Introduction

Boarding houses provide accommodation for a fee. Generally, residents only occupy a room and share facilities such as kitchen or bathroom with others. Boarding house residents do not have the same rights as tenants.

There are 2 types of 'registrable’ boarding houses:

  • General boarding houses – accommodate 5 or more paying residents, not including the proprietor, manager and members of their families. General boarding houses do not include hotels, motels, backpackers' hostels, aged care homes or other types of premises excluded by the Act.
  • Assisted boarding houses – accommodate 2 or more people with additional needs. A person with additional needs include disability such as age related frailty, mental illness and/or an intellectual, psychiatric, sensory or physical disability and need help or supervision with every day tasks.

For more information on boarding houses visit NSW Fair Trading.

Payment and fees

You will need to pay a fee to register a boarding house in NSW. For information on fees visit NSW Fair Trading.

How to apply

Note: The form must be lodged within 28 days of:

  • a boarding premises becoming a registrable boarding
    house, or
  • the proprietor becoming a new proprietor of the premises.

Search the Register of Boarding Houses

Fair Trading maintains a public register of information relating to boarding houses. It includes information about the proprietor and the type of boarding house. Search the register.

Last updated: 6 June 2025

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