Apply for or renew a short-term rental business licence

Where you can and cannot have a short-term rental:

Permitted:

Your principal residence, which is the home where you live
Secondary homes or basements suites if the operator lives there full-time

Not permitted:

In accessory buildings (like a garage or art studio) or in Rental 100 buildings
Homes that pay the Empty Homes Tax (The tax applies to homes that aren't the owner’s principal residence, or that aren't rented long-term.)

Renew your licence

Ensure you renew your existing short-term business licence for 2020 and update all your online listings with your new licence number.

The 2020 licence fee is $99. A fee of $40 will be added to late renewals (this applies to all business licences).

To renew, you will need your account number listed on your renewal notice (distributed in the middle of November). If you're not sure of the number, call 3-1-1.

Renew your licence

Handbook

All short-term rental operators in Vancouver must have a business licence and include their licence number in all online listings and advertising, or they may be subject to fines up to $1,000 per offence.

Steps to getting a short-term rental business licence

Step 1: Check to see if you're eligible for a licence

A short-term rental business licence can only be issued to a person, for the property where they reside.

A person may only have one principal residence and one short-term rental business licence.

Property managers, businesses, societies, and commercial operations are ineligible to operate a short-term rental and should not apply for a short-term rental business licence. Anyone who markets or manages more than one short-term rental unit on behalf of an operator must have a property management business licence.

Take a quiz to see if you're eligible
Step 2: Confirm you meet safety requirements
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- Confirm your home is a legal dwelling unit
- Provide 24-7 contact information
- Post a fire plan at all entrances and exits
- Have interconnected smoke alarms on every floor and in every bedroom
- Have a working and accessible fire extinguisher on every floor
- Have carbon monoxide detectors on every floor if there are gas appliances
- Have a fire alarm in the building if it has more than three dwelling units or 10 occupants
- By January 1, 2023, have an automated sprinkler system or fire separation between units with at least a 45 minute fire-resistance rating, unless a higher resistance rating is required for the building type by the Building Bylaw or Fire Bylaw, if your short-term rental accommodation is attached to another dwelling unit
- Inspect, test annually, and keep related records for smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, and carbon monoxide detectors
- Review your insurance policies and cover any costs or damages that come from operating your short-term rental business
Step 3: Get permission from your landlord and/or strata
If you are a tenant and/or live in a strata, you are required to have permission to have a short-term rental in your home before you apply for a licence. Non-compliance may result in fines of up to $1,000 per offence.

If you:
- Are a tenant - You are required to have your landlord's permission
- Live in a strata property - Your strata bylaws must permit the use of short-term rentals and ensure you have strata authorization (and documentation, if requested) to operate a short-term rental in the building
Step 4: Review the by-laws, marketing and booking rules, and be ready for an inpection or audit
Follow all relevant City by-laws

Make sure that guests:
- Don't disturb the peace and quiet of neighbours. Read the rules about everyday noise from people, stereos, and more
- Park their vehicles on your property or on the street where allowed. Read the rules about street parking
How to display your licence
- Market only with a valid licence, whether or not your ad results in bookings
- Clearly indicate your licence number for your short-term rental accommodation in all of your marketing
- Allow only one confirmed reservation at a time
- Post a paper copy of your licence in your short-term rental accommodation
You may be inspected and audited after you get your licence
- Provide access to your short-term rental accommodation for us to inspect, upon request, at any reasonable hour
- Understand that we may audit your licence and request evidence that supports the information in your licence application, which may include marketing and booking information
- Provide records showing fire safety inspections and maintenance, if we request them
Step 5: Review fees and apply for a licence
You are required to renew your licence annually.

A. Review fees
- Application fee: $58 (Non-refundable)
- Annual fee:
  - $51 (for 2019) (Fee is prorated in your first year based on when you start your business.)
  - $99 (for 2020) (Fee is prorated in your first year based on when you start your business.)
For the official fees, refer to the Business Licence Fees in Schedules A and B of the Licence By-law (380 KB).

Fees can be paid by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express).

B. Apply

Applying online is easy and takes less than 10 minutes.

What to have ready
1. Your contact information
2. Permission from your landlord and/or strata property (if applicable)
3. Your credit card to pay the application and annual fee
Start your application

Unable to apply online? Apply in-person at the Development and Building Services Centre.