Clearwater short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)

Can I rent out my home or a room on Airbnb in Clearwater?

Clearwater, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-08

How it works

As of April 8, 2026 the District had adopted no short-term rental bylaw. On May 8, 2026 it announced a short-term rental information page and an application package for a Temporary Use Permit and business licence. We could not read that page, which returned an error on 2026-11-08, so ask the District for current rules.

What we can confirm:

• Business licence: the District says a business licence is an operating approval for a short-term rental. It does not replace a Temporary Use Permit if one is needed. For other short-term rentals, the licence covers local contact, listing information and licence number display. See the business-licence answer.
• Bed and breakfast: an accessory use in the RL-1, SH-1, CR-1, R-1 and R-2 zones, if the operator lives in the same dwelling unit. Limits (Zoning Bylaw s. 5.16): up to 8 guests and 4 sleeping units, no cooking facilities in guest rooms, 1 parking space for each bedroom used, and no guest stay over 60 days in a calendar year.
• OCP policy: the Official Community Plan says short-term rentals should be allowed only in the host's principal residence or an accessory suite on the same property, with a valid business licence.
• Province: hosts must register with the Province, and each unit needs its own registration number. It costs $100 a year for the host's principal residence and $450 a year for a secondary unit. Clearwater is on the Province's list of exempt communities, so the provincial principal residence requirement does not apply here. Local bylaws and licences still apply.

Steps

1. Call the District office (250-674-2257) to ask about the current short-term rental process and fees.
2. Get a District business licence. Fees are paid in person at the District office.
3. Ask TNRD Planning (250-377-8673) whether you also need a Temporary Use Permit.
4. Register with the Province and show your registration number in your listing.

Good to know

• A Bylaw 124 bed and breakfast licence is $100 a year. That bylaw has no short-term rental category, so the short-term rental fee is not confirmed.
• The Temporary Use Permit fee in Development Procedures Bylaw No. 118 is $1,500, but the documents we read do not say it applies to short-term rentals.
• Operating without a business licence is a municipal ticket of $100 ($75 if paid within 30 days). There is no ticket specific to short-term rentals. Provincial penalties are separate.