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

Licence fees

Orkney Islands Council Fees

Figures are for a full 3-year licence (grant OR renewal use the same fee schedule/band - there is no separate lower 'renewal' rate). Fees are split by (a) letting TYPE - Secondary Letting costs more than Home Sharing/Home Letting/combined - and (b) MAXIMUM OCCUPANCY band, and (c) location - properties on Orkney's ferry-linked outer/inner isles get a flat 25% discount versus Mainland Orkney and the linked isles (e.g. Burray, South Ronaldsay - connected by the Churchill Barriers, which pay full rate). Figures below are the fees effective from 1 April 2026 (a 3.8% increase agreed by the Licensing Committee on 5 March 2026, up from the 2025/26 rates shown in brackets). The first £275 of any individual application's fee is non-refundable. Other fees not shown as capacity bands: Temporary licence (max 6 weeks) £275 mainland/£206 ferry-linked; Transfer of licence £138 mainland/£103 ferry-linked; Material change of circumstances £86 (both); Name-change only £34.30 (both); Provisional licence = 20% of the applicable fee; Confirmation of provisional licence = 80% of the applicable fee.

Before you apply

Documents You'll Need

• Completed Licence for Short Term Lets - Grant/Renewal application form
• Floor plan(s) of the premises (Annex C of the Council's STL Guidance)
• Completed Fire Safety Checklist (Scottish Fire and Rescue Service format, per para 4.2 of Guidance)
• Completed Mandatory Conditions checklist evidencing compliance (Annex B)
• Declaration(s) by other owners if the applicant is not the sole owner (Annex D)
• Evidence the property meets the Repairing Standard
• Gas Safety Certificate dated within the last 12 months (if gas appliances installed)
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) - required at least every 5 years
• Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) report and labelling for movable appliances guests can access
• Legionella / water safety risk assessment (public or private supply)
• EPC certificate valid within the last 10 years, if the whole property is let for self-catering (not required if only letting a room within a home)
• Evidence of valid buildings insurance
• Evidence of valid public liability insurance
• Records showing furniture and furnishings comply with fire safety regulations
• 21-28 day public site notice displayed at the premises for objections/representations
• Declaration of any unspent convictions for all named parties (or 'None')

Safety certificates

Certificates Required

Your Orkney Islands 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.

Local conditions

Key Rules in Orkney Islands Council

• Every short-term let in Orkney (secondary letting, home letting, home sharing, or a combination) has needed a licence since the scheme began 1 October 2022; existing operators had to apply by 30 September 2023 and could keep trading while their application was pending, but new operators cannot start letting until they hold a licence.
• Licences last 3 years, the maximum period allowed by the legislation; a temporary licence (max 6 weeks) is also available.
• Orkney is not a designated short-term let control area, so secondary letting does not require additional planning permission purely by virtue of location; only Edinburgh (whole council) and Highland's Badenoch and Strathspey are designated control areas in Scotland.
• Properties on Orkney's ferry-linked outer/inner isles get a 25% fee discount versus Mainland Orkney and the linked (causeway-connected) isles; Orkney's Licensing Committee notes this discount is not known to be offered by any other Scottish island authority.
• Static caravans require a licence; touring caravans and motorhomes designed to be towed are exempt as 'accommodation capable of transporting guests to another location'.
• A separate licence is needed for each distinct premises (e.g. each holiday cottage), but multiple units on one single premises (e.g. 3 yurts in one field) need only one licence.
• The first £275 of any individual STL application's fee is non-refundable, even if the application is later withdrawn or refused.
• A public notice must be displayed at the premises; due to a drafting quirk in the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, the notice only needs to be displayed for 21 days even though the legal objection/representation period is 28 days.
• The 2023 Court of Session ruling that struck down parts of Edinburgh's STL scheme (its tenement secondary-letting presumption) has no bearing on Orkney's scheme, which never included that provision.
• Fees increased 3.8% from 1 April 2026 (following a 10% rise from 1 April 2025); the Council reviews STL fees annually via its Licensing Committee, separate from the normal council budget cycle.

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Short-Term Let Licences in Other Councils

See all Scottish council STL licence guides →