State Airbnb laws2026 27 sources cited
Queensland Short-Term Rental Laws & Hotel Tax (2026)
Airbnb is legal in Queensland with no state permit or night cap, but councils decide: most expect development approval for whole-home letting, and Noosa, the Gold Coast and the Whitsundays also require a council licence.5,12,17,22
From 23 official sources, 3 Airbnb help pages and 1 news report. Not legal advice.
The short answer
Queensland Airbnb Laws in Brief
- No state permit, register or night cap: each council sets its own approvals, so the rules change by address.
- Whole-home letting usually needs council development approval; on the Gold Coast it is publicly notified (impact assessable) outside seven named zone groups.
- Noosa charges A$1,748 to apply for a house and A$800 a year to renew (2026-27); a principal residence let up to 4 times and 60 days a year pays A$329, then A$200.
- Using a property without a lawful use carries up to 4,500 penalty units, A$777,150 at A$172.70 a unit.
At a glance
Queensland Short-Term Rental Laws at a Glance
- State licence required
- Yes
- Next rule change
- Jan 1, 2027
The laws in brief
The rules a Queensland host meets first, each linked to the ordinance, statute or official page it comes from. Details and exceptions follow below.
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Permit | No state permit or register3,24 |
| Who can host | A room in the home you live in is treated differently12,22 |
| Where | Letting a whole home usually needs development approval12,18,21,22 |
| Building rules | A body corporate cannot restrict the type of residential use7,17 |
| Night cap | No statewide night cap3,4 |
| Minimum stay | Under 3 consecutive months counts as short-term accommodation12,21 |
| Platforms | Airbnb reports host income to the ATO25 |
| Safety | Interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms by 1 January 20278 |
| Insurance | Noosa: A$10 million public liability insurance17 |
| Neighbours | Noosa: 24-hour contact person and approval sign17 |
Your home
Can You Host an Airbnb in Queensland? It Depends on the Home
Whether you can host in Queensland turns on whose home it is and whether you live there.
A second home or investment property let to tourists
Allowed with conditionsThis is short-term accommodation, which needs development approval in most main markets unless the home has existing use rights; low density residential zones are the hardest, and Noosa, the Gold Coast and the Whitsundays add a licence. Brisbane has no permit but still enforces planning approval.12,15,18,21,22
Your own home, rented whole while you are away
Allowed with conditionsCouncils treat a whole-home let as short-term accommodation even when it is your residence. Noosa Plan 2020 accepts letting of not more than 4 times and 60 days a year, with an A$329 approval for a principal residence; elsewhere check the planning scheme or existing use rights first.12,17
A room in the home you live in
Allowed with conditionsA room let while you live there is a home-based business or bed and breakfast. In Whitsunday residential zones no planning approval is needed when all listed criteria are met, including up to 3 guest bedrooms, 6 guests and 14 consecutive nights, though the yearly licence still applies; on the Gold Coast a development approval is usually required.12,22
Permit
Do You Need a Licence for Airbnb in Queensland?
Yes. Queensland hosts need the Council development approval and local law licence from Local councils, for example Noosa Shire Council, the City of Gold Coast and Whitsunday Regional Council. It costs A$1,748.5,12,17,22
- Who needs it
- Hosts who let a whole dwelling to tourists or travellers for under 3 consecutive months, where the council's planning scheme requires development approval and the home has no existing use rights. Noosa, the Gold Coast and the Whitsundays also require a council licence or approval. Brisbane requires no permit.5,12,17,22
- Issued by
- Local councils, for example Noosa Shire Council, the City of Gold Coast and Whitsunday Regional Council
- Valid for
- Noosa approvals renew every year while letting continues, and the Whitsunday licence is an annual approval needed only while the property is used for short-term accommodation. On the Gold Coast, payment of rates counts as renewal of the rental accommodation licence for most properties.
- On listings
- No number needed on listings
- Platform checks
- Queensland has no state register or listing-number requirement, and councils deal with platforms case by case: Brisbane City Council says it will keep working with platforms on hosts whose guests repeatedly cause problems.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Noosa application, houseA$1,748 to apply for a short stay letting approval for a house in Noosa (2026-27 schedule). | A$1,748 |
| Noosa annual renewal, houseA$800 a year to renew a Noosa short stay letting approval for a house, from 1 July 2026. | A$800 |
| Noosa application, unitA$455 to apply for a short stay letting approval for a unit in Noosa (2026-27 schedule). | A$455 |
| Noosa annual renewal, unitA$300 a year to renew a Noosa short stay letting approval for a unit, from 1 July 2026. | A$300 |
| Noosa application, principal residence (up to 4 times and 60 days a year)A$329 to apply when the house is the host's principal place of residence and is let no more than 4 times and 60 days a year. | A$329 |
| Noosa annual renewal, principal residence (up to 4 times and 60 days a year)A$200 a year to renew the principal-residence approval for a house, from 1 July 2026. | A$200 |
Who qualifies
- The council planning scheme must allow short-term accommodation at the address; the level of assessment depends on the zone.
- Homes that were lawfully let before a council's cut-off date can keep existing use rights without a new approval.
- Noosa asks for proof of lawful planning rights, a building classification certificate, pool and smoke alarm safety certificates and a 24-hour contact person within 20 km.
- Letting part of a home while you live there is treated as a home-based business or bed and breakfast, with its own approval rules.
How to apply
- Check the council's planning scheme for the zone and whether the property has existing use rights; the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Whitsunday councils publish guidance.
- If development approval is required, lodge a material change of use application for short-term accommodation with the council before letting.
- Where the council runs a licence, apply once planning approval or lawful use is shown: Noosa asks for a plan, safety certificates and a 24-hour contact person, and the Whitsundays require a yearly licence.
- Meet the approval conditions, such as signage, insurance, a complaints register and a guest code of conduct in Noosa.
Applications go through the official application page .
Permit rules
- No state permit or register
- Queensland has no statewide licence, register or approval for short-term rentals. The rules are set by local government areas, so the requirements depend on the council and the zone.3,24
- A State register has been recommended, not introduced
- A University of Queensland review for the State recommended a centralised registration system and a code of conduct. In August 2023 the Government said it would consult councils and industry on a registration system; no register has been enacted.3,4 In force since August 2, 2023
- Some councils add a licence on top of planning approval
- Noosa requires a one-off approval renewed each year, the Gold Coast requires a rental accommodation licence under its licensing local law, and the Whitsundays require a yearly licence once planning approval is held. A licence does not replace development approval.12,13,17,22 Applies to: hosts in Noosa, the Gold Coast and the Whitsundays
- Noosa: approval under the short stay local law, renewed every year
- Since February 2022 Noosa has required a one-off approval for every short stay let property unless exempt, renewed annually. The property must already have lawful town planning rights.17 Applies to: Noosa hosts · In force since February 2022
- Brisbane: no short stay permit
- On 12 May 2026 Brisbane City Council decided not to proceed with its proposed Short Stay Accommodation Local Law and permit. It continues to enforce existing local laws and acts on short-term accommodation operating without the required development approval.14,15 Applies to: Brisbane hosts · In force since May 12, 2026
- Airbnb reports host income to the ATO
- Under the Sharing Economy Reporting Regime, Airbnb reports information on hosts who earn income through the platform to the Australian Taxation Office for properties in Australia, including Queensland.25
Who can host
What Queensland Cities and Counties Can and Can't Regulate
- Letting a whole home usually needs development approval
- On the Gold Coast, in Cairns, on the Sunshine Coast and in the Whitsundays, letting an entire dwelling as short-term accommodation needs a council development approval unless the home has existing use rights. Using a dwelling without a necessary approval is a development offence.12,18,21,22 Applies to: hosts letting a whole dwelling
- Existing use rights for homes let before a cut-off date
- Homes that were lawfully let as short-term accommodation before a council's cut-off can keep operating without a new approval: 2 February 2016 on the Gold Coast, 30 June 2017 in the Whitsundays and the start of the 2014 planning scheme on the Sunshine Coast. The rights are lost if the use stops or changes in scale, and the owner must prove them.12,18,22 Applies to: homes let before the cut-off date
- A room in the home you live in is treated differently
- Renting a room while you live in the home is a home-based business, not short-term accommodation. On the Gold Coast it usually needs a development approval; in the Whitsundays residential zones need no planning approval when all listed criteria are met, including no more than 3 guest bedrooms, 6 guests at a time and stays of 14 consecutive nights or less, though the yearly licence still applies.12,22 Applies to: hosts who live in the home
- Gold Coast: impact assessable outside seven zone groups
- City Plan makes short-term accommodation in a dwelling code assessable in the Centre, High density residential, Innovation, Major tourism, Mixed use, parts of Medium density residential and parts of Neighbourhood centre zones, and impact assessable (publicly notified) everywhere else.12 Applies to: Gold Coast hosts
- Cairns: short-term accommodation in a house is impact assessable
- The Cairns Regional Council has recorded no development permits for short-term accommodation within a dwelling house, and in the Low density residential zone an application is impact assessable and publicly notified. Houses that operated as short stays under CairnsPlan 2009 can have lawful use rights.21 Applies to: Cairns hosts
- Sunshine Coast: not supported in low density residential zones
- Under the Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 the council generally supports short-term accommodation in medium and high density residential, tourist accommodation, centre and some rural zones, but not in the Low density residential or Rural residential zones that cover most residential areas.18 Applies to: Sunshine Coast hosts
- A body corporate cannot restrict the type of residential use
- A body corporate cannot make a by-law that restricts the type of residential use of a residential lot, so apartment buildings cannot generally ban short stays by by-law. Planning approval and any council licence still apply, and Noosa hosts must tell the body corporate about their approval.7,17 Applies to: units in community titles schemes
Local rules
Local Rules in Queensland's 6 Largest Airbnb Markets
A state licence doesn't replace local rules. Cities and counties still set registration, occupancy, parking and safety requirements. These are Queensland's largest markets by active Airbnb listings, with the share of each market's listings that display a registration or licence number.
| Market | Local registration |
|---|---|
| Greater Brisbane Queensland | None |
| Gold Coast City Queensland | Required |
| Sunshine Coast Regional Queensland | None |
| Noosa Heads Queensland | Required |
| Cairns Queensland | None |
| Airlie Beach Queensland | Required |
1. Greater Brisbane
Queensland
Brisbane City Council has no short-term rental permit: on 12 May 2026 it dropped its proposed Short Stay Accommodation Local Law. The council continues compliance activity where short-term accommodation operates without required development approval, and it receives around 100 complaints a year.14,15,16
- Proposed permit scheme (announced December 2025) is not proceeding
- Development approval can still be required under the planning scheme
- Council keeps enforcing existing local laws
- Around 100 complaints a year; under 1% of homes used for short-term accommodation
2. Gold Coast City
Queensland
On the Gold Coast, letting a whole dwelling to tourists is short-term accommodation under City Plan: code assessable in seven named zone groups and impact assessable (publicly notified) everywhere else. A rental accommodation licence is also required, and party houses are a prohibited use.2,12,13
- Development approval needed unless the home has existing use rights from before 2 February 2016
- Rental accommodation licence under Local Law No. 16; paying rates is deemed renewal for most properties
- Party house (under 10 days, more than 2 parties in 12 months) is prohibited except in a mapped Surfers Paradise area
- Owners face up to 200 penalty units (A$34,540) for regular excessive noise from a short-term rental
3. Sunshine Coast Regional
Queensland
Under the Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 a dwelling house rented as a holiday house is short-term accommodation, which the council's summary says is not supported in the Low density residential or Rural residential zones; older holiday houses keep existing use rights. Properties let for under 42 consecutive days are rated as transitory accommodation, and a new planning scheme is under review.18,19,20
- Short-term accommodation generally supported in medium and high density residential, tourist accommodation and centre zones
- Not supported in the Low density residential or Rural residential zones
- Holiday houses let before the 2014 scheme keep existing use rights
- Transitory accommodation rating category applies to holiday rental of typically under 42 consecutive days
4. Noosa Heads
Queensland
Noosa Shire Council's Short Stay Letting and Home Hosted Accommodation Local Law, in place since February 2022, requires approval for every short stay let property unless exempt, renewed each year. Fees for 2026-27 start at A$1,748 for a house, and approval conditions include a 24-hour contact person and A$10 million public liability insurance.17
- Application A$1,748 for a house, A$455 for a unit; renewal A$800 and A$300 a year
- Principal residence let up to 4 times and 60 days a year: A$329 to apply, A$200 to renew
- Property must already have lawful town planning rights
- 24-hour contact person within 20 km, responding to complaints within 30 minutes
5. Cairns
Queensland
Cairns Regional Council treats short-term accommodation in a dwelling house as a use needing development approval: in the Low density residential zone an application is impact assessable and publicly notified. The council has said it is investigating changes to its framework after refusing an Airbnb application in 2026.21,27
- No development permits on record for short-term accommodation within a dwelling house
- Impact assessable in the Low density residential zone
- Houses let as short stays under CairnsPlan 2009 can have lawful use rights
- Council issues a Notice of Suspected Breach of Planning Scheme for unlawful letting
6. Airlie Beach
Queensland
Whitsunday Regional Council requires planning approval for short-term accommodation in all zones, then a yearly local law licence before letting starts. A room let while the host lives in the home needs no planning approval in residential zones when all listed criteria are met, including up to 3 guest bedrooms, 6 guests and 14 consecutive nights.22
- Planning approval needed in all zones; some zones require public notification
- Existing use rights for homes used for short-term accommodation before 30 June 2017
- Yearly local law licence, with possible inspection
- Hosted rooms: no planning approval if all criteria are met, including 3 bedrooms, 6 guests and 14 consecutive nights
Taxes
Queensland Short-Term Rental Taxes
No tax applies to every Queensland stay: Airbnb collects no occupancy or tourism levy in Queensland, and GST depends on the host's circumstances.
What the host still handles
Operating rules
Operating Rules for Queensland Short-Term Rentals
- No statewide night cap
- The State's review found that statewide restrictions would not suit Queensland's varied markets, and no state night limit applies. Any cap or limit comes from a council's planning scheme or local law.3,4 In force since August 2, 2023
- Under 3 consecutive months counts as short-term accommodation
- Under the Planning Regulation 2017, letting premises to tourists or travellers for less than 3 consecutive months is short-term accommodation, a different planning use from a dwelling house. There is no separate state minimum stay.12,21
- Noosa: letting up to 4 times and 60 days a year
- Noosa Plan 2020 treats short stay letting of not more than 4 times and 60 days a year as accepted development, and a principal residence let that little pays lower approval fees (A$329 to apply, A$200 a year to renew). It still needs the local law approval.17 Applies to: Noosa principal residences
- Noosa: 24-hour contact person and approval sign
- Noosa approvals require a contact person available 24 hours a day, living or working within 20 km, who responds to each complaint within 30 minutes, and a permanent approval sign at the front of the property showing the approval number and the council hotline.17 Applies to: Noosa hosts
- Noosa: A$10 million public liability insurance
- Noosa approval conditions require broadform public liability insurance with indemnity of not less than A$10,000,000 at all times.17 Applies to: Noosa hosts
- Gold Coast: party houses are prohibited
- A dwelling let for under 10 days without the owner present that hosts more than two guest parties in 12 months is a party house, a prohibited use across the city except in a mapped part of Surfers Paradise. Owners are also liable if excessive noise is regularly emitted from a short-term rental.2,12 Applies to: Gold Coast hosts
- Interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms by 1 January 2027
- All existing Queensland private homes, townhouses, units and manufactured homes must have interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms by 1 January 2027. Homes being rented must already have them.8 Takes effect January 1, 2027
- Councils rate short-stay properties in their own category
- Noosa, the Sunshine Coast and the Whitsundays place properties used for short-stay or holiday letting in a transitory accommodation rating category, separate from ordinary homes. This is a rates charge, not an occupancy tax.17,20,22 Applies to: property owners
- Short-stay letting can reduce the land tax home exemption
- The Queensland Revenue Office treats letting part of a home on a short stay arrangement through an online platform as not an allowable letting for the land tax home exemption, so the exemption may become a partial one.9 Applies to: owner-occupiers who let part of their home
Fines
How to Avoid Airbnb Fines in Queensland
Fines in Queensland fall on hosting without the approvals described above, or outside the rules. With them in hand and the rules followed, none of the fines below apply.
- Using a property without a lawful use or the necessary development approval is a development offence under the Planning Act 2016: up to 4,500 penalty units, or A$777,150 at the A$172.70 value from 1 July 2026.1,6
- Gold Coast: an owner who allows excessive noise to be regularly emitted from a short-term rental faces up to 200 penalty units, A$34,540 at A$172.70 a unit.2,6
- A council can give a show cause notice where it reasonably believes a development offence is being committed, followed by an enforcement notice that tells the person to stop, with fines for failing to comply.23
- Cairns: the council issues a Notice of Suspected Breach of Planning Scheme for unlawful short-term accommodation, and the host must then lodge a development application.21
Changes
What's Changed in Queensland's Airbnb Rules, and What's Next
One change is scheduled after October 20, 2026; the most recent rules are listed first.
- January 1, 2027 UpcomingSmoke alarm deadline for all Queensland homes
Every existing private home, townhouse, unit and manufactured home must have interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms.8
- September 9, 2026Cairns says it is investigating its short-term accommodation rules
After refusing a development application for an Airbnb in Cairns North, the council said it is actively investigating potential changes to its regulatory framework for short-term accommodation.27
- July 1, 2026Noosa 2026-27 renewal fees start
Noosa's annual renewal fees for short stay letting approvals commence on 1 July 2026, from A$800 for a house to A$50 for a managed complex let up to 4 times and 60 days a year.17
- July 1, 2026Penalty unit rises to A$172.70
The value of a Queensland penalty unit rose to A$172.70, which also sets the local law penalty unit for most councils.6
- May 12, 2026 Lapsed
- December 9, 2025 Not in forceBrisbane proposes a short stay permit scheme
The Lord Mayor announced a proposed local law with a permit and a three-strikes rule, open for consultation from 12 December 2025 to 16 February 2026.16
- July 15, 2025 Not in forceSunshine Coast consults on a new planning scheme
Between 15 July and 19 September 2025 the council consulted on a proposed planning scheme; about 4,600 submissions are under review.19
- August 2, 2023
- February 1, 2022Noosa short stay local law starts
Noosa's Short Stay Letting and Home Hosted Accommodation Local Law began requiring an approval, renewed each year, for short stay let properties.17
Listing data
What Queensland's Listings Show
What officials report
- 19,773
- Active short-term rentals in Queensland · as of March 2023The State's review counted roughly 19,773 active short-term rentals in the first quarter of 2023, of which 11,193 were estimated to be used on a permanent basis.4
- 100
- Complaints a year about short-stay rentals in Brisbane · as of May 2026Brisbane City Council receives around 100 complaints a year about short-stay rentals, and its taskforce found less than 1% of Brisbane homes were used for short-term accommodation.15
Earnings
What Could a Short-Term Rental in Queensland Earn?
The rules shape the numbers: a permit that costs A$800 a year and a cap of 60 nights a year. For a specific address, the Airbnb calculator estimates revenue, occupancy and nightly rate from comparable listings, so you can test the numbers before applying.
FAQ
Queensland Short-Term Rental Laws: Frequently Asked Questions
Is Airbnb legal in Queensland?
Do I need a permit or licence for Airbnb in Queensland?
Does Queensland have a state register for short-term rentals?
Do I need council approval to rent out my whole home?
Usually, yes. Letting an entire dwelling to tourists for under 3 consecutive months is short-term accommodation, which on the Gold Coast is code or impact assessable, in Cairns low density residential areas is impact assessable and in the Whitsundays needs approval in all zones, unless the home has existing use rights.12,21,22
How much does short-term rental approval cost?
Fees are set by each council. In Noosa for 2026-27 a house costs A$1,748 to apply and A$800 a year to renew, a unit A$455 and A$300, and a principal residence let up to 4 times and 60 days a year A$329 and A$200.17
Is there a limit on how many nights I can rent my home?
Does Airbnb collect hotel or occupancy tax in Queensland?
Do I need to register for GST as an Airbnb host in Queensland?
What is the fine for hosting without approval in Queensland?
Can a body corporate ban Airbnb in my apartment building?
A body corporate cannot make a by-law that restricts the type of residential use of a residential lot, so a ban by by-law is not generally available. Planning approval and council licences still apply.7
Does Brisbane require a short-term rental permit?
What safety rules apply to Queensland short-term rentals?
Method
How These Rules Were Checked
Each rule on this page was checked in October 2026 against the official source cited beside it: the ordinance or statute, the permit office's own pages and the tax authority. Airbnb's help pages are cited on their own only for what Airbnb itself does, such as the taxes it collects and the permit checks it runs, and otherwise only beside an official source; news reports only for when a change was announced. Rules that could not be confirmed on an official page are left out. The Noosa Shire Council and Queensland Fire Department pages were read from Internet Archive copies, and the Whitsunday Regional Council page and the Planning Act 2016 were read in a browser.
Rules change with council votes, court rulings and new state laws, so the page is rechecked every three months and whenever a scheduled change takes effect. It summarizes the rules for information and is not legal advice; the state agency and your city or county has the final word on any application.
Sources
Sources
Each rule above links to the source it comes from. Official ordinances, statutes and government pages come first, then Airbnb's own help pages.
- 1. Planning Act 2016 (Queensland) · Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel
- 2. Local Law No. 19 (Control of Party House Noise) 2013 · City of Gold Coast
- 3. Short-term rental accommodation review · Queensland Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning
- 4. Short Term Accommodation Review complete · Queensland Ministerial Media Statements
- 5. Accommodation approval - Queensland · Australian Business Licence and Information Service, Australian Government
- 6. Value of a penalty unit · Queensland Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers
- 7. Making by-laws · Queensland Government
- 8. Smoke alarms · Queensland Fire Department
- 9. Public Ruling LTA000.1.3 The land tax exemption for a home · Queensland Revenue Office
- 10. Register for goods and services tax (GST) · business.gov.au, Australian Government
- 11. Commercial residential premises and GST · Australian Taxation Office
- 12. Short-term accommodation in dwellings · City of Gold Coast
- 13. Rental accommodation · City of Gold Coast
- 14. Proposed Short Stay Accommodation Local Law 2025 · Brisbane City Council
- 15. Proposed short stay permits not proceeding at this time · Lord Mayor of Brisbane
- 16. Suburban short stay accommodation to return to rental market · Lord Mayor of Brisbane
- 17. Short Stay Letting · Noosa Shire Council
- 18. Short-term accommodation: hot planning topics, key issues · Sunshine Coast Council
- 19. New Sunshine Coast planning scheme · Sunshine Coast Council
- 20. Rating Category Statement 2026-27 · Sunshine Coast Council
- 21. Development application for a material change of use for short-term accommodation and a dwelling house, 27 Kewarra Street, Kewarra Beach (Ordinary Meeting 15 April 2026) · Cairns Regional Council
- 22. Short-Term Accommodation · Whitsunday Regional Council
- 23. Offences and enforcement · Queensland Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning
- 24. Queensland · Airbnb Help Centre
- 25. Responsible hosting in Australia · Airbnb Help Center
- 26. Tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in Australia · Airbnb Help Center
- 27. Airbnb rules under review · Cairns Local News