How to Register Your Airbnb on the NSW STRA Register

Before you can legally list a short-term rental anywhere in NSW, including Sydney and the Shoalhaven, the property needs to be on the NSW STRA Register. Here's how the process actually works.

Step by step

1. Create or log in to a NSW Planning Portal account, using your Service NSW credentials or a new account.
2. Confirm the dwelling type. Houses, units and terraces need to register. Movable dwellings like caravans are exempt, and approved tourist accommodation (hotels, motels, registered B&Bs) doesn't need STRA registration at all.
3. Submit property and host details, including the property's location and whether it has council development approval for STRA where relevant.
4. Confirm fire safety compliance. You'll need to confirm the dwelling meets the STRA fire safety standards before registration is accepted.
5. Agree to the Code of Conduct, which sets obligations for hosts, guests, platforms and letting agents.
6. Pay the fee. $65 for the initial registration, covering 12 months.
7. Receive your STRA Property ID and display it on your listing, since major platforms require it.

Keeping your registration active

Registration runs for 12 months from your original registration date, not the calendar year, and must be renewed annually for $25. Missing the renewal can mean losing your active registration, so it's worth diarising the date well ahead of time. Registration and renewal fees are both non-refundable.

What's different for Sydney and Shoalhaven properties

The registration process itself is identical everywhere in NSW. What differs is what happens after you're registered: non-hosted properties in Greater Sydney are subject to the 180-day annual cap, while Shoalhaven properties currently have no state or council-imposed night cap. Both still need to meet the same fire safety and Code of Conduct obligations.

Before you register

• Check your strata by-laws if you're in a unit or apartment building, since these can restrict or ban short-term letting regardless of state registration
• Confirm the property meets fire safety requirements, or arrange any upgrades needed first
• If the property needs council development consent for STRA use, sort that before registering

This is general information, not legal advice. Register directly through the NSW Planning Portal and confirm property-specific requirements with your council.

STRA registration FAQs

How long does registration take?

Processing times vary, so it's worth registering well before your planned listing date rather than leaving it to the last minute.

Do I need to register each property separately?

Yes. If you manage multiple STRA properties, each one needs its own registration and renewal.

What happens if I sell the property?

Registration is tied to the dwelling and host details on file, so a new owner needs to register the property under their own details.

Once you're registered, turnovers are the next thing to sort. See our Airbnb and holiday rental cleaning or pricing.