Gold Coast Mandates Short-Term Rental Registration Starting September

Gold Coast City Council voted 10-5 on 7 July to introduce compulsory registration for all short-term rental properties advertised online. The new rules apply to every listing within the local government area and require owners to pay an annual fee of $350 plus provide proof of compliance with fire safety and noise standards.

The decision follows months of public submissions and comes as visitor numbers to the Gold Coast continue to climb after the pandemic. Council documents show 8,400 active short-term rental listings recorded in the 2025 financial year, concentrated in Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and Coolangatta.

Comparison with Brisbane and Sunshine Coast councils

Under the new Gold Coast policy, operators must register before advertising and renew each year, matching the Brisbane City Council system introduced in 2024. In contrast, the Sunshine Coast Regional Council still operates a voluntary code of conduct without mandatory registration or fees, a difference noted in the Gold Coast council report tabled at the meeting.

For local residents the change means short-term rental owners in residential streets will need to display registration numbers on listings and maintain complaint logs. Tenants in the same buildings may see fewer weekend party bookings once the registry is enforced by council officers starting in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Council budget papers for 2026-27 allocate $1.8 million to the regulatory team that will manage the registry and conduct random compliance checks. The figure covers five additional compliance officers and a dedicated online portal for residents to report suspected breaches.

Further implementation steps include public release of the registration database in October and a six-month grace period for existing operators to complete applications. Council staff will report back to the chamber in February 2027 with the first six months of registration numbers and enforcement data.