Short-Term Rental Accommodation Planning Reforms

Where STRA is not exempt, development approval will be required from the applicable local government. This approval is called a development approval. The development approval process allows local governments to assess a proposal in more detail to determine whether it is appropriate for a location and may also include consultation with neighbouring landowners.

In the Perth metropolitan area, development approval will be required where it is the intention that un-hosted STRA will operate for more than 90 nights (inclusive) within a 12 month period.

Outside the Perth metropolitan area – including the Peel region – un-hosted STRA will be subject to planning provisions set by the applicable local government. This is to ensure that rules for STRA are tailored to suit the tourism and housing conditions of specific locations.

In 2019, a Parliamentary inquiry Levelling the Playing Field: Managing the impact of the rapid increase of short-term rentals in Western Australia identified a whole-of-government response for the regulation of STRA.

The changes ensure a more consistent set of rules apply to STRA in WA, while acknowledging the role it plays in providing alternative accommodation options in certain localities.

Up until now, local governments have set their own requirements on whether approvals are required to establish STRA, as well as enforcement matters.

The proposed changes to planning regulations will provide greater consistency across the state in relation to what approvals are needed (if any) for STRA proposals, as well as how these uses are defined in local (town) planning schemes. Through doing this, we can ensure a user-friendly approach to obtaining necessary approvals for higher impact STRA, while still allowing local governments to assess amenity matters.

These changes will provide both local and state government with insight into where these types of accommodations are occurring. They will also afford an extra layer of transparency and peace-of-mind for all operators and users of STRA within WA.

All LGAs will be expected to amend their local planning schemes to implement the policy changes throughout 2025 and be able to issue development approvals by 1 January 2026, if required.

Local governments will be making changes to their local laws at different times in the lead up to 1 January 2026 so STRA property owners will need to make sure they comply with planning requirements in their local governments as and when they change.

It is considered that STRA can have impacts on the local neighbourhood and residential amenity, particularly where a host is not present onsite to manage guests and deal with disturbances. Commonly reported issues with un-hosted STRA include noise or anti social behaviour from ‘party houses’, increased demand for on-street car parking as well as higher demand for local services such as rubbish collection.

The development approval process allows local government to better understand where STRA is occurring in a neighbourhood, assess the impacts of existing and proposed STRA, as well as ensure that strategies are in place to manage these if any issues arise.

These changes seek to strike a balance between maintaining choice in accommodation options for visitors, providing flexibility for owners to rent out their properties on the short term market, whilst ensuring some form of regulation is in place to manage impacts on both local neighbourhood amenity and housing supply for the broader community.

A 90-night exemption is considered a fair balance to accommodate those who wish to rent out their property on ad-hoc occasions, such as when they are away on holidays.

Regional local governments, with the assistance of the Western Australian Planning Commission, will need to amend their planning schemes to include new land use definitions for STRA, to ensure consistency across the state in terms of how these uses are defined from a planning perspective.

If your property is located outside the Perth metropolitan area, please contact your local government to ascertain what planning (or other) approvals may be required to operate a STRA from your property.

No. Caps to restrict the number of nights a property can be let out as STRA are not proposed. Instead, what is proposed is an exemption from the requirement to obtain development approval in the Perth metropolitan area only if un-hosted STRA is let out less than 90 nights within a 12-month period.

Hosted STRA will be exempt from the requirement to obtain a development approval across the entire state because the impacts of this type of use are considered to be minimal, given the primary occupier of the property remains onsite for the duration of the stay.

By definition, hosted STRA remains the host’s primary residence throughout the duration of a visitor’s stay. Having a host permanently on the property helps to manage some of the amenity concerns that can be associated with STRA. Hosted STRA, by its very nature, also continues to provide permanent accommodation to the host in addition to the short-term guests, meaning it does not impact local housing supply in the same way as un-hosted STRA.

These changes are not intended to capture the following forms of short-term and temporary accommodation, which are often subject to either alternative guidance and legislation or approvals by government:

• house swapping and house sitting
• lodgers and boarders
• personal use of a holiday home or the sharing of a holiday home with the owner’s family and friends
• student exchange accommodation
• workforce accommodation
• residential parks, park home parks and lifestyle villages.

The changes also do not impact traditional forms of tourist or serviced accommodation such as hostels, hotels, caravan parks, motels resorts and serviced apartments.

Under these changes, property owners will still have the choice to operate STRA from their property. If you already have planning (development) approval from your local government, you can continue to operate.

Contact your local government for further information on lodging a development application (for a change of use), including application requirements and fees. A separate building permit may also be required should any structural changes be required to a building to facilitate a STRA proposal.

It can take up to 90 days for the local government to determine a development application, depending on the public advertising (i.e. consultation) requirements applicable in your area.

Existing development approvals will continue to apply after the introduction of these changes. In some cases, the conditions of a development approval may include a time limit (e.g. the approval is valid for three years). If your development approval expires, it will be necessary to obtain a new approval. If you are unsure about the validity of your existing development approval, check with your local government.

It is an offence under the Planning and Development Act 2005 to use land without having obtained the correct development approval. If you do not obtain development approval, you may be subject to compliance proceedings and penalties from the local government.

The Western Australian Planning Commission policy outlines the State Government’s approach to changing town planning rules to better regulate STRA in WA. The policy also details a number of other matters relating to how both the State and local governments can better plan for tourism, especially from the longer-term/strategic perspective.

To view the Position Statement and Guidelines visit the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage website: Short-Term Rental Accommodation.

Key dates

Mid 2024
State-Wide STRA Register to open to registrations

1 January 2025
Deadline for all STRA properties to be registered

1 January 2026
Deadline for LGAs to amend their local planning schemes to implement the policy changes and be able to issue development approvals.

For more information on the Tourism and STRA Position Statement, including changes to the planning regulations and local planning schemes, contact Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage on (08) 6551 8002, or email tourism@dplh.wa.gov.au.

I want to let out my property while I go on a four-week overseas holiday.

• No development approval is required in the Perth metropolitan area, where the property is not rented for more than 90 nights within a 12-month period.
• If you are in a regional area, check with your local government to determine if development approval is required.
• Registration on the STRA Register will be required.

I have a holiday house that I let out throughout the year when my family and I don’t use it.

• Within Perth metropolitan area, development approval is required if the property is rented for more than 90 nights (inclusive) within 12-month period (if development approval not previously obtained).
• Outside Perth metropolitan area (including Peel) – requirement for development approval will be determined by your local government.
• Registration on the STRA Register will be required.

I am going caravanning around Australia for six months and want to let out my property for STRA while I am away, so I can manage my housing situation if I have to come back early.

• Within the Perth metropolitan area, development approval is required (if development approval has not previously been obtained).
• Outside the Perth metropolitan area (including Peel), requirement for development approval will be determined by the applicable local government.
• Registration on the STRA Register will be required.

I own an investment property which I let out for STRA all year round.

• Within the Perth metropolitan area, development approval is required (if development approval has not previously been obtained).
• Outside the Perth metropolitan area (including Peel), the requirement for development approval will be determined by the applicable local government.
• Registration on the STRA Register will be required.

I own my house and have two spare rooms that I let out for STRA to provide me with a secondary income.

• No development approval is required in the metropolitan or regional areas.
• Registration on the STRA Register will be required.

Each year my family and I house-swap with our friends in Broome for a month.

• No development approval or registration on the STRA Register is required.
• This does not meet the definition of STRA and is not covered as part of the reforms.