England is getting a mandatory STL registration scheme. It is not live yet, but it is coming.
Scotland has had mandatory STL licensing since October 2022. Wales has its own registration framework under Rent Smart Wales. England has had nothing - until now.
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 and accompanying policy work have set the stage for a national registration scheme for short-term lets in England. The scheme has been announced, the legislation enabling it has been passed, and DLUHC (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities) is working on the implementation details.
As of mid-2026, the registration scheme has not yet launched. But the direction of travel is clear and the groundwork is done. This guide covers what we know, what we do not know, and how to prepare.
Why England is introducing registration
The policy drivers are the same ones that led to Scotland's licensing scheme:
- Housing supply concerns - councils want to know how many residential properties are being used as STLs, particularly in areas with housing pressure
- Enforcement gaps - without a register, councils cannot identify unregistered or non-compliant operators. Enforcement is reactive, complaint-driven, and slow
- Safety standards - there is no systematic way to check that STL properties meet fire, gas, and electrical safety standards
- Tax compliance - HMRC wants visibility of STL income. A register linked to tax records closes an information gap
- Community impact - residents in popular tourist areas (Bath, Brighton, Lake District, London) have raised persistent concerns about noise, antisocial behaviour, and loss of community when residential properties convert to STL use
- Platform accountability - the scheme will likely require platforms (Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com) to verify registration before allowing listings, giving the system teeth
What we know
It will be mandatory
All short-term let operators in England will need to register. This applies regardless of how many nights you let, which platform you use, or whether you let your own home or a second property.
There will be a registration number
Like Scotland's licence numbers, you will receive a registration number that must be displayed on all listings and advertising.
Platforms will need to verify
Platforms will be required to check that listings have a valid registration number. Unregistered listings will need to be removed or suspended.
There will be safety requirements
The registration scheme is expected to include minimum safety standards - potentially requiring gas safety certificates, EICRs, smoke alarms, and fire safety measures as conditions of registration.
It will be a register, not a licence
The current plan is a registration scheme rather than a full licensing scheme. The distinction matters:
- Registration = you declare that you operate an STL and provide required information. Largely self-certification with spot checks
- Licensing = you apply for permission, the authority assesses your property and may inspect it, and can refuse or revoke the licence
Scotland went with licensing (more control, higher burden on councils). England appears to be going with registration (lighter touch, easier to scale nationally).
Councils will have access to the register
Local authorities will be able to see which properties in their area are registered, giving them a tool for enforcement, planning decisions, and housing policy.
What we do not know
Launch date
The scheme was expected to launch in late 2026, but specific dates have not been confirmed. Implementation may be phased (starting with a pilot area or property type) or rolled out nationally in one go.
Fees
Registration fees have not been announced. Scotland's licensing fees are £200-500 per property. A lighter-touch registration scheme might be cheaper.
Exemptions
It is unclear whether there will be exemptions - for example, for hosts who let their primary residence for fewer than a certain number of nights per year.
Enforcement penalties
Penalties for operating unregistered have not been specified. Scotland's scheme carries a £2,500 fine. England's penalties may be similar or different.
Interaction with the 90-day rule
How the registration scheme interacts with London's 90-day rule and planning permission requirements is not yet detailed. Registration does not replace the need for planning permission where applicable.
How to prepare now
You do not need to wait for the scheme to launch to get ready. Most of what the scheme will require is already good practice.
1. Get your safety certificates in order
- Gas safety certificate (CP12) - current, annual
- EICR - satisfactory, within 5 years
- EPC - valid
- Smoke alarms - on every storey, working
- CO alarms - in every room with a combustion appliance
If any of these are missing or expired, get them done now. When the registration scheme launches, you will need them immediately.
2. Build a compliance record
Keep digital copies of all certificates, insurance documents, and safety records. Organised, dated, and accessible. When registration opens, you will likely need to upload or reference these documents.
3. Track your booking data
The registration scheme may ask for information about how many nights you let, on which platforms, and your occupancy rates. Having clean booking records makes registration straightforward.
4. Keep your insurance current
Public liability, buildings, and contents insurance that explicitly covers STL use. If the scheme includes insurance as a condition, you are already covered.
5. Register with HMRC
If you are not already declaring your STL income, sort that out before a national register creates an easy cross-reference for HMRC. Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD ITSA) is already in force for qualifying landlords.
6. Check your planning position
Registration does not replace planning permission. If you need planning permission (London 90-day rule, Article 4 direction area), get it separately.
What about Scotland and Wales?
Scotland
Scotland already has a full licensing scheme (live since October 2022). If you host in Scotland, you need a licence now, not just registration. See our STL licensing guide for Scotland.
Wales
Wales has its own regulatory framework under Rent Smart Wales for landlords, and is developing STL-specific requirements alongside the higher council tax/business rates thresholds (252/182 days). Welsh hosts should register with Rent Smart Wales if not already done.
The bigger picture
England's registration scheme is part of a broader trend across the UK (and internationally) toward regulating short-term lets more tightly. Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam, New York, and many other cities have introduced registration or licensing schemes of varying strictness.
The trend is toward:
- Mandatory registration or licensing everywhere
- Platform accountability - requiring Airbnb/VRBO/Booking.com to enforce registration
- Data sharing between platforms, councils, and tax authorities
- Minimum safety standards as a condition of operating
- Night caps or planning controls in high-demand areas
Hosts who treat compliance as a competitive advantage - not a burden - will be the ones who thrive as regulation tightens.
How SelfLet Stays helps
SelfLet Stays tracks your STL registration status as a compliance item alongside gas, EICR, fire safety, insurance, and every other requirement. When England's scheme launches, you will have your compliance history, certificate records, and booking data ready to go. The jurisdiction-aware system flags what is current, what is coming, and what is England-specific - so you are not wading through Scottish licensing rules that do not apply to you.