Edinburgh visitor levy starts 24 July 2026: what travelers will pay and when it applies
- Thor
- Jan 12
- 3 min read
Edinburgh has confirmed a visitor levy for paid overnight accommodation, adding a percentage charge to most stays from 24 July 2026 onward. For travelers, the key detail is not only the 5% rate, but also the booking cutoff that determines whether the levy applies to a specific reservation.
Last updated: 12 January 2026
Edinburgh visitor levy: what it is
The Edinburgh visitor levy is a 5% charge applied to the cost of paid, overnight accommodation within the City of Edinburgh Council area. The council states the levy is calculated before VAT and does not apply to extras such as meals, parking, drinks, or transport.
The levy is also capped to the first five nights of a stay. If you stay longer, the visitor levy is only charged for nights one to five.
When the Edinburgh visitor levy applies
The Edinburgh visitor levy is based on two dates:
Stay date: it applies to stays on or after 24 July 2026
Booking date and payment status: it applies only if your stay was booked on or after 1 October 2025
The council also states that stays on or after 24 July 2026 that were booked and paid for (in part or in full) before 1 October 2025 are not subject to the levy.
Quick rule-of-thumb
Staying in Edinburgh before 24 July 2026: no levy
Staying on or after 24 July 2026, but booked and paid before 1 October 2025: no levy
Staying on or after 24 July 2026, booked on or after 1 October 2025: levy applies
How much you may pay: Edinburgh visitor levy examples
Because the Edinburgh visitor levy is a percentage charge, the actual amount depends on your nightly rate. These examples use simple numbers to show how it behaves:
Weekend city break (2 nights): accommodation cost EUR 500 total, levy is 5% of the accommodation portion for the two nights. That is EUR 25 added (excluding any VAT treatment on the levy itself).
Short holiday (5 nights): accommodation cost EUR 1,200 total, levy is EUR 60 (5% of EUR 1,200).
Long stay (8 nights): accommodation cost EUR 2,000 total, levy is still capped to the first 5 nights. The levy would be 5% of the accommodation cost attributable to nights 1 to 5. The exact amount will depend on whether the property prices each night equally or varies by date.
If you are comparing cities, the most useful approach is to treat the visitor levy as a predictable budget line for Edinburgh stays and compare total costs across similar destinations.
Why this matters for travelers
The Edinburgh visitor levy is not a travel restriction, but it does change what travelers will pay, and it affects how you should read accommodation pricing:
Your total trip cost increases. Even a small percentage becomes noticeable on higher nightly rates and multi-room bookings.
Different platforms display taxes differently. Some show the levy at checkout, while others may show it later in the booking flow.
Business travel is included. The council’s guidance indicates the levy is tied to paid overnight accommodation, regardless of whether the trip is leisure or work.
Booking tips for Edinburgh stays
Check the price breakdown for a line item that references visitor levy, tourist tax, local tax, or similar.
Confirm how your platform applies the cutoff date. The booking date and payment timing can matter for whether the levy is charged.
Keep your booking confirmation if you booked before the cutoff and the stay starts after the levy date.
Avoid surprises on arrival. If you are traveling as a group, verify whether the levy is included in the total or payable locally.
What to watch next
Edinburgh’s scheme is widely viewed as a model other destinations may follow over time. If more UK cities adopt similar charges, travelers may see additional local levies layered on top of accommodation prices in future years.
Sources
More on GlobalTravelsInfo
If you want to compare how similar costs work elsewhere in Europe, see the site’s update on the Brussels accommodation tax increase. For ongoing updates, browse the News section.
Comments