policy
Short-Term Accommodation Regulation Amendment Bill 2026 and Sunshine Coast Holiday Letting Rules
Sunshine Coast property owners offering short-term rentals will need to register with the state government from 2027 under the new bill, in line with rules already operating in the Gold Coast and Brisbane.
How we reported this
The Short-Term Accommodation Regulation Amendment Bill 2026 requires all short-term rental operators in Queensland to register properties with the state and pay an annual fee of $350. The bill applies statewide but gives local councils authority to set additional caps on the number of nights a property can be let if more than 15 percent of dwellings in a postcode are used for short-term stays.
The legislation follows a 2025 Productivity Commission report that identified rising numbers of entire-home listings on platforms such as Airbnb in coastal regions. The bill was introduced in the Queensland Parliament in June 2026 and is scheduled for final debate in August. It replaces the previous voluntary code that applied only to new listings after 2024.
Impact on Sunshine Coast residents
Residents in Maroochydore, Mooloolaba and Noosa who rent out homes for holiday stays will face new compliance costs and possible night limits if their postcode exceeds the 15 percent threshold. Local real estate agents report that approximately 4,200 properties on the Sunshine Coast are currently listed for short-term rental, representing about 8 percent of total dwellings. The registration requirement will apply to both full-time holiday lets and occasional listings by owner-occupiers.
Daily life for permanent residents could change through reduced availability of long-term rental stock if some owners exit the short-term market. Housing advocates note that several streets near the Sunshine Coast University Hospital already have clusters of holiday rentals that compete with workers seeking year-round accommodation. The bill does not directly fund new housing but requires councils to publish annual reports on rental composition.
Comparison with other Queensland regions
The Gold Coast has operated under a similar registration system since 2024 and currently records 22 percent of its dwellings in short-term use in beachside postcodes. Brisbane inner-city suburbs sit at 9 percent. Sunshine Coast figures sit between these two, which means the new state rules will trigger council powers here only if listings rise further. Cairns and Townsville, with lower tourism-driven letting rates, are not expected to reach the 15 percent threshold under current projections.
The government says the policy will generate $12 million annually across Queensland from registration fees, with the funds directed to the Department of Housing to support compliance monitoring. Councils on the Sunshine Coast will receive a share of these fees to administer local caps if they choose to introduce them. The next step is the August parliamentary vote, after which the Department of Housing will issue registration guidelines by December 2026.