Western Australia’s Short Term Rental Accommodation (STRA) Register: 6 Things You Need To Know

Disclosure: Whilst this article aims to provide informed guidance on this matter, reflective of the state of play at the time of writing, this article does not represent legal advice.  Please refer to the Western Australian Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety for the latest guidelines and seek your own independent legal advice. 

With Western Australia’s Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (also known as DEMIRS) recently providing advice that it would follow a similar path to New South Wales’s STRA Register launched in 2021, the official launch of the WA STRA Register is fast approaching.

To assist with this legislative change, Homhero is developing a registration interface to enable Western Australian property managers to enter registration details for their managed properties led by our Director of Technology Kim Richardson, with a target release date of October 2024.  

Homhero is also collaborating with supported channels to provide regulation integration for Western Australian STRA registered properties and is working with DEMIRS to facilitate automated booking registration. As more information on release dates from third parties is made available, Homhero will endeavor to continue providing updates.

Read on to find out the most important things Western Australian STRA owners and property managers need to know heading into 2025 and beyond. 

Which Types of Properties Need To Be Registered on the WA STRA Register?

The typical types of residential premises the registration applies to are:

• Granny flats and similar ancillary dwellings
• Houses and townhouses
• Units and apartments
• Bed and breakfasts
• Individually managed premises

WA’s Length of Stay Criteria For Being Deemed A Short Term Rental 

Any residential premises provided on a commercial basis for occupation to the same person, or persons, for no more than 3 months in a 12 month period.

In other words, if renting to the same tenant for more than three months in a 12 month period, it is likely the property would be deemed a long-term rental and may be more appropriately considered under Western Australia’s Residential Tenancy Act instead (please do your own research on this, as the focus of this article is simply related to alerting our readers that upcoming STRA changes are looming).

Which Properties Do Not Need to be Registered?

STRA Registration is not required for holiday houses that are only shared with family and friends (such as private-use holiday homes).

Also excluded from registration at the time of writing are hotels, motels, caravan parks, residential parks, as well as premises used exclusively for workforce, student, or crisis accommodation. 

Important Dates WA’s STRA Register Rollout

• 1st July 2024 – WA online STRA register launched
• July to September 2024 – Initial registration is free (i.e. no cost) during July, August and September of 2024
• 1st January 2025 – Registration will become mandatory on 1 January 2025, with an initial cost of $250 per property registered

Western Australia’s STRA Registration Fees 

Initial registration will cost $250 per property, with annual renewal fees each year thereafter priced at $100.

We strongly encourage property owners to register during the grace period to avoid the initial registration fee.  Initial registration will be free during July, August and September of 2024.

What Happens If You Don’t Register?

If a STRA property is not registered after the mandatory registration date, it cannot be advertised and/or take bookings!  From the specified date, all booking platforms and advertising publications must conspicuously display a valid registration number on any applicable listings.

If a booking platform or advertising publication lists premises that should be registered, and is not, they can be prosecuted.

For Further Information and Registration

Looking for more detailed information, or wondering where to submit a property on the WA STRA Register?

Visit the Western Australian Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety