Visitor levy for Edinburgh

Overview

The City of Edinburgh Council is planning to introduce a visitor levy for overnight guests in paid accommodation, set to take effect in July 2026.

This small charge will help sustain Edinburgh’s status as a cultural and heritage destination, raising a forecasted £100 million by 2030. Income generated will be reinvested into services and infrastructure benefiting both visitors and residents.

The proposed 5% levy, applicable for a maximum of seven nights, will support public services, cultural programs, city infrastructure and visitor management.

How will the visitor levy work in Edinburgh?

The levy is paid by the visitor on the accommodation aspect of the booking only. This means that any room add-ons such as food and drink, leisure facility access, parking etc. will not be included in the levy calculations.

In most cases, the levy is paid by the visitor to the accommodation provider, who is liable for the levy. The Council will then collect all levy payments from accommodation providers.

Public consultation – Have your say!

The City of Edinburgh Council has published a draft scheme and are now seeking your views to help shape the final version, which will come into force in July 2026. Whether you’re visiting, living or working in Edinburgh, the Council is now inviting your thoughts on:

• The 5% levy rate and types of accommodation subject to the charge.
• Allocation of funds for city improvement.
• Possible exemptions to the levy.

The public consultation is open until 15 December 2024. For more information and to share your views, visit the Council’s consultation page.

Public drop-ins, business sessions, and stakeholder meetings will be held for further engagement. Councillors will review feedback before finalising the scheme in early 2025, with implementation expected by July 2026.

We will keep this page updated with further developments.