1 Aug 2026
Private Accommodation By-Laws took effect
PENANG PRIVATE ACCOMMODATION 2026
New short-stay rules,
clear for Penang owners
—without doing it alone.
The new by-laws bring short stays into a clearer licensing and operating framework. Owners should first understand whether a property qualifies; a professional team can then coordinate the application, documents and operating requirements.
Check property eligibility first
Three milestones to understand first
Now
Check eligibility and prepare documents
1 Nov 2026
Licence-application grace period ends
Owners are not expected to navigate the entire process alone.
A professional short-stay team can first check property eligibility, then coordinate applications, documents, operating standards and ongoing administration. Owners remain informed at each key decision.
STEP 01 · CHECK THE PROPERTY
Not every unit is eligible for short stays
Before estimating returns, confirm that the property type and location are not within a restricted category.
Within MBPP island jurisdiction: premises generally not permitted
- All residential strata properties
- Government or statutory-body premises
- Healthcare, childcare and care centres
- Worker and private education dormitories
- Low-cost, low-medium-cost, affordable and public housing
MBPP residential areas expressly not permitted
- Jesselton Height
- Area bounded by Jalan Utama / Gottlieb / Burma / Brother James / Cantonment / Nunn (including Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Lebuhraya Rose, Rose Avenue, Jalan Park, Jalan Brown and Jalan D.S. Ramanathan)
- Jalan Bell
- Pearl Hill
- Lebuh Bukit Jambul
- Taman Sungai Ara
- Minden Height
May be considered subject to approval
Serviced apartments, SOHO, shops, shophouses, shop offices, and selected detached, semi-detached and terrace houses—subject to planning use, location and relevant approvals.
Who may apply
The applicant or operator must be a Malaysian citizen or a Malaysian-owned local company, with SSM registration and valid property documents. A professional team can first verify whether the entity and records are complete.
STEP 02 · FEES & APPLICATION
First-year basic new-application fees start from RM2,850
RM50 is charged per application; RM1,000 and RM1,800 are annual fees. The final total can vary by room count, property circumstances and application requirements.
Administration fee per application
Accommodation licence, first 3 rooms
Per private accommodation (TIP) unit
+ Rooms 4 and 5: an additional RM200 per room, per year
Ongoing operating compliance is organised too
Guest records and licence display; notify JMB / MC and COB after commercial-strata approval
Fire equipment, first aid, CCTV and emergency plan
Cleaning, noise and complaint procedures
STEP 03 · OWNER VISIBILITY
Owners handle the key decisions; the team follows through
Confirm property eligibility and required approvals first. Then decide which short-stay management approach suits your unit.
READY-TO-UNDERSTAND OPTIONS
Explore projects that may be planned in a compliance-led way
These pages explain each project, location, operating approach and owner profile. Each unit still requires an eligibility and approval check.
Penang Waterfront · Gelugor
Keeperz
Understand the waterfront project positioning, unit conditions and management arrangement before deciding whether it suits your ownership objective.
View the project and compliance path
George Town · Gurney / Pulau Tikus
G'Vinton
Review its George Town location, unit configuration and operating support through a compliance-led planning lens.
View the project and compliance pathOfficial sources
Common owner questions
Is RM2,850 a fixed annual fee for every unit?
No. It is the basic new-application amount comprising RM50 administration, RM1,000 annual accommodation licence and RM1,800 annual TIP-unit fee. Room count and application circumstances can change the total.
Can a residential condominium apply first and see?
Residential strata is listed as not permitted under the MBPP guideline. Confirm the planning and building use and the location before proceeding.
Must the owner personally manage every application and operating document?
No. A professional team can coordinate screening, documentation, submission follow-up and operating standards, while the owner provides required records and approves key decisions.
Still comparing your options?