Guide · Not legal advice
Scotland short-term let licensing basics
Updated: 23 June 2026
Scotland’s short-term let licensing regime is stricter than much of England’s current setup. If you host in Scotland — even one property — licensing and safety evidence are usually on your radar alongside the certificates you already track for gas, electric and fire.
What hosts typically need to track
- Short-term let licence — application, renewal date and licence number per property
- Gas safety (CP12) — annual where gas appliances are present
- EICR — fixed wiring; typically every five years
- Fire risk assessment — reviewed regularly; linked to alarms and escape routes
- Smoke / heat / CO alarms — installed and tested per Scottish guidance
- Public liability insurance — STL-appropriate cover, renewed annually
Exact requirements depend on property type, council area and licence conditions. Check mygov.scot short-term lets and your local authority — this page is an overview only.
Why licensing trips hosts up
- Licence expiry ≠ cert expiry — two different renewal cycles on two different portals
- Condition changes — new hot tub, loft conversion or change of use can affect both licence and safety evidence
- Multi-property hosts — each property may sit in a different council with different processing times
- Platform listings — Airbnb/Booking may ask for licence numbers separately from safety uploads
Practical tracking system
Whether you use a spreadsheet or software, include a row for licence number + renewal alongside gas, EICR, FRA and insurance. Set reminders for both licence renewal and certificate expiry — missing either can stop trading or create platform problems.
Related guides: UK certificates checklist · England STL registration prep · Platform fire safety uploads
HostCert for Scottish hosts
HostCert tracks certificate and insurance expiry dates with email nudges at 30, 14 and 7 days for up to five properties. You add licence renewal dates manually like any other deadline. £9/month after a 14-day trial — reminder tool only, not legal or licensing advice.
HostCert does not provide legal advice, licence applications or council submissions.