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

Licence fees

West Lothian Council Fees

Fees are banded by licence TYPE and by guest capacity (number specified in the licence, calculated from Table 1/Table 2 room and floor-area rules in the policy). Two fee tracks apply: (1) Home Sharing / Home Letting / Home Letting-and-Sharing combined: 1-2 guests £325, 3-6 guests £420, 7-12 guests £595, 12-14 guests £865. (2) Secondary Letting: 1-2 guests £450, 3-6 guests £550, 7-12 guests £722, 12-14 guests £1,000. For occupancy above the top band, additional-guest surcharges apply on top of the relevant base fee: +£30 for 1-2 extra guests, +£50 for 3-4 extra guests, +£60 for 5-6 extra guests. Other published fees: Variation to licence £50; Temporary licence 50% of the full licence cost (deducted from a subsequent full application fee if one follows); Temporary exemption £300; Home exchange/swap £100; Inspection and report £120 (only charged if the council decides an inspection is needed following a complaint); Transfer of licence £120. The council's policy states renewals follow the identical application process as a new licence and does not publish a separate discounted renewal fee — the same fee bands above are understood to apply to renewals, though this is not stated in so many words on the fee page itself, hence flagged in uncertainties. All fees cover administration/processing only and are non-refundable if a licence is not granted.

Before you apply

Documents You'll Need

• Planning permission OR a Certificate of Lawfulness for use of the premises as short-term let accommodation (or written confirmation from Planning Services that permission is not required) — application will not be accepted without this
• Floor/layout plan, scale 1:50, showing rooms available as sleeping accommodation, room sizes, fire escapes, location of heat/smoke alarms, fire doors, and stairs/elevators/lifts (not required for renewals with no layout change; required for variations that change the layout)
• Written consent from the owner(s) if the applicant is not the sole owner of the premises
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), dated within the last 10 years, where the letting requires one (e.g. whole-property self-catering lets) — rating must also appear in any online listing
• Fire Safety Risk Assessment
• Gas Safety Certificate dated within the last 12 months, where the premises has a gas supply
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), carried out at least every 5 years by a competent person
• Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) report covering moveable appliances guests can access
• Legionella risk assessment (required regardless of whether there is a private or mains water supply)
• Buildings insurance valid for the duration of the licence
• Public liability insurance valid for the duration of each short-term let agreement
• Notice/compliance evidence for a private water supply, where applicable (mains-supplied properties are exempt from this one)

Safety certificates

Certificates Required

Your West Lothian 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 West Lothian Council

• West Lothian has no designated Short-Term Let Control Area (whole council or partial) as of the current policy (June 2025 / Oct 2025 update) — but planning permission or a Certificate of Lawfulness is still a mandatory prerequisite for every STL licence application, control area or not.
• Standard licence duration is 3 years — the council's stated policy is to grant all licences for the full 3 years unless there is a good reason to grant a shorter period.
• Maximum occupancy is fixed by the council on the licence itself using a two-part calculation: Table 1 (persons per number of sleeping-accommodation rooms: 1 room=2 persons, 2=3, 3=5, 4=7, 5+=2 per room) capped by Table 2 (persons per room based on floor area: 90 sq ft+ = 2 persons, 50-90 sq ft = 1 person); rooms under 50 sq ft don't count at all. The lower of the two calculations applies.
• Fees split into two tracks - Home Sharing/Home Letting/Combined (cheaper) vs Secondary Letting (more expensive) - both banded by guest numbers, with extra surcharges for guest numbers above the top published band.
• Temporary licences (max 6 weeks, 50% of full fee) and temporary exemptions (up to 3 periods per year, max 6 weeks combined, £300) are only granted for specific circumstances: major sporting/other events in or near West Lothian, a trial period for first-time operators, or a temporary home exchange/swap.
• If an applicant's licence application was refused, they cannot reapply for 1 year unless the council agrees there has been a material change in circumstances.
• If a renewal application is made before the current licence expires, the existing licence stays in effect until the council decides; if the renewal is refused, the old licence still runs for a further 28 days (the appeal period).
• Operating an STL without a licence is a criminal offence; enforcement/reporting for UNLICENSED premises sits with Police Scotland, not the council. The council can only take enforcement action (Enforcement Notice, suspension, revocation) against LICENSED premises that breach conditions.
• Fees cover administration only and are non-refundable if the licence is refused.
• Listings/adverts for the let must display the licence number and (where applicable) a valid EPC rating, and must be consistent with the terms of the licence.

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Short-Term Let Licences in Other Councils

See all Scottish council STL licence guides →