Q. What is this ‘Short-Term Letting Register’?
A. Under the Irish government’s Housing for All policy Fáilte Ireland, Ireland’s national tourism authority has been tasked to create a register of all (paid) short-term letting accommodation (for tourists) in Ireland. Any party offering paid accommodation (for tourists) for periods of up to and including 21 nights will need to be register.
This register is due to go live before the 20th of May 2026.
Q. What kind of information is likely to be required to fill on this register?
A. To register, you’ll provide host details (individual: name/contact/PPSN; company: business details/CRN/representative) plus the property address/Eircode, unit type (whole/part; primary/secondary) and capacity (bed places/guests).
Crucially, you must self-declare by legal declaration that the unit is compliant with planning, building control, and fire safety requirements.
Q. Can I register right now?
A. No. The register is due to go live in May 2026. The Short-Term Letting Register (for all short-term accommodation in Ireland) will launch on May 20th 2026, following the enactment of the Short Term Letting and Tourism Bill 2025.
Q. Does my property need to have specific planning permission for short-term letting?
A. If you don’t already have specific planning permission for short term letting, then yes. Generally speaking, up until now, only short-term letting properties in Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) were required to have short term letting planning. Since June 2025, all of Ireland has been declared a Rent Pressure Zone meaning, under the planning law anyone carrying out short-term letting is required to have specific planning permission for it.
Q. I don’t have specific planning permission for short-term letting – is there many like me?
A. Yes. The majority of short-term letting (Airbnb) units in Ireland do not have specific planning permission, having never needed it in practice. There has been much lobbying done by the short -term letting sector and a lot of media coverage has been generated about the topic of planning permission for short term letting. The Government has stated that they trying to protect long-term housing supply, supporting sustainable communities, and delivering workable compliance.
Q. I hear this new law just applies to towns with populations of 10k or more – is this the case?
A. In a town with a population of 10k or more there will be a general refusal for planning permissions for short term letting. Areas with populations of less than 10k will still have to go through the planning process and make their case for specific planning permission for short term letting.
Q. What should I do next?
A. All the details of this register have not been finalised. For now, keep up to date with news developments on this topic and keep an eye here also for updates from us.
Q. What happens next with this register?
A. All that’s left now is for it to be activated.
Q. Apart from the Short Term Letting Register, what else is happening?
A. To coincide with this new short term register and before May 2026 the Minister for Housing is due to issue a document called ‘National Planning Statement on Short Term Letting’. This is a government policy document that guides councils on how to apply planning rules to short-term rentals, so the approach is consistent nationwide. It doesn’t change the law, but it sets clear direction on when permission may be needed and what factors planners should consider.
Q. Can’t I just operate outside of the register?
A. In practice, no. If you can’t confirm that you are compliant on planning, building and fire safety requirements then you will not be issued with a STL registration number. Anyone that markets your property (such as Love Connemara Cottages / Mayo Coastal Cottages / Airbnb / Booking.com) is required to display your STL number on your listing. Any agents that display properties without a valid STL number will be heavily fined.
Q. What work has Love Connemara Cottages / Mayo Coastal Cottages done on this?
A. For many years, and on behalf of our owners, we have being pushing for fair and proportionate regulation of the sector.
– We have put forward specific suggestions for the Minister for Housing (Planning) to consider and we await a response.
– In 2018, (and every year since) we have voluntarily registered and paid for all of our self-catering units to be included on Fáilte Ireland’s Welcome Standard, including for 2026.
– We have and continue to raise our general concerns about making all short-term letting units to go for specific planning permission.
– We have communicated the economic value of the sector to Fáilte Ireland and to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with whom planning responsibilities lie.
Q. What should I do right now?
A. On queries regarding your own or general questions in regard to compliance on things like planning, building and fire regulations our recommendation is to always seek professional independent advice.
Apart from this, if you have general concerns we encourage you to contact your local political representatives to express same. Planning permission for short term letting will be a live policy topic over the next few months so now is the time to speak up.
Q. I have more questions on this, where can I get information ?
A.
(i) For the register itself, here is an official FAQ https://www.failteireland.ie/registration-and-grading/short-term-letting-register/faqs.aspx
(ii) We are more than happy to talk speak to you directly on the topic – please make contact with us at [email protected] or [email protected] for a call back.