Edinburgh business travel · NovaBid
The Edinburgh visitor levy on business trips: what finance needs to know
Since 24 July 2026, every paid overnight stay in Edinburgh carries a visitor levy, and that includes work trips. It is small per night, but it shows up on every invoice, hotels present it differently, and finance will ask about it. This guide sets out the rules from the City of Edinburgh Council, a worked example, and what to check before you approve a booking. It is general information, not tax advice.
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Do business travellers pay the Edinburgh visitor levy?
Yes. The Edinburgh visitor levy is 5% of the cost of paid overnight accommodation, charged on the first 5 nights of a stay only, for stays from 24 July 2026. The council says it applies to people staying for work as well as tourists, including UK and Scottish residents. It is worked out on the price before VAT, VAT is then charged on the levy too, and it is not charged on extras such as meals, drinks, parking or transport.
Written and checked by Thomas Mellot, founder of NovaBid, who has worked in hotels and bars in Edinburgh, Amsterdam and the Alps. About Thomas.
Last reviewed . We correct these pages when the facts change; tell us if something here is wrong.
The rules in brief
Rate: 5% of the accommodation cost, worked out before VAT. VAT is then charged on the levy as well.
Nights: only the first 5 nights of a stay. Night 6 onwards carries no levy.
Who pays: everyone staying in paid overnight accommodation in Edinburgh, including people travelling for work. Stays booked and paid for, in part or in full, before 1 October 2025 are not covered.
What counts: hotels, guest houses, B&Bs, aparthotels, serviced and self-catering apartments, hostels and short-term lets. Extras such as meals, drinks, parking and transport are not included.
What to check before you approve a booking
01
Is the levy in the price or added at check-out?
Hotels present it differently: some include it in the rate, others add it when the guest leaves. Get the answer in writing before you approve anything.
02
Is it shown as its own line?
Finance needs to see the levy separately from the room on the hotel's invoice. On a long stay, check it stops after night 5.
03
How NovaBid shows it
On NovaBid every hotel states whether its offer includes the visitor levy, and the business sees that line before it pays and on the booking confirmation. NovaBid is signing its founding Edinburgh hotels now; businesses post first once five hotels are live.
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A worked example
One colleague, 6 nights, in a room costing £125 a night before VAT.
| Room before VAT | Levy at 5% | |
|---|---|---|
| Nights 1 to 5 | £125 a night | £6.25 a night, so £31.25 |
| Night 6 | £125 | No levy |
| Levy for the stay | £31.25, plus VAT on it | |
| Team of four, same stay | £125, plus VAT on it |
Pricing
Free for businesses.
No markup on the rate, no subscription and no per-booker fee. The hotel pays a published commission on a paid booking.
Frequently asked
Is the Edinburgh visitor levy charged on business trips?
Yes. The City of Edinburgh Council says the levy applies to people staying for work as well as tourists, and to UK and Scottish residents.
Does the levy apply to bookings made before it started?
Stays from 24 July 2026 are covered. Stays booked and paid for, in part or in full, before 1 October 2025 are not.
Are there exemptions from the Edinburgh visitor levy?
A few, set by the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024. People without a safe permanent home are not liable, and people on certain disability benefits can claim the levy back from the council after the stay. They rarely apply to a business trip. The council's exemptions page has the full list.
Is the levy charged on breakfast or parking?
No. Only on the accommodation itself.
Who do I ask about a levy charge on an invoice?
The hotel first. For questions about the scheme itself, the City of Edinburgh Council's visitor levy team: visitorlevy@edinburgh.gov.uk or 0131 200 2331.
Try it for one trip
Join the list to post an Edinburgh trip the day the fifth founding hotel is live. Hotels then send private offers, and nothing is charged until you confirm one.
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