Short-term rental rules in New South Wales
Every short-term rental must be registered, meet a fire safety standard and follow a mandatory code of conduct. Unhosted stays are capped at 180 nights a year in Greater Sydney and some regional areas, and 60 nights in most of Byron Shire.
From official government and council sources · last checked 1 October 2026 · reviewed twice a month
What you need to know
- Register the property on the NSW Planning Portal short-term rental accommodation (STRA) register before you advertise it. Registration costs $65, with a $25 renewal each year.
- Unhosted stays (you don’t live there during the stay) are capped at 180 nights a year in Greater Sydney, and in parts of Ballina, Clarence Valley and Muswellbrook. Hosted stays aren’t capped.
- Bookings of 21 or more consecutive nights don’t count toward the cap.
- In most of Byron Shire, unhosted stays are capped at 60 nights a year, from 23 September 2024 or your first renewal after that. Mapped precincts in Byron Bay town centre and Brunswick Heads have no cap.
- The property must meet the STRA fire safety standard, including interconnected smoke alarms and an evacuation plan.
- Hosts must follow the Fair Trading code of conduct: give guests contact and emergency details, tell direct neighbours how to reach you, hold insurance for third-party injury or death that covers each stay, and be contactable from 8 am to 5 pm every day and for emergencies after hours. Serious breaches can put a host or guest on the exclusion register.
- Strata schemes can pass a by-law banning short-term rentals in lots that aren’t the owner’s or occupier’s home. Hosted stays can’t be banned this way.
Coming up: The NSW Government is reviewing the STRA rules. No changes have been announced as law yet.
Common questions
Do I need to register my Airbnb in NSW?
Yes. Every short-term rental in NSW must be registered on the NSW Planning Portal’s short-term rental accommodation register before you advertise it.
How many nights can I rent out my property in Sydney?
Unhosted stays (you don’t live there during the stay) are capped at 180 nights a year in Greater Sydney. Hosted stays aren’t capped, and bookings of 21 or more consecutive nights don’t count toward the cap.
What is the night cap in Byron Bay?
In most of Byron Shire, unhosted stays are capped at 60 nights a year. Mapped precincts in Byron Bay town centre and Brunswick Heads have no cap.
Can my strata ban short-term rentals?
A strata scheme can pass a by-law banning short-term rentals in lots that aren’t the owner’s or occupier’s home. Hosted stays can’t be banned this way.
Official sources
- NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure: short-term rental accommodation
- NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure: Byron Shire
- NSW Government: host obligations for short-term rental accommodation
General information, not legal advice. Councils add their own rules, and strata or owners corporations can too, so check with them before you list.
Ask about your suburb or situation
Get the short-term rental setup guide
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A good local manager knows these rules and handles registration, levies and guest rules for you. Compare the managers in your area: