Short-term rental rules in Edinburgh
Licence required. A yearly night limit is not stated on the official pages we read.
Rules covered: Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short Term Lets) Order 2022; City of Edinburgh Council Short-Term Lets Licensing Policy (19 May 2025). The table shows what the official pages state, with the wording and the date we read it. A row marked "Not stated" means the pages we read do not say; it does not mean there is no rule.
What the official pages state
| Rule | What the official page states | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Permit or registration | Licence required Short term let licence issued by the City of Edinburgh Council; four types (secondary letting, home letting, home sharing, home letting and home sharing). Official wordingYou need a licence before you can take bookings or receive guests on a short-term let basis. | www.edinburgh.gov.uk read 2026-10-02 |
| Primary residence only | Other properties can also be hosted Secondary letting licence covers properties where the host does not normally live, e.g. a second home (planning permission required for entire dwellings that are not a principal home). Official wordingSecondary letting - letting a property where you do not normally live. For example a second home that is let to guests. | www.edinburgh.gov.uk read 2026-10-02 |
| Yearly night limit | Not stated No annual night limit stated in the saved Edinburgh pages | — |
| Renting the whole home | Entire home allowed Allowed with a licence. Change of use of an entire dwelling that is not the host's principal home to a short-term let requires planning permission (whole Edinburgh is a Short-Term Let Control Area). Official wordingthe change of use of an entire dwelling, that is not someone's principal home, to a short-term let will require planning permission. | www.edinburgh.gov.uk read 2026-10-02 |
| Lodging tax | Not stated No tourist/visitor tax stated in saved Edinburgh pages | — |
| Number in listings | Number must appear in listings Licence number (and EPC rating where required) must be included in any listing or advert. Official wordingThe holder of the licence must ensure that any listing or advert (whether electronic or otherwise) for the short-term let of the premises includes-- (a) the licence number, | www.edinburgh.gov.uk read 2026-10-02 |
| Penalties | Included in the $29 city report. See the report | — |
| How to register | Included in the $29 city report. See the report | — |