Council Licensing Guide · Scotland

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

Application fees in North Ayrshire Council run £150–£480, 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

North Ayrshire Council Fees

Fee band Application Renewal
Home sharing / home letting - up to 4 occupancy (new) £150 £135
Home sharing / home letting - 5+ occupancy (new) £300 £240
Secondary letting - up to 4 occupancy (new) £300 £240
Secondary letting - 5+ occupancy (new) £480 £420

Fees are split by letting TYPE (home sharing/home letting vs secondary letting) and by occupancy band (up to 4 people vs 5+ people). Figures below are the Council's published schedule on its Accommodation Licences page, stated as effective from 1 April 2026 - always check the live page as this is reviewed periodically. On top of the core new/renewal fees there are separate fees for amendments (£75), variations (£90), transfers (£110) and replacement/duplicate licences (£60). Provisional applications are charged at 25% of the full new fee, rising to 75% on confirmation. A temporary licence (max 6 weeks in any 12-month period) is charged at 50% of the applicable full new fee.

No separate planning permission needed

North Ayrshire Council's Short-term Let Licensing Policy states explicitly (para 13.1): "The Council does not currently have a designated STL control area and has not adopted an overprovision assessment approach." This means no additional planning permission is automatically required for secondary letting anywhere in North Ayrshire (including Arran and Cumbrae) purely by virtue of a control-area designation. Planning permission may still separately be needed if the specific use of the property is a material change of use under normal planning rules, or where a certificate of lawfulness is required - the STL licence application form asks for supporting planning evidence for this reason. The Council states it keeps control-area and overprovision designation under review and could introduce one in future via its normal governance process.

Before you apply

Documents You'll Need

  • Completed short-term let licence application form (type-specific: home sharing/home letting or secondary letting)
  • Evidence of ownership or right to let the property, and applicant identity/fit-and-proper-person declaration
  • Gas safety certificate (where gas supply present)
  • Electrical safety certificate (EICR) covering guest-accessible fittings
  • Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), where required
  • Legionella/water risk assessment (and private water supply compliance evidence if applicable)
  • Floor plan and layout/location plan (per Council's published guidance template)
  • Evidence of appropriate buildings and public liability insurance
  • Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988 compliance record
  • Planning permission/certificate of lawfulness documentation where relevant
  • Management arrangement details (for non-resident-managed lets)
  • Site notice display certificate where the application is subject to 21-day public notification

Safety certificates

Certificates Required

Your North Ayrshire 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 North Ayrshire 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 (Gas Safe registered engineer, where premises has a gas supply)EICR – Electrical Installation Condition Report (and PAT test records for portable appliances)Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)Legionella/water risk assessment (plus compliance evidence for any private water supply)Buildings and public liability insurance evidenceFloor plan / layout and location plan (Council's own Layout and Location Plan Guidance template)Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988 compliance record for upholstered furniture/mattressesPlanning permission or Certificate of Lawfulness evidence (where applicable)Proof of ownership/right to let and identity/fit-and-proper-person informationSite Notice Display Certificate (where public notification is required)

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

Local conditions

Key Rules in North Ayrshire Council

  • North Ayrshire is NOT a designated STL control area (whole council or partial) as of this research - confirmed in the Council's own Short-term Let Licensing Policy (para 13.1).
  • All STL licences last 3 years from the date they come into force, per the Council's policy (para 5.2).
  • Fees are banded by letting type (home sharing/home letting vs secondary letting) and by maximum occupancy (up to 4 guests vs 5+ guests) - always the higher band applies to secondary (non-resident) lets.
  • Mandatory licence conditions prescribed by Scottish Ministers apply to every licence: gas safety (if applicable), electrical safety, water safety/legionella risk assessment, fire detection/warning equipment, furniture and furnishings fire safety compliance, adequate insurance, and repairing standard compliance under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006.
  • Existing hosts who applied for a licence before the relevant deadline could continue operating without a licence while their application was processed under transitional 'Existing Host' provisions - this is now largely historic (the scheme has been live since 1 October 2023) but may still be relevant to legacy applications.
  • A temporary STL licence (for short/occasional lets) cannot exceed 6 weeks in any 12-month period and costs 50% of the equivalent full new-licence fee.
  • Provisional licence applications (e.g. before planning permission is confirmed) are charged 25% of the full fee upfront, rising to 75% on confirmation.
  • Applications may require a 21-day public site notice and can be referred to Committee if objections are received, extending the timeline.
  • Caravans/mobile homes used for commercial letting are treated as 'accommodation' requiring an STL licence, though the statutory Repairing Standard does not apply to them.

Apply through North Ayrshire 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 guidance points to roughly 12 weeks (approx. 3 months) for a straightforward, uncontested application; the statutory backstop under the national STL Order is 9 months, after which the Council must either grant a provisional licence (valid up to 1 year) or seek a sheriff court extension. Applications requiring 21-day public notification/site notice, or that go to Committee due to objections, will take longer.

Official council licensing page

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a short-term let licence cost in North Ayrshire?
It depends on letting type and occupancy. New licences range from £150 (home sharing/home letting, up to 4 guests) to £480 (secondary letting, 5+ guests). Renewals range from £135 to £420. There are also separate fees for amendments (£75), variations (£90), transfers (£110) and duplicates (£60). Always check the Council's Accommodation Licences page for the current schedule, as fees are reviewed periodically.
Do I need planning permission as well as an STL licence in North Ayrshire?
Not automatically. North Ayrshire has not designated any part of the council area (including Arran or Cumbrae) as an STL control area, so the control-area planning trigger that applies in places like Edinburgh does not apply here. However, ordinary planning rules can still require permission or a certificate of lawfulness depending on the specific use and any planning history of the property, and the Council's application form asks for this evidence where relevant.
How long does it take to get a licence approved?
The Council aims to process straightforward applications in around 12 weeks, though this can extend if a 21-day public site notice is required or if the application goes to Committee due to objections. Scottish law sets a 9-month statutory backstop, after which the Council must issue a provisional licence (valid up to a year) or apply to the sheriff court for more time.
How long does a North Ayrshire STL licence last, and what's involved in renewing?
Licences run for 3 years from the date they come into force. Renewal applications use the same banded fee structure as new applications but at a lower rate (e.g. £135-£420 depending on type and occupancy), and you'll need to resupply current safety certificates (gas, electrical, EPC, insurance) as part of the renewal.
What certificates and documents do I need to apply?
You'll typically need: a gas safety certificate (if there's a gas supply), an EICR for electrical safety, an EPC, a legionella/water risk assessment, evidence of buildings and public liability insurance, a floor/layout plan using the Council's guidance template, and a compliance record for furniture and furnishings fire safety. Secondary lets may also need planning permission evidence and management arrangement details if the property isn't owner-managed.
Do caravans and mobile homes on Arran or Cumbrae need a licence too?
Yes. North Ayrshire Council's guidance confirms caravans and mobile homes let for commercial consideration are defined as 'accommodation' under the STL scheme and need a licence, although the statutory Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 Repairing Standard does not apply to them in the same way as a conventional dwelling.

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