Short-term let rules in Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles) (updated 29 Oct 2026)
Last checked: What changed
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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.
Licence needed (base fee £189 or £294 plus £21 per guest, 2026/27). No control area. Accommodation-based visitor levy paused.
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. Comhairle nan Eilean Siar short-term lets pages: send the completed application and fee to stl@cne-siar.gov.uk, any Comhairle office, or by post to Stornoway.
Submit renewals, with everything needed, about 3 months before your licence expires; if a complete renewal is not in before expiry you count as a new operator and cannot take bookings or guests until licensed.
Control area / planning
None foundNo control area. mygov.scot lists only two in Scotland (all of Edinburgh, and Badenoch & Strathspey in Highland).
Source: source
Visitor levy
None foundNo levy. The Comhairle has paused detailed work on an accommodation-based visitor levy, citing challenges for island businesses, and is looking at other options for funding tourism. It says any formal proposal would be consulted on before councillors consider it.
Fees
3-year licence, 2026/27 fees: a base fee plus £21 per guest. First application: home sharing £189, secondary letting, home letting, or both home sharing and letting £294.
Renewal: home sharing £84, the others £189. Example: a 6-guest secondary let costs £294 + 6 × £21 = £420.
Temporary exemption (up to 6 weeks) £53, transfer £53, variation £53. No refunds once an application is processed.
Compare Na h-Eileanan Siar's licence fees with other Scottish councils
What changed in Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles)
- Rules on this page last checked in full against the official sources listed above.
- 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
- Added 4 Scottish council pages: Falkirk (5% visitor levy consultation open to 25 Nov 2026), Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands and Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles), with 2026/27 licence fees and levy status. The three island councils are not pursuing an overnight levy. 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 Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles): 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
- 1 Apr 2026: 2026/27 licence fees
Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles) short-let rules: quick answers
Do I need a short-term let licence in Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles)?
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. Comhairle nan Eilean Siar short-term lets pages: send the completed application and fee to stl@cne-siar.gov.uk, any Comhairle office, or by post to Stornoway. Submit renewals, with everything needed, about 3 months before your licence expires; if a complete renewal is not in before expiry you count as a new operator and cannot take bookings or guests until licensed.
Do I need planning permission for a short-term let in Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles)?
No control area. mygov.scot lists only two in Scotland (all of Edinburgh, and Badenoch & Strathspey in Highland).
Is there a visitor levy (tourist tax) in Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles)?
No levy. The Comhairle has paused detailed work on an accommodation-based visitor levy, citing challenges for island businesses, and is looking at other options for funding tourism. It says any formal proposal would be consulted on before councillors consider it.
How much does a short-term let licence cost in Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles)?
3-year licence, 2026/27 fees: a base fee plus £21 per guest. First application: home sharing £189, secondary letting, home letting, or both home sharing and letting £294. Renewal: home sharing £84, the others £189. Example: a 6-guest secondary let costs £294 + 6 × £21 = £420. Temporary exemption (up to 6 weeks) £53, transfer £53, variation £53. No refunds once an application is processed.
Answers summarise the sections above. Follow each section's official source before acting.
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