What accommodation providers in Wales need to know about visitor accommodation registration

Visitor accommodation providers across Wales are being encouraged to register with the Welsh Revenue Authority (WRA), following the opening of the new national registration scheme on 1 October 2026.

Under the new legal requirements, existing providers offering visitor accommodation for short-term overnight stays must register by 31 March 2027.

The scheme covers a wide range of accommodation, including self-catering holiday lets, hotels, bed and breakfasts, guesthouses, glamping sites, holiday lodges, static caravans used for short-term holiday lets, and pitches for tents, touring caravans, motorhomes and campervans. It also includes individuals occasionally letting out their homes or spare rooms to visitors.

Residential caravans used solely as permanent homes are not covered by the registration requirement. However, where a caravan park or other site offers short-term holiday accommodation, the person responsible for providing that accommodation must register.

For caravan sites, it is important to distinguish between permanent or seasonal pitches and those offered to visiting holidaymakers. Pitches occupied by caravans on a permanent or semi-permanent basis are not themselves classed as visitor accommodation. However, caravans let to visitors for short stays, and pitches offered to visiting touring caravans, motorhomes and campervans, fall within the registration requirements.

Importantly, registration is a separate requirement from the Visitor Levy and applies to providers across Wales, regardless of whether their local authority decides to introduce a levy.

While individual councils have the discretion to introduce a Visitor Levy in their area, the requirement to register is nationwide. This means that even where a council chooses not to introduce the levy, accommodation providers covered by the scheme must still register.

The registration requirement generally applies to those offering visitor accommodation for stays of 31 nights or less, whether the accommodation is available throughout the year or on a seasonal basis.

It is important to note that the 31-night threshold refers to the length of stays being offered, not the total number of nights the accommodation is let throughout the year.

Registration is free and can be completed online through the WRA. Providers will need to supply basic information about themselves or their business, alongside details of their accommodation, including its location, type and capacity.

CLA Cymru encourages members operating visitor accommodation to familiarise themselves with the new requirements and complete their registration ahead of the March 2027 deadline. Failure to register where required could result in financial penalties.

Members can find guidance and complete their registration through the Welsh Government website:

Register your visitor accommodation in Wales

If you have further questions about registration or need advice on how it applies to your circumstances, contact CLA Cymru's Policy Advisers at wales@cla.org.uk or on 01547 317085.