Brisbane City Council is introducing new rules for Airbnb and short-term rentals starting mid-2026. Here's everything you need to know about permits, compliance, and how to maximise your rental income while staying compliant.
New permit required from July 2026 for all short-term rentals
Low-density suburban areas will face limitations; city & tourist zones unaffected
Local manager within 20km required (professional management recommended)
Public liability insurance and updated smoke alarms mandatory
Problem properties face permit revocation after 3 complaints
Unlike Sydney or Byron Bay, Brisbane allows year-round rentals in approved zones
The Reality: While these regulations sound comprehensive, enforcement in medium and high-density areas tends to focus primarily on problem properties generating complaints. Properties in established tourist zones with professional management rarely face issues. The key is proper setup, compliance documentation, and responsive guest management – exactly what professional STR managers like Lane Property provide.
Understanding the rollout schedule helps you prepare effectively. Here's what's happened and what's coming.
Brisbane City Council began charging approximately 50% higher council rates for properties used as short-term accommodation. This is already in effect and continues under the new rules.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner announced comprehensive STR reforms including permit requirements, 24/7 local contact rules, and the three-strikes policy. Community consultation period began.
The local law changes must receive Queensland State Government approval before implementation. This process typically takes 3-6 months.
Council aims for a mid-2026 implementation. All short-term rental operators will need to apply for and receive permits before continuing operations. Grace period likely for existing hosts.
All Queensland rental properties must have interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms in every bedroom, hallway, and level. This is separate from STR rules but applies to all rentals.
Brisbane's regulations are designed to professionalise short-term rentals while protecting neighbourhood amenity. Here's what each requirement means for property owners.
From mid-2026, all short-term rental properties will require a Council-issued permit to operate legally. This permit system creates a formal registry of STR properties and ensures compliance with local rules.
Similar permit systems in other cities show enforcement is typically complaint-driven. Well-managed properties in appropriate zones rarely encounter issues. Professional management ensures your permit application is complete and compliant from day one.
The most significant change: low-density residential areas will face heavy restrictions or outright bans on short-term rentals. City centre, tourist zones, and medium/high-density areas remain largely unaffected.
Brisbane wants STRs concentrated where tourism infrastructure already exists. Apartments in South Bank, units in New Farm, and properties near tourist attractions face minimal impact. The restrictions target standalone houses in quiet suburban streets where STRs were always a poor fit.
Every short-term rental must have a designated local manager available 24/7, located within 20km of the property, who can respond to complaints within one hour and attend the property if needed.
This is where professional management becomes essential. Companies like Lane Property provide 24/7 guest support as standard, with local team members ready to handle any situation. Services like OnCall Brisbane are also emerging specifically to meet this requirement for DIY hosts. For most owners, outsourcing this responsibility is the only practical option.
Public liability insurance becomes mandatory, along with enhanced safety requirements including updated smoke alarms, pool safety certificates, and emergency evacuation plans.
These requirements simply formalise what responsible hosts already do. Standard homeowner insurance doesn't cover short-term guests, so specialist STR insurance protects both you and your guests. The smoke alarm deadline applies to all rentals (not just STR), so it's a good time to upgrade anyway.
Hosts must establish and enforce clear house rules, including restrictions on parties, noise limits, maximum occupancy, and respect for neighbours. These rules must be displayed prominently in the property.
Strong house rules and guest screening protect you from the three-strikes policy. Professional managers use sophisticated booking systems to flag high-risk reservations (local bookings, one-night stays by young groups) and can decline them. This proactive approach keeps problem guests away from your property entirely.
Properties that accumulate three substantiated complaints within three years will have their permits revoked. This targets chronic problem properties while giving responsible operators room for occasional minor issues.
The three-strikes policy targets "party houses" and negligent hosts. Professionally managed properties with proper guest screening, 24/7 support, and rapid issue resolution rarely receive even one complaint. This policy actually helps legitimate operators by removing the problem properties that give STRs a bad reputation.
Understanding Brisbane's regulations in context helps put them in perspective. Here's how our rules stack up against other major markets.
No night caps: Unlike Sydney's 180-day limit or Byron Bay's severe 60-day restriction, Brisbane allows year-round operation in approved zones. This means unlimited income potential for compliant properties.
No state tax: Melbourne imposes a 7.5% levy on every booking (roughly $750 on a $10,000 stay). Brisbane has no equivalent state tax, making properties more competitive for guests and more profitable for owners.
Clear framework: Brisbane's rules are explicit and local, unlike Melbourne's patchwork of council-by-council regulations. You know exactly what's required and where you stand.
Professional-friendly: The 24/7 local contact requirement effectively channels the market toward professional management, which ironically benefits owners – better guest experience, fewer problems, and built-in compliance support.
Location matters. Brisbane's new rules target low-density residential suburbs while keeping tourist and high-density areas open for short-term rentals. Here's how to understand your property's status.
Properties in established tourism areas face minimal restrictions. These zones are designed for short-term accommodation and will continue to support STR operations with proper permits.
Apartment buildings and medium-density residential areas will require permits but remain viable for short-term rentals. These properties typically already have infrastructure supporting visitor stays.
Standalone houses in traditional suburban neighbourhoods will face the heaviest restrictions. Council estimates approximately 500 properties in this category may need to cease STR operations or secure special approval.
Our team can assess your property's zoning status and advise on the best path forward. We'll review Brisbane City Plan classifications and help you understand your options.
Get Your Free Property Assessment →Regulations on paper versus real-world enforcement are often quite different. Here's what actually happens with STR compliance in Australian cities.
While Brisbane's regulations appear comprehensive, enforcement typically follows a complaint-driven model focused on problem properties. Council resources are finite, and the goal is protecting neighbourhood amenity – not creating bureaucratic barriers for well-managed properties.
In established tourist and high-density areas, properties with proper permits, professional management, and no neighbour complaints rarely face enforcement scrutiny. The permit system creates accountability, but day-to-day operations continue normally for compliant hosts.
Similar permit requirements in other cities show that well-run properties simply incorporate compliance into their operations. The properties that face issues are invariably those generating repeated complaints, operating in clearly restricted zones, or refusing to engage with the permit system at all.
Brisbane Council lacks resources to proactively audit every STR property. Enforcement actions typically occur after multiple neighbour complaints about specific issues like noise, parking, or parties. Properties that don't generate complaints fly under the radar.
The three-strikes policy and enforcement efforts target chronic offenders – the "party houses" and negligent operators who create genuine amenity problems. Well-managed properties with professional oversight rarely accumulate even one strike.
Holding a valid permit actually protects you. It demonstrates good faith compliance and shifts Council focus to unpermitted operators. If a complaint arises, you're already in the system as a legitimate operator following the rules.
Noosa Shire has operated a similar permit system with 24/7 contact requirements since 2022 – providing valuable insights into how enforcement actually works.
The Noosa data reveals an important pattern: the vast majority of properties (over 95%) operated without receiving any fines or enforcement action in that quarter. The penalties were concentrated among a small group of non-compliant operators who hadn't obtained permits, weren't displaying required signage, or had repeated violations.
Key insight: Problems essentially vanished for compliant properties. Noosa officials noted that notorious "party houses" disappeared entirely after the local law took effect. For responsible operators, it was business as usual – just with proper paperwork in place.
Don't wait until the last minute. Apply as soon as the system opens and demonstrate proactive compliance.
24/7 guest support, screening systems, and rapid issue resolution prevent complaints from ever occurring.
Decline high-risk bookings (local one-night stays, large groups with same-day bookings) to avoid parties.
Provide your contact details to immediate neighbours and address any concerns immediately.
Keep permits, insurance certificates, safety compliance records, and incident logs organised and accessible.
Properties in mixed-use, tourist, or high-density areas face minimal scrutiny compared to quiet suburbs.
Understanding the financial impact of Brisbane's new regulations helps you budget accurately and make informed decisions about your property's future.
Plus your own time for guest communications, cleaning coordination, bookings management, and issue resolution.
But: Higher occupancy (84% vs ~60%), better rates, zero time investment, and typically 30-40% more net income despite the fee.
Compliance costs add roughly $2,000-4,500 annually to your operating expenses, depending on whether you self-manage or use professional management. However, Brisbane's lack of night caps (unlike Sydney's 180-day limit) and absence of state taxes (unlike Melbourne's 7.5% levy) means your earning potential remains unlimited in approved zones. A well-managed Brisbane STR can still generate 40% more income than long-term rental, even with new compliance costs factored in. The key is choosing the right location, obtaining proper permits, and ensuring professional operations to avoid the three-strikes risk.
Brisbane's new regulations might seem daunting, but they're exactly what professional STR managers handle every day. Here's how we ensure your property thrives under the new rules.
We handle every aspect of the permit application, insurance coordination, safety certification, and ongoing reporting. Your property stays compliant without any effort from you.
Our Queensland-based team provides round-the-clock guest support and emergency response within the required timeframes. We're already set up for the 24/7 local contact requirement.
Our AI-powered booking system flags high-risk reservations before they're accepted. We proactively prevent the situations that lead to complaints and strikes.
We provide contact details to neighbours, respond to concerns immediately, and maintain positive relationships that prevent formal complaints.
Our 84% occupancy rate and dynamic pricing deliver the income you need to justify the new compliance costs – typically 40% more than long-term rental.
4.9-star rating, 120+ properties under management, and zero three-strike violations. We know how to run compliant, high-performing short-term rentals.
We evaluate your property's zoning status, compliance requirements, and income potential under the new regulations.
We handle all permit applications, insurance arrangements, safety upgrades, and documentation from day one.
Your property goes live on all major platforms with optimised pricing, professional photos, and our proven booking system.
We manage everything: guest communications, cleaning, maintenance, compliance reporting, and maximising your income.
Clear answers to the most common questions about Brisbane's new short-term rental regulations.
Brisbane City Council announced the regulations in December 2025, with a target implementation date of mid-2026 (approximately July 2026). However, the regulations must first receive Queensland State Government approval, which typically takes 3-6 months.
Once approved, there will likely be a grace period allowing existing operators time to apply for permits and adjust their operations. The council rates surcharge for STR properties has already been in effect since July 2022.
It depends on your property's location and type. Properties in these categories face minimal impact:
• Apartments and units (any location)
• Properties in CBD, Fortitude Valley, South Bank, New Farm
• Tourist precincts and high-density residential zones
• Properties with existing development approval for STR
Significant restrictions apply to: Standalone houses in low-density suburban areas without prior STR approval. Council estimates around 500 properties fall into this category.
The best approach is to have your specific property assessed against Brisbane City Plan zoning classifications. Lane Property offers free zoning assessments.
Technically yes, but the 24/7 local contact requirement makes it challenging. You must:
• Be available 24/7 (no exceptions, even on holidays)
• Live within 20km of the property
• Respond to complaints within 1 hour
• Attend the property in person when needed
• Provide Council with incident reports within 24 hours
Many owners find professional management more practical, or use services like OnCall Brisbane specifically for the 24/7 contact requirement while handling other aspects themselves. Full-service management includes this requirement plus guest screening, dynamic pricing, and compliance management.
Operating without a permit after the regulations take effect will be illegal. Consequences include:
• Fines up to $140,000 for serious violations
• Enforcement notices requiring you to cease STR operations
• Removal of your listing from platforms like Airbnb
• Potential court action for continued non-compliance
That said, enforcement typically focuses on properties generating complaints or operating in clearly prohibited zones. Properties in approved areas with permits rarely face scrutiny. The key is obtaining your permit early and operating professionally.
If your property accumulates three substantiated complaints or violations within three years, Council will revoke your STR permit, effectively banning short-term rentals at that address.
Strikes typically come from:
• Verified noise complaints from neighbours
• Violations of guest code of conduct
• Failure to respond to complaints appropriately
• Repeated safety or permit condition breaches
The good news: This policy targets chronic problem properties. Professionally managed STRs with proper guest screening and 24/7 support rarely receive even one complaint. Strikes also reset after three years, so isolated incidents don't permanently affect you.
No. This is one of Brisbane's advantages. Unlike:
• Sydney: 180-night annual cap for unhosted properties
• Byron Bay: 60-night annual cap for most areas
• Some Melbourne councils: 90-night caps under consideration
Brisbane allows unlimited short-term rental nights (365 days per year) for properties with valid permits in approved zones. This means your income potential isn't artificially limited by night caps.
Not at this stage. Queensland has no state-level short-term rental tax or levy. Brisbane's approach uses:
• Higher council rates for STR properties (~50% surcharge)
• Annual permit fees (amount TBD, likely $300-600)
• Compliance costs (insurance, safety requirements)
But there's no per-booking tax like Victoria's 7.5% levy (which adds $750 to a $10,000 stay). This makes Brisbane properties more competitive for guests and more profitable for owners. While future tax changes are always possible, there's no indication Queensland is considering a levy in 2026.
In Queensland, body corporates currently have limited power to ban short-term rentals outright (unlike Victoria, where they can now implement blanket bans). However:
• Your building's by-laws may have restrictions you must follow
• Some buildings require prior notification or approval
• Body corporates can fine owners for noise/behaviour violations
• Brisbane is lobbying the state to give bodies corporate more power
Best practice: Review your body corporate by-laws, maintain good relations with the committee, follow all building rules, and ensure professional management that prevents complaints. If your building actively opposes STR, it may not be viable long-term even if currently legal.
This depends entirely on your property's location and circumstances:
Continue STR if:
• Your property is in city centre, tourist zones, or high/medium density areas
• You're willing to obtain permits and use professional management
• Your property can still generate 30-40% more income than long-term rental
• The compliance costs are proportionate to your revenue
Consider alternatives if:
• Your property is in a low-density suburb unlikely to receive permit approval
• Compliance costs exceed the income premium over long-term rental
• You're unwilling to meet the 24/7 contact and management requirements
Get a professional assessment before making any decisions. Many properties will remain highly profitable under the new rules, while others may be better suited to long-term tenants.
Let our experienced team handle compliance while you enjoy hassle-free income. Free property assessment and income analysis – no obligation.
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