findhorn and Lossiemouth. That means there's no automatic extra planning-permission requirement tied to a control area designation (unlike Edinburgh, which is control-area-wide). However, you may still need ordinary planning permission or a Certificate of Lawfulness for a change of use to commercial short-term let accommodation - you must obtain this BEFORE applying for the STL licence, as it's a required supporting document, and it involves a separate fee paid to the Planning Service.
How long does it take Moray Council to process a short-term let licence application?
By law, the council has up to 9 months from the date of a valid (complete and paid) application to determine it, and every application must be consulted on with Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and the council's own Environmental Health, Planning and Building Standards teams. The council says it aims to deal with applications faster than 9 months where possible, but does not publish an average or target turnaround.
What documents and certificates do I need to apply?
Alongside the completed application form and fee, you'll typically need: an EICR, PAT certificate, Gas Safety Certificate (if you have gas), EPC, buildings and public liability insurance, a Legionella risk assessment, a completed SFRS fire safety checklist, a layout plan of the premises, working smoke/CO detectors, evidence of satisfactory private water supply samples (if not on mains water), and Planning Permission or a Certificate of Lawfulness. The council's own Appendices 1-5 (declaration of owners' consent, Legionella template, SFRS checklist, public notice) accompany the Word application form.
How long is a Moray short-term let licence valid for, and what's involved in renewing?
Licences run for up to 3 years before renewal is required. Renewal is treated the same as a new application for fee purposes - it costs the same £540 - and you apply via the same online portal or Word form, submitting updated certificates as needed.
Does Moray impose any of its own extra licence conditions on top of the national rules?
Not currently. Moray Council has stated it is not imposing any additional conditions beyond the Scotland-wide mandatory conditions set out in the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2022, though this position is kept under regular review and could change - if it does, the council says it will publish the new conditions.

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