policy
Short Term Rental Accommodation Bill Sets Gold Coast Registration Deadlines for Hosts
Gold Coast short-term rental operators must complete state registration by July 2027 under the new legislation, with local compliance checks beginning in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach from early next year.
How we reported this
The Short Term Rental Accommodation Bill passed by Queensland Parliament in June requires all short-term rental properties across the Gold Coast to register with the Department of Housing by 1 July 2027. Hosts must supply property details, safety certificates and owner contact information through a central portal, directly affecting an estimated 4,800 listings in postcode areas 4217 and 4218.
Gold Coast tourism numbers reached 7.2 million visitors in the 2025 calendar year according to Tourism and Events Queensland data, prompting the state government to advance the bill as part of broader planning reforms tied to the 2032 Olympic venues at Coomera and Robina. The legislation addresses existing gaps in local council oversight where short-term rentals have operated without uniform safety or reporting standards.
Registration phases and resident costs
From January 2027, Gold Coast City Council officers will begin spot audits on properties within 500 metres of light rail stops at Southport and Nerang. Hosts will incur a $280 annual registration fee plus any required electrical and pool fencing upgrades, with non-compliant listings facing fines starting at $5,000 per offence under the bill's penalty schedule.
Local real estate agents report that many investor-owned apartments in Main Beach already carry body corporate restrictions on short-term letting, meaning the new state rules will add a second layer of paperwork for those owners. Residents renting out rooms in their primary residence at Burleigh Heads will face the same registration requirement but can apply for a reduced fee if annual income from the arrangement stays below $20,000.
Implementation timeline through 2028
The Department of Housing has stated that the first compliance reports will be published in December 2027, followed by a public register available online from March 2028. Gold Coast residents seeking to list properties after that date will need to display their registration number in all advertisements on platforms such as Airbnb and Stayz.
Further regulations on maximum occupancy and noise limits are scheduled for consultation in the second half of 2027, with final rules expected to apply from 1 January 2028. The state budget papers allocate $2.5 million over two years for enforcement staff and the digital registration system.