What about what is taxed?

The levy applies to short stays of less than 28 consecutive days in the same property, not counting checkout day. The rate is 7.5 percent of the total booking fee, which includes the nightly rate, cleaning fees, GST and any late checkout fee, but not credit card or payment processing fees or damage charges. Example from the SRO: a total booking fee of AUD 1,000 means a levy of AUD 75. Revenue funds social and affordable housing.

What about who pays and who registers?

- If a guest books through a booking platform, the platform collects, lodges and pays the levy. If you only take bookings through platforms, you do not need to register. - If you accept bookings directly without a platform, you (as owner or tenant) must register and lodge returns. - Platforms register themselves and do not register individual properties.

What about which properties are included?

The levy applies to an entire house or apartment, a private room in a house that is not the owner's or renter's principal place of residence, and a granny flat or other separate residence that can be occupied separately. Exclusions include a stay in the principal place of residence of the owner or renter, properties that cannot be occupied separately from the main residence (sharing an entrance, kitchen or bathroom), hotels, motels and hostels, and moveable houseboats. If your property is exclud

What about how to register and lodge?

Register as an owner, booking platform or tenant (tenants contact the SRO). As an owner you provide your details (including date of birth and address), the date your first booking ended after 1 January 2025 and total short stay booking fees in 2024. You must register before the end of the first period in which you are liable. After registering you get two emails: a confirmation and a link to set up your portal password.

What about what the pages do not state?

They do not describe penalties, council permits, tourism registration or income tax. Take advice for those.

Do I register if I only use Airbnb?

No. The SRO says owners or tenants who only accept bookings through a booking platform do not need to register, because the platform handles the levy.

What counts as a short stay?

A stay of less than 28 consecutive days in the same property, not counting the checkout day.

Is my own home excluded?

A short stay in your principal place of residence is listed as an exclusion, but check the details with the SRO.

How much is the levy?

7.5 percent of the total booking fee for each short stay.

What about once you are registered?

Registration makes you legal. Distribution makes you earn. If you plan to list on several booking sites, keep one registration number and one calendar in sync across all of them: the free channel manager guide explains how calendar sync works and where it falls short. Fursat's own guest inventory is in India, so if you also run a property there, start at /list-your-property. New to hosting in general? Read How to Start a Homestay in India for the basics that carry across markets.

Journal/Homestay Guides

4 min read · 7 October 2026

Victoria Short Stay Levy. Do You Need to Register as a Host?

Victoria charges a 7.5 percent levy on short stays. Platforms collect it, but hosts taking direct bookings must register with the State Revenue Office. Here is how it works.

Sneha Surana

victoriaaustraliashort-stay-levy

Victoria Short Stay Levy. Do You Need to Register as a Host?

Keep reading.

Do I register if I only use Airbnb?

What counts as a short stay?

Is my own home excluded?

How much is the levy?