If you own a short-term let in England, the biggest regulatory change in a generation is heading your way. A national short-term let registration scheme — confirmed in law under the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 — is expected to begin in 2026, and it will require every short-term let in England to be registered before it can legally be advertised.
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For the first time, hundreds of thousands of holiday let owners will need to formally demonstrate who they are, where their property is, and — based on government proposals — that core safety obligations are being met. Owners who already keep their compliance documentation organised will find registration straightforward. Owners who track certificates on scraps of paper, in old email threads, or not at all could be in for a stressful scramble.
Here's what has been confirmed, what's still to be announced, and exactly how to get ahead of it.
What is the short-term let registration scheme?
The short term let registration scheme is a national, government-run register of short-term lets in England. The legal foundation was laid by the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has been developing and testing the digital service since. Government guidance currently states the scheme is expected to begin in 2026, although a precise go-live date has not yet been confirmed.
The government has described its intention as a "light touch, low cost and simple to use" scheme. Based on the 2023 consultation and ministerial statements since, here's what registration is expected to involve:
- Registering every short-term let property you operate, whether you advertise on Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, your own website, or purely by word of mouth
- Providing information about the property and the owner or operator, so councils know what's operating in their area
- Paying a registration fee, expected to be modest
- Receiving a unique registration number, which you'll need to display on your listings and adverts
- Confirming compliance with existing safety obligations — the consultation proposed that owners confirm they meet requirements such as gas safety and fire safety when registering
The short term let registration scheme's stated purpose isn't to punish responsible owners. It's to give local authorities visibility of the short-term let market in their areas, help them understand its effect on housing and communities, and level the playing field between compliant hosts and the minority who cut corners.
Who will need to register?
The consultation proposed that registration will apply to short-term lets across England — not just properties listed on the big platforms. That's expected to include:
- Whole-home holiday lets and self-catering cottages
- Apartments and city short-stay lets
- Individual hosts letting a property occasionally, as well as professional operators and managed portfolios
- Properties advertised through any channel, including direct bookings
Some categories may be treated differently (the consultation discussed how to handle rooms let within a host's own home, for example), so keep an eye on the final regulations for exemptions and definitions. We'll break down the final rules on the RentReg Compliance Hub as soon as they're published.
What happens if you don't register?
Enforcement details will be confirmed in the final regulations, but the direction of travel across the UK is clear and consistent: operating outside a registration or licensing scheme carries real consequences. Reports around the English scheme have pointed to civil penalties of up to £5,000 for non-compliance, and the government has proposed that booking platforms could be required to ensure listings display a valid registration number — meaning an unregistered property may simply not be bookable.
Look at the rest of the UK for a preview of how seriously this is taken:
- Scotland: operating a short-term let without a licence has been a criminal offence since licensing went live, with fines of up to £2,500 and the risk of losing the ability to operate
- Wales: a statutory register opens in October 2026, with escalating financial penalties for providers who fail to register
- Northern Ireland: certification from Tourism NI has long been required before letting to visitors at all
England is the last part of the UK to formalise oversight of the sector. When it arrives, "I didn't know" won't be a defence.
The planning question: what about the C5 use class?
Alongside registration, the government consulted on creating a new planning use class (C5) for short-term lets, which would give councils in pressured areas the power to require planning permission before a home is converted to holiday letting. As of mid-2026, the C5 use class has not been brought into force in England — but it remains on the table, and it's a key reason the register matters: registration data is expected to help councils decide whether to use planning controls locally.
Two planning rules that already apply are worth remembering:
- The London 90-night rule: in Greater London, letting your entire home short-term for more than 90 nights in a calendar year requires planning permission
- Local restrictions: some councils already use Article 4 directions and enforcement powers where short-term letting breaches planning rules — always check with your local authority
How to prepare now (a 7-step checklist)
The smartest owners aren't waiting for the short term let go-live announcement. Everything the registration scheme is expected to ask for is something you should already have. Here's how to be registration-ready:
- Get your safety certificates in one place. Gas Safety Certificate (CP12), Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and your written fire risk assessment. If any are missing or expired, book one now — tradespeople get busy when deadlines land.
- Check your fire risk assessment is in writing. Since October 2023, the law requires fire risk assessments to be recorded in full, whatever the size of your property. A verbal "I had a look around" no longer cuts it.
- Confirm your gas safety is current. If your property has any gas appliances, you need an annual check by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- Test and document your alarms. Working smoke alarms on every storey, carbon monoxide alarms in any room with a fixed combustion appliance, and a record showing they're tested between stays.
- Review your insurance. Standard home insurance rarely covers paying guests. Make sure you hold appropriate holiday let insurance including public liability cover.
- Check your planning and rates position. Are you within the London 90-night rule? Should you be on business rates rather than council tax? (In England, that generally means available to let for at least 140 nights and actually let for at least 70.)
- Set up renewal reminders. Certificates expire on different cycles — annually for gas, five-yearly for an EICR, ten-yearly for an EPC. Missing one renewal could mean your registration details are out of date the moment a council checks.
How RentReg helps you get registration-ready
RentReg was built for exactly this moment. Our platform helps UK holiday let owners:
- Store every certificate in one secure place — gas, EICR, EPC, fire risk assessment and insurance documents, with expiry dates tracked automatically
- See your compliance posture at a glance with a simple red/amber/green dashboard for every property
- Get automated reminders 30 days and 7 days before anything expires, so nothing lapses quietly
- Generate a property-specific checklist based on your property's features — a cottage with a wood burner and hot tub has different obligations than a city apartment
- Be ready to evidence compliance the day the registration portal opens
When the short term let registration scheme goes live, owners with organised, current documentation will register in minutes. Start your free trial and be one of them — plans start from £5 per month per property, less than a latte. See features and pricing for details.
Want to stay ahead of every announcement? Join our free UK Holiday Let Compliance Facebook group, where we share updates the moment the government publishes them — alongside practical advice from hundreds of fellow owners.
FAQs
When does the short-term let registration scheme start in England?
Government guidance says the scheme is expected to begin in 2026, but no firm go-live date has been announced yet. The digital registration service has been in testing with hosts. A phased introduction is possible, so watch for official DCMS announcements — or join our Facebook group and we'll flag them for you.
Will I need a licence for my holiday let in England?
No — England is introducing a registration scheme, not a licensing scheme like Scotland's. Registration means providing your details and confirming compliance with existing obligations, rather than passing an approval process before you can operate. That said, planning rules still apply, and proposals for stronger local controls (like the C5 use class) remain under consideration.
How much will registration cost?
The fee hasn't been confirmed. The government has said it intends the scheme to be low cost, and a modest per-property fee is expected.
Does the scheme apply if I only let my property occasionally?
The consultation proposed that the scheme cover short-term lets regardless of how often they're let or where they're advertised. Final exemptions and thresholds will be set out in the regulations — check official guidance when it's published.
What documents should I have ready to register?
Nothing has been finalised, but based on the consultation you should expect to need: your property and contact details, and confirmation that you meet existing safety obligations — in practice, a current Gas Safety Certificate (if you have gas), a satisfactory EICR, a written fire risk assessment, an EPC where required, and appropriate insurance.
*RentReg provides compliance tracking tools only. We do not provide legal, regulatory, or professional advice. Compliance indicators are based on user-uploaded data and do not guarantee legal compliance. Regulatory requirements may change and can vary by local authority — always verify your obligations independently or seek professional advice.*
*Last updated: July 2026. We review this article as new government announcements are made regarding the short term let registration scheme.*