Modern tropical pool villa in Phuket with landscaped garden at dusk

Phuket Villa Permit · Hotel Licence · Hotel Licence Exemption Need a Permit for Your Phuket Villa Rental?

Q: Is there a specific Airbnb permit in Phuket?

"Airbnb permit" is a common search term, but there is no permit issued under that name. Depending on the property and how it is operated, the applicable legal process may involve a hotel business licence or the hotel licence exemption (non-hotel accommodation registration). We review your property and advise which route appears appropriate.

We prepare your documents, submit your application and deal with the Phuket authorities on your behalf — for hotel licences, hotel licence exemptions and villa rental permits.

Start Your Application Send Documents by WhatsApp

Local Phuket legal support Document preparation Government submission Application follow-up

Hotel Licence or Hotel Licence Exemption?

Most Phuket villas offered for short-term rental need one of two things: a hotel business licence, or registration under the hotel licence exemption for non-hotel accommodation. Which route applies — and whether it is approved — depends on the property, its ownership, its building documents and safety requirements.

We confirm the route, prepare the documents and handle the application as your authorized liaison with the Phuket authorities.

Request an Initial Property Review

Who We Help

Built for Phuket Property Owners and Operators

Phuket Villa Owners

Renting or planning to rent a villa nightly or weekly.

Short-Term Rental Hosts

Listing on booking platforms or taking direct bookings.

Property Managers

Responsible for one or more short-term rental properties.

Guesthouse and Small Accommodation Operators

Smaller properties that may qualify for the hotel licence exemption.

Investors and Overseas Owners

Owners abroad who need a local representative to handle everything.

What We Handle

We Manage the Application Process for You

Initial property and operator information review

Personalized document checklist

Review and organization of available property documents

Review of ownership, lease and company documents

Preparation of government application forms

Preparation of powers of attorney

Coordination of certified copies and translations

Submission to the appropriate Phuket government office

Communication with government officers

Follow-up on additional document requests

Coordination of property inspections

Communication of deficiencies or corrective requirements

Collection or delivery of issued documents following approval

Architectural, engineering, building rectification, company restructuring, translation, government and third-party costs are separately quoted when required.

Document Checklist

Documents We May Request

Requirements vary by property. These are the most commonly requested.

Property Documents

Land title deed or ownership document
House registration book
Building permit
Approved architectural plans
Building-use or completion documents
Lease agreement, where applicable
Property photographs
Floor plan for each level showing all rooms, fire extinguishers and emergency exits
Fire alarm system (alarm bell) on every floor — photographs or specifications
Emergency lighting — photographs or specifications
Floor identification and emergency exit signs — photographs
Details of extensions, pools and additional structures
Existing licences or government correspondence

Owner and Operator Documents

Passport or Thai identification card
Company affidavit and shareholder information
Company objectives
Director identification
Power of attorney
Details of the rental operator
Booking platform listing
Number of guest rooms
Maximum guest capacity
Property management agreement, where applicable

Do not delay contacting us because some documents are missing. Send us what you currently have and we will prepare a property-specific checklist.

Send Available Documents

Why Hawryluk Legal Advisors

Local Legal Support in Phuket

Phuket-based legal team

Experienced in property, corporate and regulatory matters

English and Thai communication

Direct coordination with local authorities

Clear document checklists

Support for overseas property owners

Established legal practice

One point of contact throughout the application

Michelle Katherine Hawryluk, Managing Partner of Hawryluk Legal Advisors

Led by Michelle Katherine Hawryluk, Managing Partner

A Phuket law firm since 2011. Michelle Hawryluk, admitted in Australia and the United States, leads the Thai and foreign legal team handling your application — one point of contact from first review to final follow-up.

Professional Memberships

Start Here

Start Your Phuket Villa Permit Application

Tell us about the property and upload what you have. We will contact you with the route and next steps.

1The Property

2The Owner & The Rental

Something went wrong and your enquiry was not sent. Please try again, or contact us directly at info@hawryluklegal.com or on WhatsApp.

Full name

Email address

Telephone or WhatsApp number

Preferred contact method

Property name, if any

Property district in Phuket

Full property location

Property type

Do you have a building permit?

Do you have approved building plans?

Step 1 documents — The Property (optional)

PDF, JPG, JPEG or PNG. Maximum 10 MB per file. Send whatever you currently have — missing documents are not a problem at this stage.

Land title deedChanote or other title document

Land office Sale and Purchase AgreementFor villa and land, if available

Land Office Lease AgreementIf available

House registration bookTabien baan

Building permitIssued by the local municipality

Architectural plansAs approved

Floor plan marking exits and fire equipmentA marked-up copy is sufficient

Fire alarm specificationsOr confirmation that none is installed

Emergency lighting and exit signagePhotographs and locations

Photographs of the propertyInterior and exterior

Lease agreementIf the land or villa is leased

Details of any extensionsWork carried out after the original permit

Number of guest rooms

Maximum guest capacity

Is the property currently offered for short-term rental?

Is the property owned personally or through a company?

Brief description of the assistance required

Step 2 documents — The Owner and The Rental (optional)

PDF, JPG, JPEG or PNG. Maximum 10 MB per file. Send whatever you currently have — missing documents are not a problem at this stage.

Passport copy for each ownerPhotograph page, in colour

Company affidavitIf the property is company-held

Shareholder list and company objectivesFrom the company file

Director identificationFor each signing director

Power of attorneyDrafted by us for your signature

Details of the rental operatorOwner, agent or management company

Booking platform listingsOr confirmation of none

Bedrooms and guest capacityRooms available to guests

Management agreementIf the villa is professionally managed

Other supporting documentsAnything else that may help your application

Thank you. Your information has been submitted to Hawryluk Legal Advisors.

Our team will contact you to discuss the property documents and next steps. A confirmation email has been sent to the address you provided.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Hotel licences, hotel licence exemptions and villa permits — the questions we hear most.

Is there a specific Airbnb permit in Phuket?

"Airbnb permit" is a common search term, but no permit is issued under that name. Depending on the property and how it is operated, the applicable legal process may involve a hotel business licence or the hotel licence exemption (non-hotel accommodation registration). We review your property and advise which route appears appropriate.

Can Hawryluk Legal guarantee that my application will be approved?

No. Approval is determined by the government authorities and depends on the property, supporting documents, ownership, building approvals, safety requirements and applicable regulations. Our role is to prepare, submit and follow up on the application properly and to keep you informed at each stage.

Can you assist if I do not have every document?

Yes. Send the documents currently available and we will identify the missing items, explain how they can be obtained and prepare a property-specific checklist and next steps.

Can you assist overseas owners?

Yes. We support remote onboarding, electronic document submission and communication by email or WhatsApp, subject to any original documents required by the authorities. Many of our villa permit clients are based outside Thailand.

How long will the process take?

Timeframes depend on the application type, the completeness of your documents, inspection availability and any requests made by the authorities. We keep you informed at each stage, but we cannot promise a fixed approval time.

Let Us Handle the Documents and Government Process

Send us what you have for your Phuket villa. We will review it, prepare a tailored checklist and explain the next steps.

Start Your Application Chat With Us on WhatsApp