Airbnb and short-stay rules in Brisbane

1. No permit, register or night cap

Brisbane City Council spent two years developing a Short Stay Accommodation Local Law with a permit scheme due to start on 1 July 2026. On 12 May 2026 the Lord Mayor announced it would not proceed at this time. So there is currently no council permit, no listing number and no limit on the number of nights you can let.

Queensland also has no state register or night cap (unlike NSW), and no short-stay levy (unlike Victoria). Council has said it will keep enforcing its existing planning laws and work with booking platforms on problem properties.

2. Zoning: apartments are usually fine, houses may need approval

Under Brisbane City Plan 2014, short-term accommodation (stays of under three months) is a planning use, and whether you need approval depends on the zone your property is in.

Property	What usually applies
Apartment in a centre or mixed-use zone (common in the CBD, Fortitude Valley and South Brisbane)	Generally accepted development, so no development approval is needed
Apartment in a medium or high density residential zone	Depends on the zone code and the building's approval, so check before listing
Whole house in the Low density residential zone	Impact assessable, so you need a publicly notified development application before letting the whole home short-term
Spare room in the home you live in	Treated as a bed and breakfast home-based business, which can be accepted development if you meet the conditions

Council has said it will keep acting on short stays that operate without the approval they need, and doing so is a development offence. Operating without approval can bring heavy penalties. Check your zone on Council's City Plan online map, or ask us and we will check it before you list.

3. Council rates: the transitory accommodation category

Council charges higher rates on homes used for short stays. A property falls into the transitory accommodation category if it is let for stays of under 42 consecutive days and offered or used that way for more than 60 days a year. You are expected to tell Council yourself, using the "Update property use" form on its website.

2026–27 rating category	Rate (cents in the dollar)	Minimum
Transitory accommodation, house	0.4901	$2,434.96
Transitory accommodation, apartment	0.5399	$2,491.60
Owner-occupied home (for comparison)	0.2134	$949.64

For most inner-city apartments the extra rates are a small fraction of the extra income from short stays, but they belong in your numbers. Stays of 42 nights or more, such as corporate or medical stays, sit outside the transitory definition.

4. Body corporate: most buildings cannot ban short stays

Most Queensland apartment buildings run under the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997. Under that Act, a by-law cannot restrict the type of residential use of a lot, and the tribunal (QCAT) has found that short-term letting is a residential use. In practice, most bodies corporate cannot ban Airbnb, including by calling it a "commercial" use.

Two caveats. A small number of older schemes (around 200) still run under the earlier BUGTA legislation, where a ban can be possible. And every building can enforce by-laws on noise, parking, pools, rubbish and guest behaviour, so a well-run, well-screened listing matters. We read the by-laws for every building before we take it on.

5. Safety: interconnected smoke alarms by 1 January 2027

Every existing Queensland home and unit must have interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms that meet the new standard by 1 January 2027. Many short-stay properties already have them, but older apartments often don't. Book it in now, because electricians get busy close to the deadline.

You should also have public liability insurance that covers short-term guests. Standard landlord policies often exclude short stays.

6. Tax

Short-stay income is taxable and has to go in your tax return, along with deductions for costs like management fees, cleaning, rates and depreciation. Since 1 July 2024 booking platforms report host income directly to the ATO, so assume the ATO knows what you earned. If you let part of the home you live in, it can affect your capital gains tax main-residence exemption and your land tax home exemption. Talk to your accountant about your own situation.

Common questions

Do I need a permit to run an Airbnb in Brisbane?

No. Brisbane City Council decided on 12 May 2026 not to proceed with its proposed short-stay permit law, so there is currently no permit, registration or listing number. You still need to meet zoning rules and tell Council so it can apply the right rates category.

Can my body corporate ban Airbnb in my Brisbane apartment?

In most cases, no. Under the Body Corporate and Community Management Act a by-law cannot restrict the type of residential use of a lot, and short-term letting counts as residential use. Some older schemes under BUGTA legislation are an exception. All buildings can still enforce by-laws on noise, parking and common property.

Is there a night cap on short stays in Brisbane?

No. Unlike Greater Sydney, which caps non-hosted short stays at 180 nights a year, Brisbane and Queensland have no limit on the number of nights you can let.

How much more are council rates for an Airbnb in Brisbane?

For 2026–27, transitory accommodation is rated at 0.4901 cents in the dollar for houses and 0.5399 for apartments, with minimums of about $2,435 and $2,492. Owner-occupied homes are rated at 0.2134 cents. The category applies if the property is offered for stays under 42 days for more than 60 days a year.

Can I Airbnb a house in a Brisbane suburb?

Letting a whole house short-term in the Low density residential zone is impact assessable, which means you need a publicly notified development application first. Apartments in centre and mixed-use zones generally do not need approval. Check your zone before you list.

Managing in Sydney too? Read the Sydney and NSW short-stay rules. Local guides: Brisbane CBD, New Farm, Fortitude Valley & Newstead, Kangaroo Point, South Brisbane & West End, Woolloongabba.

Last checked: 9 November 2026. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change, so confirm the details for your own property with the council, your body corporate or strata manager, and your accountant.