Apply for or renew a short-term rental business licence

Steps to getting a short-term rental business licence

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  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.

  Housing eligible for a short-term rental

  Type of housing	Occupancy status	Eligible for short-term rental
  Main house	Owner's principal residence	Eligible
  Basement, secondary suite, or laneway house	Vacant	Not eligible
  Basement, secondary suite, or laneway house	Long-term renter (with landlord approval)	Eligible (only by the renter and not the owner)
  Spare room in house	Owner's principal residence	Eligible
  Second home or investment property	Vacant	Not eligible
  Second home or investment property	Long-term renter (with landlord approval)	Eligible (only by the renter and not the owner)
  Rental 100 apartment	Vacant or long-term rental	Not eligible
  SRO apartment	Vacant or long-term rental	Not eligible
  Accessory building (such as a garage or art studio)	Not applicable	Not eligible

  Note  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.

  Interesting in being a short-term rental operator? 

  Take a quiz to see if you're eligible

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  Step 2: Confirm you meet safety requirements

  • 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
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  Step 3: Get landlord and/or strata approval

  Note  If you are a tenant and/or live in a strata, you are required to get approval 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 written approval
  • Live in a strata property -  You are required to have written approval of your strata that short-term rentals are permitted in the building
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  Step 4: Review the by-laws, marketing and booking rules, and be ready for an inspection 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
  • Collect and dispose of garbage

  Review by-laws

  How to display your licence

  • Market only with a valid licence, whether or not your ad results in bookings
  • Clearly indicate your valid licence number for your short-term rental accommodation in all of your marketing and update it annually when you renew your licence
  • Post a paper copy of your licence in your short-term rental accommodation

  You may be inspected and audited

  • 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
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  Step 5: Review fees and apply for a licence

  Note  You are required to renew your licence annually.

  A. Review fees

  • Application fee: $60 (Non-refundable)
  • Annual fee:
    • $99 (for 2020 and 2021)
    • $104 (for 2022)
    • 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 PDF file (380 KB).

  Note 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.

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