Airbnb and short-stay rules in Queensland

By Jake Falkinder, co-founder of Let Minder Last reviewed

Rules change often. This guide is general information, reviewed on the date shown above. It isn't legal or planning advice. Before you list or sign with a manager, confirm the current rules with your council and the Queensland Government, using the official links throughout this guide.

Queensland has no statewide short-stay register or night cap. The rules come from four places. Your council's planning scheme, which may need you to get a development approval, any council local law such as Noosa's, your council rates category, and your body corporate by-laws. Anyone managing your home for a fee also needs a Queensland real estate licence.

Are there statewide short-stay rules in Queensland?

Not in the way New South Wales has them. There's no Queensland register to join, no fire safety standard written just for holiday lets and no limit on nights. That makes Queensland one of the easier states for owners, but it also means the rules sit with 77 councils and can differ a lot from one to the next.

When do you need council approval?

Most council planning schemes treat a whole home let to guests for short stays as a different use from a home someone lives in. Changing the use can need a development approval, often called a material change of use. Whether you need one depends on the zone and on how the scheme defines short-term accommodation.

A hosted bed and breakfast, where you live in the home, is often treated differently. Check your property's zone using your council's online mapping before you assume either way.

Which councils have their own short-stay local laws?

Noosa is the main one. Under its short stay letting local law, most homes need an approval that's renewed every year. A nominated contact person has to live or work within 20 kilometres of the home and respond to complaints within 30 minutes. There are exemptions, including the Hastings Street precinct.

Brisbane consulted on a short-stay permit law in 2025, then announced on 12 May 2026 that it would not go ahead with it at this time. Other councils are watching, so check for changes before you list.

Will your council rates change?

They can. Several councils rate short-stay homes differently from homes lived in by owners or long-term tenants. Brisbane, for example, has a paid guest accommodation category for homes advertised for stays of under 42 nights, and a transitory accommodation category rated higher than a long-term home. Ask your council how a short-stay home is rated before you work out your returns.

Can a body corporate stop you letting short term?

Generally no. Section 180(3) of the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 says that if a lot can lawfully be used for residential purposes, the by-laws can't restrict the type of residential use. The Commissioner for Body Corporate and Community Management has explained that adjudicators read this as stopping by-laws that ban short-term letting, such as minimum three-month lease rules.

By-laws can still regulate how guests behave. Noise, parking, the pool, rubbish and access cards are all fair game, and owners are responsible for their guests following them. Read your building's by-laws before you list, and give a copy to your manager.

Does your manager need a licence?

Yes. Anyone who lets your home for a fee needs a Queensland real estate licence and must hold guest money in a trust account. In June 2026 an operator who ran short-term lettings without a licence was fined and ordered to repay fees. Ask every manager for their licence number and check it on the Queensland Government's public register.

Rules by council

CouncilWhat to checkOur location page
City of Gold CoastDevelopment approval depending on zone, body corporate by-lawsGold Coast
Brisbane CityRates category, planning approval for some homesBrisbane
Redland CityMaterial change of use for stays under three monthsNorth Stradbroke Island
NoosaYearly short-stay approval, local contact within 20 kmComing soon

We'll add council guides for each of these with the full detail. For other parts of Australia, see our NSW short-stay rules guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a night cap on Airbnb in Queensland?

Not statewide. Queensland has no state register and no yearly night limit for short-stay homes. Councils set the rules through planning schemes, local laws and rates, so check with your council.

Can a Queensland body corporate ban Airbnb?

Generally no. Section 180(3) of the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 says by-laws can't restrict the type of residential use of a lot, and adjudicators have read that as stopping outright bans on short-term letting. By-laws can still regulate noise, parking, guests and common property.

Does my Airbnb manager need a licence in Queensland?

Yes. Anyone who lets your home for a fee in Queensland needs a real estate licence. In June 2026 an unlicensed short-term letting operator was fined and ordered to repay fees after a Queensland Government prosecution.

Do I need council approval to Airbnb my home in Queensland?

It depends on the council and the zone. In many councils, using a house as short-term accommodation is a change of use that needs a development approval. Noosa also needs a separate short-stay approval under its local law, renewed every year.

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