Gold Coast Short-Term Rental Registration Policy Approved, Matching Brisbane and Sydney Frameworks

Gold Coast City Council voted on 7 July to introduce a short-term rental registration scheme that requires owners to list properties rented for fewer than 90 consecutive days. The policy applies to all suburbs including Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and Main Beach, and follows the structure already operating in Brisbane since 2024 and in parts of Sydney.

The vote came as visitor numbers recover after the pandemic and as planning for the 2032 Olympic venues at Coomera and Robina advances. Council documents state the scheme will be administered through the existing development approvals process rather than creating a separate licensing body.

Impacts for local households and operators

Under the rules, owners must supply proof of compliance with fire safety and noise standards when registering. Residents who rent out a room or entire dwelling occasionally will pay a one-off fee set at the same level used in Brisbane. Properties used for longer stays remain outside the scheme, leaving most permanent rental agreements unchanged.

Light rail users travelling between Southport and Broadbeach will see no immediate difference, though enforcement officers will check registration status during routine compliance checks already funded in the council’s annual budget. Local real estate agents note that some investor-owned units currently listed on booking platforms will need to update listings before the 2027 start date.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics records show the Gold Coast recorded 14.8 million visitor nights in the year to March 2025, providing the baseline the council used to project the number of properties likely to register. The same data set underpins similar calculations in Brisbane and the Northern Beaches council area of Sydney.

Next steps require state government gazettal of the local law and preparation of an online portal. Council staff have been directed to report back on registration numbers within six months of the July 2027 commencement.