White detached single-family house with a short hedge and sidewalk in the foreground

Get a long-term rental business licence

What you need to know

If you're:

  • A residential property owner, you can have a maximum of 2 tenants living with you in your principal residence, such as exchange students, and you don’t need a business licence
  • Renting your property for less than 90 days, you will need a short-term rental business licence
  • Running a bed and breakfast, you will need a different business licence

To rent a residential property you own for 90 days or more at a time, you need a long-term rental business licence, even if you hire a property manager.

All landlords must comply with the BC Residential Tenancy Branch  and provide tenants with an emergency contact.

What's happeningProvince requires all short-term rental hosts to register before May 1, 2025

On January 21, the Province of British Columbia announced the launch of their short-term rental registry . This requires all hosts in the City of Vancouver to register with the Province and pay an annual registration fee before May 1, 2025. 

Benefits of registering early

  • 50% discount on fees if they register by February 28, 2025
  • 25% discount on fees if they register by March 31, 2025

What will happen if you don't register with the Province

  • Listings taken down, starting May 1, 2025
  • Future bookings cancelled, starting June 1, 2025

How to register on the Provincial short-term rental registry 

  1. If you are a host for a short-term rental in Vancouver, make sure you have a valid short-term rental business licence. Apply for or renew a short-term rental business licence
  2. Register as a host on the Province’s short-term rental registry before May 1, 2025.   

At the City of Vancouver, a short-term rental business licence can only be issued to a person, for the property where they reside as their principal residence unit. If you reside in the main house – a vacant basement, secondary suite, or laneway house is not considered your principal residence unit.

Processing of applications

Access to the Business Licence Office is by appointment only. Walk-in service and drop-in appointments are not available.

To help process your applications faster, we have moved to a digital approach for applications, enquiries, and payments.

  • Submit and renew your business licence online
  • Contact us online for customer enquiries

 We will contact you with questions or next steps once we have processed your request.

Get support for your local business

Steps to getting a long-term rental business licence

Contact the Licence Office

Contact us online

Location:
Appointment required
Development and Building Services Centre
Ground Floor
515 West 10th Avenue

Mailing address:
Revenue Services
PO Box 7878
Vancouver, BC V6B 4E2