Holiday lets and short lets

Short-term let registration, licensing and insurance

Reviewed by the Apex broking team · Last reviewed 2026-10-29

England's national short-term let registration scheme is expected to begin in March 2027, Scotland already requires a licence, and Wales requires registration by 31 March 2027. Each regime affects what insurers ask and, in Scotland, makes buildings and public liability insurance a licence condition.

Part of: Holiday let insurance in the South West

In short

As at October 2026, England has no short-term let register in force: GOV.UK says the mandatory national scheme is expected to begin in March 2027, under powers in the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023. Scotland licenses short-term lets under a 2022 Order made under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, and every licence carries a condition to hold buildings insurance and public liability insurance. In Wales, anyone taking bookings of 31 nights or less must register with the Welsh Revenue Authority by 31 March 2027. Insurers commonly ask whether you are licensed or registered.

England: a registration scheme is coming, not yet in force

The government legislated for a short-term let register through the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023. Its policy page on the scheme says it will be a mandatory, national scheme covering England, that the planning changes and the register will not affect hotels, hostels or B&Bs, and that a threshold for infrequent letting was still being considered. GOV.UK's guidance for self-catering owners, updated on 2 October 2026, says the scheme is expected to begin in March 2027.

The government has not yet published the operational details, including what hosts will have to declare, any fee or penalty, and whether evidence of safety checks or insurance will be required. Do not assume either way. What already applies in England:

fire safety law for paying guest accommodation, with a recorded fire risk assessment;
planning control, decided by your local planning authority, and London's 90-night limit under section 25A of the Greater London Council (General Powers) Act 1973, inserted by the Deregulation Act 2015;
business rates for self-catering units available for 140 nights and let for 70 nights a year.

Scotland: licensing since 2022

The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2022 (SSI 2022/32) came into force on 1 March 2022, and has since been amended. Scottish Government guidance says premises can be advertised without a licence but no bookings can be taken until a licence is issued, and that operating without one could result in a fine and a criminal record. There are four licence types: home sharing, home letting, home sharing and home letting, and secondary letting.

Schedule 3 to the Order sets mandatory conditions for every licence. According to the Scottish Government's policy note, they include:

fire and carbon monoxide detection, and fire-safe upholstered furnishings and mattresses;
annual gas safety inspections and electrical installation and appliance testing;
a legionella risk assessment, and the repairing standard;
a maximum occupancy and safety information for guests;
the licence number and EPC rating in every listing;
insurance: valid buildings insurance for the premises for the duration of the licence, and valid public liability insurance for the duration of each short-term let agreement.

Because insurance is a licence condition, a lapsed policy is a compliance problem as well as an uninsured risk. Keep schedules to hand for the council.

Wales: a national register by 31 March 2027

The Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 18 September 2025. It requires the Welsh Revenue Authority to keep a national register of visitor accommodation providers, and gives councils a discretionary power to charge a visitor levy.

The Welsh Government says that anyone who takes bookings for overnight stays in Wales of 31 nights or less, and is responsible for the accommodation, must register by 31 March 2027, even if their council does not introduce the levy. That includes self-catering lets, rooms in your own home, B&Bs, hotels, glamping, static caravans and hostels. Details must be updated within 30 days of a change, and a penalty may apply if you do not register. Agents can register for you, but the responsibility stays with you.

Wales also uses different business rates thresholds: 252 nights available and 182 nights let. If you own a static caravan you let to guests, the register applies to that too.

The three regimes side by side

	England	Scotland	Wales
Regime	National registration scheme	Council licence	National register (Welsh Revenue Authority)
Status, October 2026	Expected to begin March 2027	In force since 2022	Register by 31 March 2027
Legal basis	Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023	Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 and SSI 2022/32	Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Act 2025
Insurance written into the rules	Not published	Yes: buildings and public liability	Not stated in the registration guidance

This page does not cover Northern Ireland.

What this means for your insurance

Registration and licensing do not change what a policy covers, but they change what insurers ask and what a claims handler checks.

Expect licence and registration questions. Insurers commonly ask whether you hold any licence or registration the law requires. An inaccurate answer can affect a claim.
Match the policy to the licence. In Scotland the licence type and maximum occupancy should match what you tell the insurer.
Public liability limits. The Scottish condition does not itself set a minimum limit, although the policy note says guidance would recommend at least £2 million for whole-property lets, and GOV.UK sets none for England, so choose one that reflects your guests, activities such as hot tubs, and any contract you have with an agent. See public liability insurance.
Keep evidence. Fire risk assessments, gas and electrical certificates and the schedule help with both a council inspection and a claim. Our page on electrical testing rules covers EICRs.

For the cover itself, start with holiday let insurance. Platform hosts should read insurance for short-term let hosts, operators with several units serviced accommodation insurance, and owners in the South West holiday let insurance in the South West. Guest safety duties are in holiday let guest injury liability.

How Apex helps

Apex arranges cover for holiday lets, HMOs and short lets across England, Scotland and Wales. To quote we need the address, property type, nights let a year, letting turnover, claims history, your licence or registration status and licence type, and the maximum number of guests. A broker reads each enquiry and comes back with options, and there is no fee for a quote. Cover is always subject to the insurer's acceptance and the policy terms.

Sources

Frequently asked

Do I need to register my holiday let in England?

Not yet. GOV.UK says the mandatory national registration scheme for short-term lets in England is expected to begin in March 2027. The government has not yet published the full details of who must register or what they must provide, so check GOV.UK before the scheme opens.

Is insurance a condition of a short-term let licence in Scotland?

Yes. The mandatory licence conditions in Schedule 3 to the 2022 Licensing Order require valid buildings insurance for the premises for the duration of the licence and valid public liability insurance for the duration of each short-term let agreement. A lapse can put the licence at risk as well as leave you uninsured.

Who has to register visitor accommodation in Wales?

Anyone who takes bookings for overnight stays in Wales of 31 nights or less and is responsible for the accommodation. That includes self-catering lets, spare rooms, B&Bs, hotels, glamping, static caravans and hostels. Registration with the Welsh Revenue Authority is due by 31 March 2027, whether or not the council charges a visitor levy.

Can I take bookings in Scotland while my licence application is pending?

Scottish Government guidance says you can advertise premises without a licence, but no bookings can be taken until a licence is issued. Operating without a licence, or breaching licence conditions, could result in a fine and a criminal record. Transitional rules applied to hosts who were operating before the scheme began.

Will my insurer ask about short-term let registration?

Usually, yes. Insurers commonly ask whether you hold the licences and registrations the law requires, and a wrong answer can affect a claim. In Scotland, the licence type and maximum occupancy should match what you tell the insurer. Keep your licence or registration details with your policy documents.

Talk to a broker about this cover

Tell us what your business does, your turnover and any claims. A broker reads every enquiry and comes back with options. No fee for a quote. Or call 0117 325 0027.

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Apex Insurance Brokers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales, company number 07014570. This page is general information, not advice on your individual circumstances, and it does not guarantee that cover will be available or on what terms.