Wales is overhauling how visitor accommodation is regulated, and the changes are more far-reaching than many operators realise. This piece sets out what is coming, the firm dates, and a timeline of the reform programme.
The headline: registration from 1 October 2026
From 1 October 2026, visitor accommodation registration opens in Wales. Every provider that takes bookings for overnight stays - short-term rentals, holiday cottages, spare rooms, B&Bs, campsites and hotels alike - must register with the Welsh Revenue Authority (WRA).
Key points:
- Registration is a legal requirement, not voluntary.
- Providers will have a six-month window from the opening date to register.
- Financial penalties apply to businesses that do not comply.
- The register is run centrally by the Welsh Revenue Authority, not by individual councils.
- It applies to all visitor accommodation, not only short-term lets - a notably broader scope than Scotland's STL-specific licensing scheme.
This is stage one of a three-part reform
The register is not the whole story. It is the first stage of a wider Welsh Government reform programme with three connected parts:
1. The register (from October 2026) - a national record of who is providing visitor accommodation in Wales. 2. A visitor levy - legislation enabling Welsh councils to introduce a tourism tax, a small per-person, per-night charge. Councils that choose to adopt it are expected to be able to do so from 2027. The register provides the list of who the levy applies to. 3. A statutory licensing scheme - a quality-and-standards licensing regime, to be built on top of the register. A draft Bill for the licensing scheme was laid before Senedd Cymru on 3 November 2025, alongside an Explanatory Memorandum. The licensing scheme is expected to begin around 2029, starting with self-catering accommodation, and will turn the register into a publicly available directory of licensed accommodation.
In short: register first, then levy, then licensing. Each stage builds on the one before it.
Timeline of events
- 2021-2022 - The Welsh Government commits, as part of its Co-operation Agreement, to a statutory registration and licensing scheme for visitor accommodation.
- 2024 - The Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) etc. (Wales) Bill is introduced to the Senedd, establishing the national register and enabling a visitor levy.
- 2025 - The Bill completes its passage and receives Royal Assent, becoming an Act.
- 3 November 2025 - A separate draft Bill for the statutory licensing scheme is laid before Senedd Cymru, with an Explanatory Memorandum.
- 1 October 2026 - Visitor accommodation registration opens with the Welsh Revenue Authority. A six-month window to register begins.
- From 2027 - Welsh councils able to introduce a visitor levy if they choose to.
- Around 2029 - The statutory licensing scheme expected to begin, starting with self-catering accommodation and building on the register.
How Wales differs from Scotland
| Aspect | Scotland | Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Short-term lets only | All visitor accommodation |
| Lead authority | Local councils | Welsh Revenue Authority (register); councils (licensing) |
| Registration / licensing live | Licensing from October 2022 | Register from October 2026; licensing around 2029 |
| Visitor levy | Legislation passed; councils deciding | Enabled; councils able to adopt from 2027 |
| Sequencing | Licensing-led | Register, then levy, then licensing |
Wales is taking a broader and more centralised approach than Scotland. Where Scotland's scheme is STL-specific and council-administered, Wales is registering the entire visitor-accommodation sector through a single central authority, and phasing in the levy and licensing on top.
What Welsh operators should do now
1. Audit your safety compliance. Fire risk assessment, gas safety, and electrical (EICR) certification. The licensing scheme, when it arrives, will centre on standards - getting ahead of that now is sensible. 2. Be ready to register from October 2026. Note the date and the six-month window. Late registration risks financial penalties. 3. Understand the levy. If your local council adopts a visitor levy, you will need to collect and account for it. Factor it into your pricing and your guest communications. 4. Review your planning position. Welsh planning authorities have their own change-of-use considerations for short-term lets, and these sit alongside the registration and licensing regimes. Holding a registration is not the same as having your planning position settled. 5. Keep records. Proof of when and how your accommodation has operated may matter as the licensing scheme takes shape.
How STL Solutions can help
We have guided hundreds of operators through Scotland's licensing scheme - the paperwork, the costs, the council interactions, and crucially the planning questions that sit alongside. As Wales rolls out its register, levy and licensing programme, we are ready to help Welsh operators prepare in good order rather than under deadline pressure.
Book a free consultation to discuss your Welsh property.
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