Sikkim homestay guide

Practical property and application checklist
Reviewed 5 September 2026

### Starting facts
- [ ] Exact property address
- [ ] District
- [ ] Constituency
- [ ] GPU
- [ ] Ward
- [ ] Municipality/local authority
- [ ] Rural/urban legal status
- [ ] Existing / proposed / under construction / running
- [ ] Current property use
- [ ] Protected/forest/sensitive-location check
- [ ] Intended domestic-only or foreign guests
### Ownership and applicant file
- [ ] Applicant full name
- [ ] Sikkim Subject/Certificate of Identification
- [ ] Age
- [ ] Academic qualification
- [ ] Minimum Class-X certificate
- [ ] Ownership deed/Parcha
- [ ] Joint ownership identified
- [ ] Co-owner issue sent for clarification if relevant
- [ ] No lease/rental structure contrary to Rule 32
- [ ] Owner/family residence confirmed
- [ ] Proposed management company/caretaker arrangement documented
- [ ] Written Tourism clarification where operator differs from owner
- [ ] GST status assessed
- [ ] “GST clearance certificate” requirement clarified where necessary
### Property readiness
- [ ] Number of tourist rooms: 1–5
- [ ] Total building-room count recorded
- [ ] Number of beds recorded
- [ ] Double rooms ≥150 sq ft
- [ ] Single rooms ≥100 sq ft
- [ ] Attached bathrooms/toilets ≥36 sq ft
- [ ] Beds ≥6.5 ft
- [ ] Clean/pest-free/damp-free rooms
- [ ] Ventilation
- [ ] Linen/pillows/blankets/quilts
- [ ] Bath towel and hand towel
- [ ] Toiletries
- [ ] Sanitary bins
- [ ] Luggage/storage/hanging provision
- [ ] Sitting/reading/writing provision
- [ ] Kitchen hygienic and ventilated
- [ ] 24-hour water
- [ ] Wet/dry waste segregation
- [ ] Road/footpath access in good condition
- [ ] Emergency vehicle arrangement
- [ ] Local building/trade-use position checked
- [ ] Fire/structural requirements checked with competent authority
- [ ] Water/electricity connection classification checked
- [ ] Proposed grade criteria obtained before capex
### Application
- [ ] Sikkim SSO account
- [ ] Current Tourism portal used
- [ ] Gold/Silver/Bronze selection supported
- [ ] Location plan
- [ ] 3 applicant photographs
- [ ] 5 property photographs
- [ ] Panchayat/Councillor recommendation
- [ ] Private/Government category field
- [ ] GST-clearance document as clarified
- [ ] Annexure IX/current portal undertaking
- [ ] Online fee paid only through official gateway
- [ ] Application/reference number retained
- [ ] SMS/email contact details correct
- [ ] No legacy ₹1,000 B.R. process used
### Inspection
- [ ] Property fully ready before filing/inspection
- [ ] Owner/family residence evident
- [ ] Room measurements verified
- [ ] Hygiene checked
- [ ] Water checked
- [ ] Waste segregation operational
- [ ] Road/footpath access checked
- [ ] Safety arrangements ready
- [ ] Kitchen/local-cuisine capability ready where applicable
- [ ] Originals/supporting title/identity records accessible
- [ ] Deficiency/query response tracked promptly
### Operations
- [ ] Local trade licence obtained
- [ ] Tourism commencement requirement completed
- [ ] Registration certificate stored
- [ ] Tariff submitted/displayed as required
- [ ] Complaint/suggestion book
- [ ] Guest/tourist register
- [ ] Numbered duplicate billing/receipt system
- [ ] Guest ID recorded before admission
- [ ] ID records retained for at least three months under Tourism Rule 18
- [ ] Atithi GIS operational
- [ ] TSD collection configured
- [ ] TSD exemption cases documented
- [ ] Weekly TSD remittance process assigned
- [ ] FSSAI/FoSCoS status assessed
- [ ] Foreign-guest FRO process confirmed in writing
- [ ] Foreign records kept electronically for at least one year
- [ ] RAP/PAP implications checked for foreign visitors
- [ ] GST status monitored
- [ ] Waste/hygiene/water standards continuously maintained
- [ ] Emergency medical transport procedure
### Renewal
- [ ] Certificate expiry date calendared
- [ ] Renewal workflow started at least one month before expiry
- [ ] Current grade/fee rechecked
- [ ] Current documents updated
- [ ] Changes in rooms/property/ownership disclosed where required
- [ ] Atithi/TSD compliance reconciled
- [ ] Trade licence validity checked
- [ ] FSSAI validity checked if applicable
- [ ] Foreign-reporting workflow rechecked
- [ ] No sale/transfer/assignment carried out assuming certificate automatically transfers