---
title: Armstrong short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)
question: "Can I rent out my home or a room on Airbnb in Armstrong?"
place: Armstrong, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/armstrong
category: Housing and renting
owner: shared
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/short-term-rental/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/short-term-rental.json"
---

# Armstrong short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)

**Question:** Can I rent out my home or a room on Airbnb in Armstrong?

**Short answer:** Not as a vacation rental. The City of Armstrong's Zoning Bylaw 1921 prohibits renting all or part of a dwelling for less than 30 days, apart from a bed and breakfast. A bed and breakfast is allowed in some zones if the operator lives in the home. The Province also requires registration.

**Who handles it:** More than one level of government  
**Cost:** City business licence for a new bed and breakfast: $110 application, $88 inspection and $35 a year ($17.50 if started after July 31). Provincial registration is $100 a year for a principal residence or $450 for a secondary unit.  
**Where:**
- Phone: City Hall (planning and licensing), 250-546-3023
- Email: Manager of Planning Services, planner@cityofarmstrong.bc.ca
- Online: Provincial short-term rental registry, https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/registry
- Phone: Service BC, short-term rental registry, 1-833-828-2240 (Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **Allowed:** Vacation rentals (renting all or part of a dwelling, other than a bed and breakfast, for less than 30 days) are a prohibited use. Bed and breakfast homes are allowed as an accessory use in the A.1, CR.1 and R.1 zones, if the operator lives in the home.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1921, 2024 (PDF, consolidated), s. 3.3.1(d), 2, 4.3, 9.1.2](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/181358)
  - Official wording: "The following uses, buildings and structures are prohibited:" … "Vacation Rentals;" … "VACATION RENTAL means the rental of all or part of a dwelling other than a Bed and" … "Breakfast Home for less than 30 days." … "The licensed operator of a bed and breakfast home must reside in the" … "Bed and Breakfast Homes"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Business licence:** Yes. Every business, including a licensed B&B, needs a City business licence. New licence: $110 application, $88 inspection and $35 annual fee ($17.50 if started after July 31).
  - Source: [Business Licensing and Regulation Bylaw No. 1845, 2019, s. 3(a)](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/126621)
  - Official wording: "Every business entity who owns or operates any business within the City will apply for," … "obtain and hold a Business License for their business."
  - Source: [Rates, Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1916, 2023 (PDF, consolidated to Bylaw 1947, 2026), Schedule 4, items 1 to 3, 5](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/172744)
  - Official wording: "Application Fee (one-time for new applications) $ 110.00" … "Inspection Fee (new applications) $ 88.00" … "Annual Licence Fee $ 35.00" … "Prorated Licence Fee (new application after July 31) $ 17.50"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Provincial registration:** Yes, for stays under 90 consecutive days: register with the Province and renew yearly, $100 a year for the host's principal residence, $450 for a secondary unit. Compliance with local bylaws is a condition of registration. The principal residence rule does not apply in Armstrong.
  - Source: [Short-term rental registration, Province of British Columbia, Registration page](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/registry)
  - Official wording: "Short-term rental hosts, platforms and strata hotel platforms in B.C. must register and pay annual registration fees."
  - Source: [Provincial principal residence requirement, Province of British Columbia, Principal residence page](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/principal-residence-requirement)
  - Official wording: "Provincial registration requirements apply to short-term rentals offered for fewer than 90 consecutive days, regardless of whether a local business licence is required." … "Fee: $100 annually" … "Fee: $450 annually" … "Compliance with local bylaws is a condition of registration."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Operating rules:** Bed and breakfast: operator must live in the home; at most 3 sleeping units of at least 11 m², 2 guests each; no more than one dwelling unit on the lot; one parking space per sleeping unit plus the house's; guest parking screened from neighbours; licence kept posted on the premises.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1921, 2024 (PDF, consolidated), s. 4.3.1, Table 6.1](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/181358)
  - Official wording: "with a maximum 3 sleeping units having" … "accommodation for a maximum of two guests per sleeping unit, of a" … "minimum area of 11m² each;" … "or on a lot with more" … "than one dwelling unit." … "1 per sleeping unit, plus spaces required for the"
  - Source: [Business Licensing and Regulation Bylaw No. 1845, 2019, s. 19](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/126621)
  - Official wording: "Every Licensee will keep the Licensee's copy of the Business License posted in a" … "conspicuous place on the premises"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Operating without a business licence: $250 municipal ticket. The ticket schedule for zoning still names the repealed Zoning Bylaw No. 1770 ($1,000 illegal bed and breakfast home, $100 prohibited use), so those amounts may not apply to Bylaw 1921. Court fine up to $10,000.
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw, Schedule 3](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/165574)
  - Official wording: "Operating without a business license 3 (a), 23 $250.00 $250.00" … "Operating without a business license 3 (a), 23 $250.00 $250.00" … "Zoning Bylaw No. 1770, 2015"
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw, Schedule 14](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/165574)
  - Official wording: "Illegal bed and breakfast home 4.5.1. $1,000.00 $1,000.00" … "Prohibited use of a lot 3.3.1. $100.00 $100.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 1921, 2024 (s. 3.3.1, 4.3); Business Licensing and Regulation Bylaw No. 1845, 2019; Provincial Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1921, 2024 (PDF, consolidated), s. 1.1.1](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/181358)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw shall be referred to as “Zoning Bylaw No. 1921, 2024”."
  - Source: [Business Licensing and Regulation Bylaw No. 1845, 2019, s. 1](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/126621)
  - Official wording: "The City of Armstrong Business Licensing and Regulation" … "Bylaw Number 1845"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under the City of Armstrong's [Zoning Bylaw 1921, 2024](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/181358), a "vacation rental" is renting all or part of a dwelling, other than a bed and breakfast, for less than 30 days. It is a prohibited use. Rentals of 30 days or longer are not vacation rentals under this definition.

A bed and breakfast home is allowed as an accessory use in the A.1, CR.1 and R.1 zones, if the operator lives in the home. It is not listed in R.2, RA.1 or RMP.

Bed and breakfast rules:

- at most 3 sleeping units of at least 11 m², with 2 guests each;
- no more than one dwelling unit on the lot;
- one parking space per sleeping unit plus the house's, with guest parking screened from neighbours;
- the licence kept posted on the premises.

## Steps

1. Check your zone with Planning (see the zoning lookup answer).
2. Get a City business licence. Every business, including a licensed bed and breakfast, needs one.
3. If you rent for stays under 90 consecutive days, register with the Province and renew yearly. Compliance with local bylaws is a condition of registration.

## Good to know

- Armstrong is exempt from the Province's principal residence requirement, but local bylaws still apply.
- Operating without a business licence is a $250 municipal ticket. A court fine can be up to $10,000.
- The zoning ticket schedule still names the repealed Zoning Bylaw 1770 and lists $1,000 for an illegal bed and breakfast home and $100 for a prohibited use. Those amounts may not apply to Bylaw 1921; confirm with the City.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1921, 2024 (PDF)](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/181358)
- [Business Licensing and Regulation Bylaw 1845 (PDF)](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/126621)
- [Provincial short-term rental registration](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/registry)

## Related questions

- [Armstrong business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/business-licence.md)
- [Armstrong zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Armstrong home-based business rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/home-based-business.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Short-term rental rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/short-term-rental.md)
- [Spallumcheen](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/short-term-rental.md)
- [Enderby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/enderby/short-term-rental.md)
- [Vernon](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vernon/short-term-rental.md)
- [Coldstream](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/short-term-rental.md)
- [Lumby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lumby/short-term-rental.md)
- [Lake Country](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-country/short-term-rental.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1921, 2024 (PDF, consolidated), City of Armstrong](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/181358) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Business Licensing and Regulation Bylaw No. 1845, 2019 (PDF), City of Armstrong](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/126621) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Rates, Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1916, 2023 (PDF, consolidated to Bylaw 1947, 2026), City of Armstrong](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/172744) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw (PDF), City of Armstrong](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/165574) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Short-term rental registration, Province of British Columbia](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/registry) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Provincial principal residence requirement, Province of British Columbia](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/principal-residence-requirement) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with any government. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/short-term-rental/_