Short-term let rules in Highland (updated 29 Oct 2026)
Last checked: 7 official source pages for this council scanned automatically for changes on 2 Nov 2026What changed
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Licensing, planning, visitor levy and fees in Highland, checked against official sources. Free, unsubscribe any time.
Dates we're watching for Highland (2)
- 30 Nov 2026: levy consultation closes
- 10 Dec 2026: levy decision due
Plus one short weekly UK "what changed" email.
What changed (28 Oct 2026): Confirmed from Highland Council: on 28 Sep 2026 its Economy and Infrastructure Committee agreed to submit two proposed short-term let control areas to Scottish Ministers, Inverness City and Highland Rural (several rural areas, including Aird and Loch Ness, Lochaber, Skye and Raasay, and Sutherland). Not in force until Ministers decide. Source · Get free alerts
Badenoch & Strathspey control area; proposed Inverness City and Highland Rural control areas agreed for submission to Ministers on 28 Sep 2026 (not in force). Consulting on a £5 per room per night levy until 30 Nov 2026; decision due 10 Dec 2026.
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.
Source: source
Control area / planning
AppliesBadenoch & Strathspey ward is a control area (since 4 Mar 2024). Rest of Highland: none in force.
On 28 Sep 2026 the council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee agreed to submit two proposed control areas to Scottish Ministers: an Inverness City control area (Inverness and surrounding areas) and a Highland Rural control area (several rural areas, including Aird and Loch Ness, Lochaber, Skye and Raasay, and Sutherland; full list in the council's announcement).
They are proposals only. If Ministers approve them, converting a home into a secondary short-term let there would need planning permission; the council says they would not apply retrospectively to existing operators unless permission was already needed, and that start dates will come in a later report (council news, 28 Sep 2026, checked 28 Oct 2026).
Visitor levy
AppliesProposed only: consultation on a £5 per room per night levy opened 7 Sep 2026 and closes 30 Nov 2026; council decision due 10 Dec 2026, then an 18-month lead-in.
Fees
New or full-licence renewal, by guests (not counting children under 2). Home sharing or home letting: £320 (1 to 2 guests), £390 (3 to 6), £460 (7 to 9), £530 (10 or more).
Secondary letting: £400 / £470 / £540 / £610. Temporary licence 50% of the full fee; variation or change in circumstance £120; duplicate licence £20.
The council may charge for an inspection after a breach of conditions or a complaint. The council's fees page was last modified 14 Aug 2025 (read 26 Oct 2026), so check for a 2026/27 update.
Source: source
Compare Highland's licence fees with other Scottish councils
What changed in Highland
- Rules on this page last checked in full against the official sources listed above.
- Confirmed from Highland Council: on 28 Sep 2026 its Economy and Infrastructure Committee agreed to submit two proposed short-term let control areas to Scottish Ministers, Inverness City and Highland Rural (several rural areas, including Aird and Loch Ness, Lochaber, Skye and Raasay, and Sutherland). Not in force until Ministers decide. Official source
- Added a free "Is your licence renewal due?" checker for Scottish short-term let licences: estimates your expiry date and when to start your renewal, with renewal rules from the 1982 Act, Scottish Government guidance and council pages (Highland, Edinburgh, Argyll and Bute, Na h-Eileanan Siar, Angus). Official source
- Highland opens 12-week visitor levy consultation (£5 per room per night proposed). 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 Highland: 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
- 4 Mar 2024: Badenoch & Strathspey control area
- 30 Nov 2026: levy consultation closes
- 10 Dec 2026: levy decision due
Highland short-let rules: quick answers
Do I need a short-term let licence in Highland?
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.
Do I need planning permission for a short-term let in Highland?
Badenoch & Strathspey ward is a control area (since 4 Mar 2024). Rest of Highland: none in force. On 28 Sep 2026 the council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee agreed to submit two proposed control areas to Scottish Ministers: an Inverness City control area (Inverness and surrounding areas) and a Highland Rural control area (several rural areas, including Aird and Loch Ness, Lochaber, Skye and Raasay, and Sutherland; full list in the council's announcement). They are proposals only. If Ministers approve them, converting a home into a secondary short-term let there would need planning permission; the council says they would not apply retrospectively to existing operators unless permission was already needed, and that start dates will come in a later report (council news, 28 Sep 2026, checked 28 Oct 2026).
Is there a visitor levy (tourist tax) in Highland?
Proposed only: consultation on a £5 per room per night levy opened 7 Sep 2026 and closes 30 Nov 2026; council decision due 10 Dec 2026, then an 18-month lead-in.
How much does a short-term let licence cost in Highland?
New or full-licence renewal, by guests (not counting children under 2). Home sharing or home letting: £320 (1 to 2 guests), £390 (3 to 6), £460 (7 to 9), £530 (10 or more). Secondary letting: £400 / £470 / £540 / £610. Temporary licence 50% of the full fee; variation or change in circumstance £120; duplicate licence £20. The council may charge for an inspection after a breach of conditions or a complaint. The council's fees page was last modified 14 Aug 2025 (read 26 Oct 2026), so check for a 2026/27 update.
Answers summarise the sections above. Follow each section's official source before acting.
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