Are Short-Term Rentals Allowed in BC? 3 Rules Vancouver Hosts Keep Getting Wrong

• Short-term rentals are legal in B.C., but in most Metro Vancouver cities only in the home you live in (your principal residence).
• The Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act principal residence requirement took effect May 1, 2024, in municipalities of 10,000+ people and nearby communities.
• In Vancouver you need a provincial registration number and a City short-term rental licence: two separate applications.
• Strata bylaws are a third gate. A strata can ban short-term rentals by a 3/4 vote of owners, even if you hold both.
• Provincial registration has been mandatory since May 1, 2025, and platforms remove listings that don't comply.

Government fees and rules in this article were checked against official B.C. and City of Vancouver pages in September 2026. Rules change, so confirm with your municipality before you list.

B.C. short-term rental law limits Airbnb-style hosting to the host's principal residence in most larger communities. The principal residence requirement, in effect since May 1, 2024, applies in municipalities with 10,000 or more people, smaller communities within 15 km of them, and communities that opt in. That covers Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey, Coquitlam and most of Metro Vancouver. It does not apply everywhere: many small municipalities, mountain resort areas, Resort Municipality Initiative communities and farm land are exempt.

TL;DR

• Legal: renting your principal residence, the usual place where you make your home.
• Not legal in most of Metro Vancouver: an investment condo or a second property you don't live in.
• You need a provincial registration number on your listings, plus a local business licence where your city requires one (Vancouver, Surrey, Richmond and the City of North Vancouver, among others).
• Your strata can still ban short-term rentals by a 3/4 vote of owners, with fines of up to $1,000 a day.

BC Short-Term Rental Rules at a Glance — Quick Reference

The rules in brief:

• Law: Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act (Royal Assent October 26, 2023). The principal residence requirement took effect May 1, 2024.
• Where it applies: municipalities of 10,000+ people, smaller communities within 15 km of them, and opt-in communities.
• What you can rent: your principal residence plus one secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit on the same property. Cities can be stricter: Vancouver lets you rent a suite only if you live in that suite, and Burnaby does not allow secondary suites as short-term rentals.
• Exempt: listed small municipalities (including Kelowna, Whistler, Tofino, Osoyoos and Sun Peaks), mountain resort areas, Resort Municipality Initiative communities, most regional district electoral areas and farm land.
• Provincial registration: mandatory since May 1, 2025. The annual fee is $100 if you rent the home you live in, or $450 if you don't live in the rental unit (for example, a secondary suite).
• Vancouver licence: $1,108 a year plus a $77 application fee, renewed by December 31.
• Penalties: the Province can issue administrative monetary penalties and compliance orders and have listings removed. Cities can ticket up to $3,000 per infraction, per day.
• Strata: a strata corporation can ban short-term rentals by a 3/4 vote of owners and fine up to $1,000 a day.

Are Short-Term Rentals Legal in BC Right Now?

Yes, but only certain homes qualify.

The province didn't ban short-term rentals. It limited which homes can be used for them.

Under the principal residence requirement, a host in a covered community can only rent out their principal residence, defined as the usual place where they make their home, plus one secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit on the same property.

In covered communities you can't list an investment condo, a vacant second property, or a cabin you only use on weekends.

Why did the province act? In its own words, the requirement "is intended to turn more units that are being used as short-term rentals into homes for people."

Enforcement arrived in stages. The provincial short-term rental registry opened for registrations on January 20, 2025, registration became mandatory on May 1, 2025, and platforms began removing non-compliant listings on June 1, 2025.

What Did the 2024 BC Law Actually Change for Hosts?

Before May 2024, each city set its own short-term rental rules.

Here's what changed:

A province-wide principal residence rule

The principal residence requirement now applies in every covered community, whether or not the city had its own rule before. Cities can still add stricter rules on top of it.

A mandatory provincial short-term rental registry

Since May 1, 2025, most hosts in B.C. must register with the provincial short-term rental registry and show the provincial registration number on their listings, along with a local business licence number where the city requires one.

Platforms have legal duties

Platforms such as Airbnb must validate provincial registration numbers, remove listings at a local government's request, display business licence numbers where required and share listing data monthly. Removal of non-compliant listings began June 1, 2025.

Stronger penalties

The Province's Short-Term Rental Compliance and Enforcement Unit can issue administrative monetary penalties and compliance orders, which can be filed in court. The Act also raised the maximum municipal ticket fine from $1,000 to $3,000 per infraction, per day.

Listing an investment property and hoping nobody notices no longer works, because platforms now validate registration numbers.

Which BC Cities Have STR Rules — and How Strict Are They?

The provincial requirement is the floor. Cities can set stricter rules, and several in Metro Vancouver do.

Vancouver

You need a City short-term rental licence, and the unit must be your principal residence (where you live, pay bills and receive mail). You can rent your whole home or a room in it. You can rent a laneway house, basement suite or secondary suite only if you live in that unit, and you can't rent both the main house and the suite. The licence costs $1,108 a year plus a $77 application fee and must be renewed by December 31. Our Vancouver bylaw compliance page explains how we help with the application.

Burnaby

Principal residence only, for homeowners. You can rent part of your home while you're there for up to 90 nights a calendar year, and up to 28 of those nights can be the entire home while you're away. Secondary suites are not allowed as short-term rentals, and strata units need a strata permission letter.

Richmond

Richmond has two licence types. A Bed and Breakfast licence is for single detached houses that are the operator's principal residence (up to 3 rooms and 6 guests). A Boarding and Lodging licence covers single detached houses, duplexes, apartments and townhouses where you live in the home, with a maximum of 2 guests. Short-term rentals are not allowed in secondary suites, coach houses or granny flats.

North Vancouver (City and District)

The City of North Vancouver requires a business licence. You must be able to prove you live in the home at least 183 days per 12-month licensing period, you can rent your own residence plus one authorized secondary suite or coach house, and strata units need written authorization from the strata corporation. The District of North Vancouver is a separate municipality with its own bylaws, so check the District's rules before you list there.

Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody

All three are covered by the provincial principal residence requirement. Each city sets its own business licence rules, so check the city's bylaw before you list.

Resort and Small Communities: the Key Exception

The province's exempt list includes Kelowna, Whistler, Tofino, Osoyoos and Sun Peaks, along with mountain resort areas and Resort Municipality Initiative communities. The principal residence requirement doesn't apply there, though local bylaws still do.

If you own a ski unit in Whistler or a beach property in Tofino, check the province's current list of exempt communities first. Communities can apply to opt in or out, so the list changes.

What Are the Penalties for an Illegal Short-Term Rental in BC?

Penalties can come from three directions: the Province, your city and your strata.

Under the Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act:

• The Province can issue administrative monetary penalties and compliance orders (which can be filed in court) and have listings removed from platforms.
• Platforms must validate provincial registration numbers and remove listings at a local government's request.

Cities enforce their own licensing bylaws on top of that. The Act raised the maximum municipal ticket fine to $3,000 per infraction, per day. The City of Vancouver says operating without a licence can result in fines or prosecution.

For many hosts, the first consequence isn't a fine. It's the listing coming down.

Platforms validate your registration number, and the address on your listing must exactly match the address on your registration. The City of Vancouver warns that failing to register may result in your listing being removed and future bookings cancelled by platforms.

Get compliant before you list, not after.

How Do Vancouver Hosts Run a Legal STR in 2026?

Three gates. You need to clear all three.

Gate 1: Provincial Registration

Register with the provincial short-term rental registry. You'll need B.C. ID (a driver's licence, BC Services Card or BC Identification Card) and at least two supporting documents, such as a property tax notice, BC Assessment notice, home insurance certificate or bank statement. Tenants can use their tenancy agreement. The annual fee is $100 if you rent the home you live in. Make sure your listing address exactly matches your registration so the platform can validate the number.

Gate 2: City of Vancouver Business Licence

Apply for a City of Vancouver short-term rental licence. Before applying, get written approval from your strata and/or landlord and meet the safety requirements, including interconnected smoke alarms on every floor and in every bedroom, a fire extinguisher on every floor, carbon monoxide detectors if you have gas appliances, and a fire plan posted at entrances and exits. Fees are $1,108 a year plus a $77 application fee. Put the licence number in every listing and renew by December 31.

Gate 3: Strata Compliance

Don't skip this one.

If your unit is in a strata (a condo or townhouse), read the strata's bylaws before you list. A strata can limit or ban short-term rentals with a bylaw passed by a 3/4 vote of owners, and can fine up to $1,000 a day for breaking it.

Provincial registration and a City licence don't override a strata ban. The City of Vancouver requires written strata approval before you can apply, and Burnaby and the City of North Vancouver also require strata permission.

Ask your strata council or property manager for the current bylaws before you spend money on listing photos or pricing tools. The Land Title and Survey Authority notes that the land title office usually won't have the most recent bylaws, so the strata itself is the best source.

CinCin YVR CoHost helps Vancouver owners work through all three gates. See our short-term rental management services for how we approach this.

Is Your Strata Building Actually Blocking Your Airbnb?

Many first-time hosts assume City approval settles the question. It doesn't.

Your strata corporation can ban short-term rentals on its own authority, separate from the province and the city.

If the strata says no, the answer is no.

B.C. ended strata bans on long-term rentals in November 2022, but stratas can still limit or ban short-term rentals. The bylaw needs a 3/4 vote of owners, and the maximum fine for breaking a short-term rental bylaw is $1,000 a day, according to the province's strata short-term rental bylaw page.

How do you find out if your building has a ban?

• Ask for the current bylaws in writing from your strata council or strata manager, including any amendments passed recently.
• Don't rely on land title records alone. A registry agent can order documents filed at the land title office, but the LTSA says those records usually won't include the most recent bylaws.

Look for wording such as "short-term rental," "vacation rental," "Airbnb," a minimum rental period, or "transient occupancy."

If a ban exists, you can't legally ignore it. Your only route is to persuade other owners to change the bylaw through a new vote.

For buildings that do allow short-term rentals, a co-host can take on licence renewals, guest screening, cleaning and pricing. See our services page for what full-service management includes.

What Are the Best Vancouver Neighbourhoods for Legal STR Hosting in 2026?

We don't quote neighbourhood occupancy or revenue estimates here because we couldn't verify them. What clearly differs by area is the housing type and the rules that apply:

Downtown / Coal Harbour / West End

Demand from business travellers, tourists and convention visitors. Most homes here are strata condos, so check your building's bylaws before you commit.

Kitsilano / Point Grey

More detached houses and low-rise buildings. Under Vancouver's rules you can rent a secondary or basement suite only if you live in that suite, not in the main house.

Mount Pleasant / Main Street

A mix of older houses, low-rise buildings and newer condos. Hosts living in a house avoid strata approval, but the City licence and safety rules still apply.

North Vancouver — Lower Lonsdale

Close to Lonsdale Quay and the SeaBus. Lower Lonsdale is in the City of North Vancouver, which requires a City business licence, proof you live in the home at least 183 days a year, and written strata authorization for strata units.

Richmond — Near YVR

Close to the airport. Condos and townhouses fall under Richmond's Boarding and Lodging licence, which requires you to live in the home and caps you at 2 guests. A Bed and Breakfast licence is limited to single detached houses.

Before you commit to a property, run the address through our free short-term rental eligibility checker and confirm the city's own rules.

在英属哥伦比亚省，短期租赁合法吗？（中文摘要）

简短回答：合法，但须满足严格条件。

根据英属哥伦比亚省《短期租赁住宿法》（Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act，2023年10月26日获御准），主要居所要求自2024年5月1日起生效：在人口一万及以上的城市及其15公里内的较小社区，房东只能将其主要居所（principal residence），即您通常居住的住所，以及同一物业内的一个附属单元用作短期出租。

这意味着：在温哥华、本拿比、列治文、素里等城市，您不能将非自住的投资物业用于Airbnb等平台的短期出租。部分小型社区、度假村地区及农地获豁免。

主要规定速览：

• 法律名称：《短期租赁住宿法》（Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act），主要居所要求于2024年5月1日生效
• 省级登记：自2025年5月1日起强制登记，房源须显示省级注册号；出租自住房屋年费100元
• 附属单元：省级规定允许一个附属单元，但城市可更严格：温哥华规定须住在该附属单元内才可出租，本拿比不允许附属单元短租
• 豁免地区：基隆拿、惠斯勒、托菲诺、奥索尤斯、太阳峰等社区及山区度假村地区
• 温哥华执照：每年1,108元，另加77元申请费，须于12月31日前续期
• 罚则：省政府可处行政罚款、发出合规令并要求平台下架房源；市政罚单上限为每项违规每日3,000元
• 分层地契物业：业主可以四分之三多数票通过附例禁止短租，违反附例罚款最高每日1,000元

温哥华合规三步骤：

• 申请省级注册号：在省级短期租赁登记系统登记，需提供BC省身份证件及至少两份居住证明文件
• 申请温哥华市短期租赁执照：申请前须取得分层地契法团或房东的书面批准，并符合消防安全要求，每年续期
• 核实分层地契附例：向业主委员会或物业经理索取最新附例，确认大厦未禁止短期出租

If you're evaluating a property or unsure about your strata's bylaws, book a free initial consultation with CinCin YVR CoHost.

Test Your Knowledge

1. Under B.C.'s Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act, what is the main requirement for legally operating a short-term rental in Vancouver?

• A. Owning multiple residential properties
• ✅ B. The property must be your principal residence
• C. Obtaining a City Business Licence
• D. Registering with Airbnb as a Superhost

In covered communities, including Vancouver, short-term rentals are limited to the host's principal residence. Investment properties and vacation homes don't qualify.

2. When operating an STR in Vancouver, what is true about strata bylaws?

• A. They are irrelevant if you hold provincial registration
• ✅ B. They can prohibit listings even when you have both provincial registration and a City Business Licence
• C. They only apply to residential apartments, not condos
• D. They are optional compliance suggestions

A strata can ban short-term rentals by a 3/4 vote of owners, regardless of your provincial registration or City licence.

3. What reason does the province give for the principal residence requirement?

The province says the requirement is intended to turn more units being used as short-term rentals into homes for people.

4. When did provincial registration become mandatory, and when did platforms start removing non-compliant listings?

Registration became mandatory on May 1, 2025, and platforms began removing non-compliant listings on June 1, 2025.

FAQ

Are short-term rentals allowed in BC?

Yes. Short-term rentals are legal in B.C. In communities covered by the principal residence requirement (in effect since May 1, 2024), you can rent your principal residence plus one secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit on the same property, subject to local rules. Investment properties don't qualify in those communities. Exempt communities such as Whistler, Tofino and Kelowna aren't covered by the requirement, though local bylaws still apply.

Do I need a licence to run an Airbnb in Vancouver?

Yes, two. You need a provincial registration number from the provincial short-term rental registry and a City of Vancouver short-term rental licence, and both numbers must appear in your listings. The City licence costs $1,108 a year plus a $77 application fee, and you need written strata and/or landlord approval before you apply.

Can I list my investment condo on Airbnb in Vancouver?

Not if you don't live there. Both the provincial requirement and Vancouver's licence rules limit short-term rentals to your principal residence. The provincial requirement also applies in the other covered Metro Vancouver municipalities, including Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey and Coquitlam.

What are the fines for running an illegal short-term rental in BC?

The Province can issue administrative monetary penalties and compliance orders, which can be filed in court, and have listings removed from platforms. Cities can ticket up to $3,000 per infraction, per day, and the City of Vancouver says operating without a licence can result in fines or prosecution. A strata can add its own fines of up to $1,000 a day for breaking a short-term rental bylaw.

My strata building has a bylaw banning Airbnb. Can I still host?

No. A strata corporation can ban short-term rentals with a bylaw passed by a 3/4 vote of owners, and neither provincial registration nor a City licence overrides it. To host legally, the owners would need to change the bylaw. In Vancouver you can't apply for a licence without written strata approval.

Short-term rentals are legal in B.C., but staying legal takes ongoing work: City licences renew every year, provincial rules have been phased in since 2024, and strata bylaws can change.

CinCin YVR CoHost serves owners in Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, North Vancouver, Coquitlam, Surrey and nearby cities, in English and Mandarin. Book a free initial consultation to talk through your property.