Short-term let rules in Fife (updated 29 Oct 2026)
Last checked: 9 official source pages for this council scanned automatically for changes on 2 Nov 2026What changed
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Dates we're watching for Fife (1)
- 2028: earliest possible levy start (council)
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Last checked 29 Oct 2026: no change logged for this council in our changes log. Get free alerts when it changes.
No control area in force (council consulted on the principle in 2025). Visitor levy: early engagement only so far; council says the earliest a levy could start is 2028.
Licensing or registration
AppliesLicence needed (Scotland-wide). All short-term lets (secondary letting, home letting, home sharing) need a licence from the council before taking bookings or guests. Step-by-step licence guide and checklist. Apply and pay online on fife.gov.uk. Fife says processing can take up to 9 months, a full licence usually lasts up to 3 years, and operating without one can mean a fine of up to £2,500 and a one-year ban from applying.
Control area / planning
None foundNo control area. mygov.scot lists only two in Scotland (all of Edinburgh, and Badenoch & Strathspey in Highland).
Fife Council consulted on the principle of designating control areas (16 Jun to 8 Sep 2025). Any designation would need Scottish Ministers' approval.
Reports that the council has since chosen St Andrews and the East Neuk for a control area: UNVERIFIED.
Visitor levy
None foundNo scheme approved. Fife ran early engagement surveys (latest closed 31 Jan 2026, adding a flat-rate option).
Any draft scheme would need a formal consultation, then at least 18 months before it starts, so the council says 2028 is the earliest. Reports of an Oct 2026 decision to move to formal consultation: UNVERIFIED.
Fees
Fee table "as of February 2025" in the council's short-term let policy (updated Dec 2025), by occupancy, children under 2 in a cot not counted. Full licence, first or renewal (same fee): £295 (1 to 2 guests), £354 (3 to 4), £413 (5 to 6), £472 (7 to 8), £531 (9 to 10), £590 (11 to 12), then £59 per extra 1 to 2 guests up to £826 (19 to 20).
Temporary licence £246 to £777; temporary exemption £195 to £200. Variation or transfer £75; visit after a complaint or breach up to £282.
Fees are non-refundable. The policy says fees are reviewed and may change, so confirm on the council's page.
What changed in Fife
- Rules on this page last checked in full against the official sources listed above.
- Added the published short-term let licence fees for Glasgow (from April 2026: secondary letting grant £310 for up to 4 guests or £494 for 5 or more), Dundee (£310 to £3,100 by guest capacity, same for every licence type) and Fife (£295 to £826 for a full licence by occupancy). Our licence fee finder now lists fees for all 32 Scottish councils. Official source
Newest first. Every UK change is in the changes log. Nothing here is legal advice: check the official source before acting.
Scotland tools
- Compare licence fees across all 32 Scottish councils
- How to get a short-term let licence (steps and checklist)
- Business rates or council tax? 140/70 nights checker
- Fire safety for short-term lets (alarms, doors, checklist)
- Insurance: the buildings and public liability licence condition
- Visitor levy map
Not sure what applies to your let? Use the free licence checker: pick your nation, council and type of let for a plain-English answer with the official source.
Buying here? See the buyer checks for Fife: licence or registration, planning, visitor levy, business rates or council tax, plus the lender, insurance and title checks to make before you buy.
Key dates
- 8 Sep 2025: control area consultation closed
- 31 Jan 2026: levy early engagement survey closed
- 2028: earliest possible levy start (council)
Fife short-let rules: quick answers
Do I need a short-term let licence in Fife?
Licence needed (Scotland-wide). All short-term lets (secondary letting, home letting, home sharing) need a licence from the council before taking bookings or guests. Step-by-step licence guide and checklist. Apply and pay online on fife.gov.uk. Fife says processing can take up to 9 months, a full licence usually lasts up to 3 years, and operating without one can mean a fine of up to £2,500 and a one-year ban from applying.
Do I need planning permission for a short-term let in Fife?
No control area. mygov.scot lists only two in Scotland (all of Edinburgh, and Badenoch & Strathspey in Highland). Fife Council consulted on the principle of designating control areas (16 Jun to 8 Sep 2025). Any designation would need Scottish Ministers' approval. Reports that the council has since chosen St Andrews and the East Neuk for a control area: UNVERIFIED.
Is there a visitor levy (tourist tax) in Fife?
No scheme approved. Fife ran early engagement surveys (latest closed 31 Jan 2026, adding a flat-rate option). Any draft scheme would need a formal consultation, then at least 18 months before it starts, so the council says 2028 is the earliest. Reports of an Oct 2026 decision to move to formal consultation: UNVERIFIED.
How much does a short-term let licence cost in Fife?
Fee table "as of February 2025" in the council's short-term let policy (updated Dec 2025), by occupancy, children under 2 in a cot not counted. Full licence, first or renewal (same fee): £295 (1 to 2 guests), £354 (3 to 4), £413 (5 to 6), £472 (7 to 8), £531 (9 to 10), £590 (11 to 12), then £59 per extra 1 to 2 guests up to £826 (19 to 20). Temporary licence £246 to £777; temporary exemption £195 to £200. Variation or transfer £75; visit after a complaint or breach up to £282. Fees are non-refundable. The policy says fees are reviewed and may change, so confirm on the council's page.
Answers summarise the sections above. Follow each section's official source before acting.
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