Council Licensing Guide · Scotland

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

Application fees in Renfrewshire Council run £263–£1,155, 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

Renfrewshire Council Fees

Fee band Application Renewal
1 bedroom - home letting / home sharing / home letting & sharing £263 —
2 bedrooms - home letting / home sharing / home letting & sharing £368 —
3 bedrooms - home letting / home sharing / home letting & sharing £368 —
4+ bedrooms - home letting / home sharing / home letting & sharing £368 —
1 bedroom - secondary letting £840 —
2 bedrooms - secondary letting £945 —
3 bedrooms - secondary letting £1,050 —
4+ bedrooms - secondary letting £1,155 —

Application fees are banded by number of bedrooms let AND by let type. Home letting / home sharing / home letting-and-sharing share one (lower) fee scale; secondary letting (not living on site) has a much higher separate fee scale. Figures below are the last officially published bands found (via June 2024 archived snapshot of the council's own STL page, after the council's site blocked live automated access). A distinct renewal fee schedule for short-term lets was NOT found published separately - the council's fees page for STLs only shows 'Application fees'; renewal cost is unconfirmed and may match the application fee or be set case-by-case. Additional listed charges: Temporary exemption application £105; Variation of licence £105 (not available for changing let-type, which requires a new application); Certified Duplicate Licence £42; Material Change of Circumstances £105; Issue of Certified True Copies £42; non-compliance/complaint site inspection £156.87 for the first hour (two officers) and £156.87 per additional hour or part-hour.

No separate planning permission needed

Renfrewshire has NOT been designated a short-term let control area under section 26B of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997. Scotland currently has only two designated control areas: the whole of City of Edinburgh Council, and the Badenoch and Strathspey area within Highland Council (per mygov.scot). This means secondary letting in Renfrewshire does not automatically require planning permission purely by virtue of a control area designation - normal planning rules (material change of use) still apply case by case, and the council's own licence conditions document (condition 13) explicitly frames the planning-permission requirement as conditional on the premises being "in a short-term let control area," which Renfrewshire is not.

Before you apply

Documents You'll Need

  • Plan of the short-term let accommodation (not to scale, but must show layout as set out in the council's STL policy)
  • Valid buildings insurance
  • Valid public liability insurance for the period of any short-term let
  • Evidence the premises was used as a short-term let before 1 October 2022 (only if claiming pre-commencement operation)
  • Owner's written consent to operate as a short-term let (if applicant is not the owner)
  • Criminal record check(s) - from country of origin and any country lived in for 6+ months, dated within the last 6 months, embassy/High Commission verified for non-UK checks
  • Evidence of right to work in the UK - current passport, or other Home Office-approved documents; non-EU/non-British applicants need passport plus residence permit
  • Display notice completed and posted at the premises for 21 days, plus signed certificate of compliance returned to the council afterwards

Safety certificates

Certificates Required

Your Renfrewshire 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 Renfrewshire 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 report (annual, if premises has a gas supply)Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) - inspection at least every 5 yearsPortable Appliance Testing (PAT) report on moveable appliances guests can accessEnergy Performance Certificate (EPC) - required in any listing/advert if EPC is required for the premisesLegionella risk assessment (mandatory regardless of water supply type)Private water supply compliance certification (only if not on mains water)Buildings insurance (valid for duration of licence)Public liability insurance (valid for duration of each let)Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988 compliance records for upholstery/mattressesCriminal record check(s) dated within 6 months of application, embassy-verified if from overseas

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

Local conditions

Key Rules in Renfrewshire Council

  • Every short-term let in Renfrewshire has needed a licence since 1 October 2022 (ahead of the Scotland-wide 1 October 2023 deadline); operating unlicensed is a criminal offence.
  • You need only one licence per single premises, but must specify the correct let type (home sharing, home letting, home letting-and-sharing, or secondary letting) - switching type later needs a brand new application, not a variation.
  • Renfrewshire is NOT a designated short-term let control area, so the automatic planning-permission trigger under section 26B of the 1997 Act does not apply here (unlike Edinburgh or Badenoch and Strathspey).
  • Mandatory conditions include fire/CO detection equipment, furniture fire-safety compliance, annual gas safety checks (if gas), 5-yearly EICR plus PAT testing, legionella risk assessment, and (if relevant) private water supply compliance.
  • Local Renfrewshire-specific conditions: no guest arrivals or departures between 11pm and 7am; secondary lettings must have a commercial waste uplift contract; bins must be labelled and the exterior kept tidy; key boxes on shared/public infrastructure need prior written permission; children under 10 are excluded from the maximum-occupancy headcount.
  • Any listing/advert must display the licence number and, where applicable, a valid EPC rating.
  • A public display notice must be posted at the property for 21 days from the date the application is lodged, with a 28-day window (from lodging) for objections; a signed certificate of compliance must then be returned to the council.
  • Applicants must supply an in-date (within 6 months) criminal record check and proof of right to work in the UK, for both new applications and renewals.
  • Renewal applications must be submitted at least 6 weeks before the current licence expires, or the licence lapses.
  • There is no refund of the application fee if an application is refused or withdrawn.

Apply through Renfrewshire 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 states it will review the application within 3 months and reach a decision within 9 months (the statutory maximum determination period for STL licences in Scotland). Treat 9 months (~39 weeks) as the realistic worst case, not a same-month approval.

Official council licensing page

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a short-term let licence cost in Renfrewshire?
It depends on how many bedrooms you let and the type of let. Home sharing, home letting, and combined home sharing/letting cost £263 for 1 bedroom, then £368 for 2, 3, or 4+ bedrooms. Secondary letting (where you don't live on site) is far more expensive: £840 for 1 bedroom, £945 for 2, £1,050 for 3, and £1,155 for 4 or more bedrooms.
Do I also need planning permission for my short-term let in Renfrewshire?
Not automatically. Renfrewshire is not a designated short-term let control area (unlike City of Edinburgh, which is whole-council, or the Badenoch and Strathspey area of Highland). Ordinary planning rules on material change of use can still apply in specific cases, and the council's planning team is consulted on every licence application, but there is no blanket control-area requirement to get planning permission before letting.
What documents and checks do I need to apply?
You need a floor plan of the accommodation, buildings insurance, and public liability insurance. You must also provide a criminal record check no more than 6 months old (from your country of origin and any country you've lived in for 6+ months, embassy-verified if from abroad) and proof of your right to work in the UK, such as a current passport. Original documents only - copies aren't accepted.
How long does a Renfrewshire short-term let licence last, and when do I renew?
The licence lasts 3 years. You are responsible for applying to renew at least 6 weeks before it expires - if you don't, the licence simply lapses and you'd have to stop operating until a new one is granted.
How long does the application take to process?
The council states it aims to consider applications within 3 months, with a statutory maximum decision time of 9 months. This is much slower than most licences, so factor in a long lead time before you can legally start (or continue) operating.
What certificates do I need to keep in place once the licence is granted?
You need an annual gas safety check if there's a gas supply, an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) at least every 5 years, a Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) report on guest-accessible appliances, a legionella risk assessment, valid buildings and public liability insurance throughout, and an EPC quoted in your listing if one is required for the property. Copies of the gas, EICR and PAT reports must be physically displayed for guests inside the property.

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