Guest House Operating License

Before you start

Please ensure that the following service(s) are completed before proceeding with your application.

• Business Entity Registration (include operation of guest house as an activity)

• Business Name Registration

• Land Registration

Note:

• The establishment should comply with the Regulation for Tourist Guesthouse Operation in the Maldives gazetted on 20th December 2009. 

• All dues should be paid to MIRA (if any).

Eligibility

• The minimum rooms that can be registered is 3 rooms

• The permit will be issued for guesthouses on the following lands only;

  • Land leased by government for residential purpose

  • Land leased by the Ministry of Tourism for the purpose of guest houses  

  • Land allocated by the President for tourism purpose

  • Land allocated and leased for Tourism purpose in the Approved Land Use Plan by the Council

Note: All structures should be located in connected buildings or adjacent plots or plots of land.

How to apply

• You can apply using an Efaas account.

• Logging into your own account will direct you to the oneGov homepage.

Documents required

• Corporate profile sheet (“tourist guest house” should be stated under the objectives/activities of the entity).

• Approval for building to be used as a guest house

  • For Male’ – Approval from Ministry of Planning Housing & Infrastructure/Male’ City Council

  • For Hulhumale’ – Approval from Housing Development Corporation (HDC)

  • For other islands - “No objection letter” from Island Council Office 

• Land or premises registration certificate (not required for government leased lands)

• ID card and Registration card of Owner

  If the owner is deceased: 

  • Official document issued by a court verifying the legal heirs of the owner

  • Deed or lease agreement between both owner and operator. Agreement should include the following:

    • Terms of Agreement

    • Purpose of agreement – should be for the operation/management of tourist guest house.

    • Termination clause

    • In case an event occurs which is not mentioned in agreement what to do

• Sublease agreement (If the guest house is sub-leased or a third party is involved)

• No objection of the land owner for the third party to operate a guest house.

• Guesthouse Insurance Policy (Public Liability and Building Fire Insurance policy/Commercial Fire Policy

• Council letter with approved land use plan (If the guest house is located in a council plot)

  Note: The plot should be included as a guest house in the approved land use plan of the island. A letter of the Council should be submitted mentioning that the plot is included as a guest house in the approved land use plan of the island.

• Approval from the Health Protection Agency (HPA), hospital or health post for the operation of a restaurant (for guest houses with restaurant).

• Disaster management plan.

• MIRA tax clearance report of current operator (date of issue should not be more than one month from the submission of application form).

  Other documents:

• Registration Card

• Room rate sheet

• Updated staff list (local and foreign)

• Staff employment contract (Both local and foreign staff in the same post/rank)

After you apply

• After successful submission, a notification will be sent to your email and phone. 

• You can check the status of the request from the “My Applications” tab.

• Inspection is required for all operating licence requests.

• A request will be sent to notify a convenient date for inspection if the guest house is located in the Greater Male’ Area

• If the guest house is located in a local island, then a request will be sent to the relevant council for inspection of the guest house

• Council inspection team will contact the operator to inspect the guest house.

• Once the inspection is complete all the requirements of inspection will be communicated via letter and sent by the portal.

• A re-inspection will be done after all the requirements are complete. 

• The application will remain pending until all requirements are completed. Once the application is processed, the Operating license will be issued via email.

Estimated time frame

• All duly completed applications will be processed within 7 business days.

Before you start

Please ensure that the following service(s) are completed before proceeding with your application.

• Business Entity Registration (include operation of guest house as an activity)

• Business Name Registration

• Land Registration

Note:

• The establishment should comply with the Maldives Guesthouse Management Regulation 2010/R-12 gazetted on 20th December 2009.

• All dues should be paid to MIRA (if any).

Eligibility

• Renewal applications can be made before existing license expiry

How to apply

• You can apply using an Efaas account.

• Logging into your own account will direct you to the oneGov homepage.

Documents required

• Tax clearance report issued by Maldives Inland Revenue Authority of operator.(issued date shall not be more than 1 month)

• Updated Tourist Guest House  Disaster Management Plan

• Updated Tourist Guest House Whole Cover Insurance Policy (public liability and building fire insurance policy or commercial fire policy should be included).

• Lease period extension/amendment documents (if any)

After you apply

• After successful submission a notification will be sent to your email and phone. 

• You can check the status of the request from the “My Applications” tab.  

• Inspection is required for all guesthouse operating licence requests.

• A request will be sent to notify a convenient date for inspection.

• For hotel inspection, 2 staff from MNDF Fire and Rescue will accompany the Ministry’s inspection team

• All requirements will be communicated via letter and sent by the portal.

• A re-inspection will be done after all the requirements are complete. 

• The application will remain pending until all requirements are completed.

• Once the application is processed, the Operating license will be issued via email.

Estimated time frame

• All duly completed applications will be processed within 7 business days.

Before you start

Please ensure that the following service(s) are completed before proceeding with your application.

• Tourist Guest House Operating license 

• Supporting document required for change (name/change of bed numbers/ownership/changes in corporate details/replacement)

Note:

• Depending on the change

• The establishment should comply with the Maldives Guesthouse Management Regulation 2010/R-12 gazetted on 20th December 2009. 

• All dues should be paid to MIRA (if any)

Eligibility

Changing Tourist Guest House Operating license applications can be made for reasons such as: 

• Change of name

• Change of ownership

• Change in bed numbers

• Change in corporate details 

• Replacement of lost licence

How to apply

• You can apply using an Efaas account.

• Logging into your own account will direct you to the oneGov homepage.

Documents required

• Tax clearance report issued by Maldives Inland Revenue Authority of operator (issued date shall not be more than 1 month)

• Supporting document required for change (name/owner/management change  of bed numbers/replacement)

After you apply

• After successful submission, a notification will be sent to your email and phone. 

• You can check the status of the request from the “My Applications” tab.

• Inspection is required for change in owner and bed number requests.

• A request will be sent to notify a convenient date for inspection if the guest house is located in the Greater Male’ Area

• If the guest house is located in a local island, then a request will be sent to the relevant council for inspection of the guest house

• Council inspection team will contact the operator to inspect the guest house.

• Once the inspection is complete all the requirements of inspection will be communicated via letter and sent by the portal.

• A re-inspection will be done after all the requirements are complete. 

• The application will remain pending until all requirements are completed. Once the application is processed, the Operating license will be issued via email.

Estimated time frame

• All duly completed applications will be processed within 7 business days.