New law to require all Welsh accommodation providers to register with tax authority

Daniel Bevan - Editor

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Anyone charging guests to stay overnight in Wales will soon be legally required to register their visitor accommodation with the Welsh Revenue Authority (WRA).

The legislation is aimed at improving oversight of the sector and supporting councils considering a visitor levy.

The new requirement will apply to all paid visitor accommodation across Wales, including spare rooms, holiday cottages, cabins, campsites and hotels.

Registration will be mandatory regardless of whether properties are let for a single night, occasionally, seasonally or year-round.

The register is being introduced to provide a clearer picture of the volume and type of visitor accommodation operating in Wales and to help local authorities that choose to introduce the Visitor Levy.

Registration will open in autumn 2026, with both informal hosts and professional accommodation providers being required to comply, with penalties in place for those who fail to register.

Providers are being encouraged to begin preparing now by visiting gov.wales/registeryourplace, where they can see what information will be required and sign up for updates and reminders.

When the system opens, accommodation providers will be asked to submit details including contact information, the accommodation address, the type of accommodation, how many people can stay, and when the property is usually available for bookings.

Rebecca Godfrey, Chief Executive of the Welsh Revenue Authority, said: “If you take bookings for overnight stays in Wales, you’ll need to register with the WRA.

“We want to make this process as straightforward as possible, and we’re here to support accommodation providers to register correctly and on time.

“We’ll be publishing further guidance before registration opens in autumn 2026. In the meantime, I’d encourage providers to visit gov.wales/registeryourplace to find out what to expect and sign up for updates.”