Short Term Lets Licensing Statistics Scotland to 31 December 2025

Applications: local areas

Table 2 shows the number of applications received broken down by local authority and whether they are valid or to be validated and the numbers pending determination. Highland, Edinburgh, Argyll & Bute, accounted for 50% (20,251) of all validated applications (40,434) received up to 31 December 2025.

Table 2: Total applications and valid applications pending determination received between October 2022 and end of December 2025 by local authority

Notes:

1. Data from Table 2, Table 17, and Table 9 in the supporting Excel tables
2. Data for West Lothian is based on October 2025 data

Map 1: Number of valid applications for short term lets per 10,000 dwellings, up to December 2025

Notes:

1. Data for West Lothian is based on June 2025 data

Map 1 shows the rate of valid applications per 10,000 dwellings in each of the local authorities in Scotland. The very highest rates generally coincide with relatively lower population authorities which attract tourism. Although, in general, there were high numbers in the cities, these also had relatively high numbers of dwellings.

The number of applications having been decided or pending determination varied by local authority (Table 9 in the supporting documents). From one application pending determination in East Renfrewshire (1 out of 48) to 577 (out of 1,481) in Edinburgh. Variations will be caused by various factors, such as the number of applications received and/or the information provided on the application.

Table 5 in the supporting documents Excel workbook lists the number of applications received and validated by individual data zone area. Statistical data zones are the key geography for the dissemination of small area statistics in Scotland, designed to have roughly standard sized populations of 500 to 1,000 household residents.