Short Term Let Licensing Information

06/02/24 Update: Short-term Let (STL) Application

Thank you to hosts and operators who have applied to Fife Council for a STL Licence. It is a legal requirement to be licenced to operate a short-term let lawfully.

Applications Received

• Nearly 1,900 applications received.
• 1,000 received in September 2023.
• Around 1,100 applications now validated.
• Around 800 applications awaiting validation.

Validation Process – Current Compliance Certificates

To validate applications, we require current certificates and the Certificate of Compliance before a licence can be issued.

Certificates and Documents may include:

• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) (For premises with an electric supply)
• PAT Certificate (For electrical appliances used by guests)
• Gas Safety Certificate (For premises with a gas supply)
• Certificate of Compliance (To declare the Public Notice has been displayed)

You can view documents required STL Application Help Sheet 

Certificate of Compliance

The Certificate of Compliance is required before a licence can be issued. This declares the Public Notice has been displayed for 21 days. You can use the template Short-term Let Certificate of Compliance (fife.gov.uk)

Short-term Let Operation From 1^st October 2022

• New hosts and operators need to have a licence to operate lawfully. This means that, if you were not using your premises to provide short-term lets before 1^st October 2022, you can advertise but not take bookings or receive guests until you have obtained a licence.

• Existing hosts and operators who operated before 1^st October 2022 had until 1^st October 2023 to apply for a licence.  After 1^st October 2023, existing hosts can only continue to operate if they have:
  • Submitted an application for a licence before 1^st October 2023 that has not yet been determined, or
  • Been granted a short-term let licence

Timescale to Determine Applications

• Existing Hosts/Operators                    Up to 12 months
• New Hosts/Operators                         Up to 9 months

Please note existing hosts and operators that did not apply for a licence before 1^st October 2023, will be considered as new applications. It is unlawful for such hosts to operate until the licence application is determined.

Check Application Progress

All applications can be viewed on the Public Register Short term lets | Fife Council.

Planning Enquiries

For any planning enquiries please contact Planning fife.devplan@fife.gov.uk

Further Information                                                    

Please visit our website Short term lets | Fife Council  

Contact Details

Email:              shorttermlets@fife.gov.uk

Address:          STL Licensing, Housing Service (3^rd Floor), Fife House, North Street, Glenrothes, KY7 5L

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There are four types of licence for short-term let accommodation:

• Secondary letting - The letting of property where you do not normally live, for example a second home that is let to guests
• Home letting - Using all or part of your own home for short-term lets, whilst you are absent. An example of this could be whilst you are on holiday
• Home sharing - Using all or part of your own home for short-term lets, whilst you are there
• Home letting and home sharing - Operating short-term lets from your own home while you are living there and for periods when you are absent

For full details of the short term let licensing scheme in Fife, and further useful hints and tips on how to apply for a license please visit Short term lets | Fife Council

Scottish Government Checker: https://www.mygov.scot/short-term-lets-checker

Hosts are reminded that once you receive your temporary and then full licence number any online property listings must be updated with licence number, maximum occupancy and where appropriate EPC rating. To add a FREE listing to our Welcome to Fife website click here . If you already have a listing and are not sure how to update the information click here .

If you have any queries regarding your application please contact the team and they will come back to you as soon as possible. shorttermlets@fife.gov.uk

Fife Airbnb & STL Hosts are invited to join the independent facebook group - Click here to join

We are working hard to process applications as quickly as possible, but due to a very high volume of applications being submitted there are significant delays in our service.  

You can check if your application has been received or processed by following the link to the Public Register on dedicated Fife Council web page.

We ask that applicants remain patient and wait for further communication from us in relation to validating applications and issuing licences.