Coldstream short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)
Can I rent out my home or a room on Airbnb in Coldstream?
In Coldstream, short-term rentals are allowed only as a Bed & Breakfast in your own primary residence, with a maximum of 2 bedrooms, in zones that list it. You need a District business licence, and the provincial rule applies: you must register with the Province.
Key facts
| Allowed | Only as a Bed & Breakfast, which the Zoning Bylaw says includes short-term rentals: on ALR lots and in zones listing B&B as an accessory use (A1, A2, R3, R4, R99), in the owner's own primary residence, maximum 2 bedrooms; not in a suite, carriage house or garden suite. R1 and R2 do not list it. Coldstream is on the Province's principal residence list.Zoning Bylaw No. 1838, 2024, s. 301.8 and s. 321.5, s. 301.8, def.; Short-term rentals, principal residence requirement, Province of BC, list of communities where the requirement applies · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingFor the purposes of this section, a Bed & Breakfast use includes a Short-Term Rental (STR) accommodation. the accommodations shall not exceed 2 bedrooms within the Principal Building and Primary Residence on the Lot; the use is not permitted within an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) within the Registered Owner’s primary residence and permanent fixed address. (b) on a lot where Bed & Breakfast is permitted as an Accessory Use; the accommodations shall not exceed 2 bedrooms within the Principal Communities with principal residence requirement Abbotsford Anmore Belcarra Bowen Island Municipality Burnaby Campbell River Central Saanich Chilliwack Coldstream |
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| Business licence | Yes. A valid District business licence is required. B&B fee: $4 per bed, minimum $60 a year. The operator must request an inspection when applying.Zoning Bylaw No. 1838, 2024, s. 301.8 and s. 321.5, s. 301.8(2)(f); Business Licence Bylaw No. 1021, 1990, Sched. A cat. 65; s. 2.9 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingmust have a valid Business Licence issued and approved by the District; Boarding, Lodging, Bed & Breakfast - Per bed 4.00 - Minimum 60.00 shall request an inspection of the business premises at the time the licence application |
| Provincial registration | Yes. Hosts offering stays of fewer than 90 consecutive days must register with the Province, whether or not a local licence is required. Fee $100 a year for a principal residence; $450 for a secondary unit.Short-term rentals, principal residence requirement, Province of BC, registration · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingProvincial registration requirements apply to short-term rentals offered for fewer than 90 consecutive days, regardless of whether a local business licence is required. Compliance with local bylaws is a condition of registration. Fee: $100 annually Fee: $450 annually |
| Operating rules | Maximum 2 bedrooms; 1 parking space per bedroom in addition to dwelling parking, with a parking plan submitted with the licence application; driveway at least 6 m wide and long; no advertising signs on the lot; cooking limited to a kitchenette or wet bar of 3.8 m² or less.Zoning Bylaw No. 1838, 2024, s. 301.8 and s. 321.5, s. 301.8; s. 321.5 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wording1 parking space per bedroom, in addition to Single-Detached provision of a Parking Plan in conjunction with a Business Licence application a minimum driveway width and length of 6 m; and no signage advertising the use is permitted on the lot. an area not greater than 3.8 m2. |
| Fine | Bylaw notice for an unauthorized Bed & Breakfast (Zoning s. 301.8): $500 ($250 if paid within 14 days; $500 after 28 days). Municipal ticket: $750. Operating without a business licence: bylaw notice $100 ($50 early, $150 late); municipal ticket $100.Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1636, Sched. A, App. 1 and 2; Municipal Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 1598, Schedules 2 and 3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingUnauthorized Bed and Breakfast $500 $250 $500 Yes No business licence $100 $50 $150 Yes 6. Unauthorized Bed and Breakfast 301.8 $750.00 1. No business licence 2.0 $100.00 |
| Bylaw | Zoning Bylaw No. 1838, 2024 (s. 301.8); Business Licence Bylaw No. 1021, 1990Zoning Bylaw No. 1838, 2024, s. 301.8 and s. 321.5, title; Business Licence Bylaw No. 1021, 1990, title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingZoning Bylaw No. 1838, 2024 Business Licence Bylaw No. 1021, 1990 |
How it works
The Zoning Bylaw allows short-term rental only as a Bed & Breakfast (the bylaw says B&B includes short-term rentals). It is allowed on ALR lots and in zones that list B&B as an accessory use (A1, A2, R3, R4 and R99). R1 and R2 do not list it. It must be in the owner's own primary residence, with a maximum of 2 bedrooms, and not in a suite, carriage house or garden suite.
Rules (s. 301.8 and s. 321.5):
- 1 parking space per bedroom, in addition to the dwelling's parking, with a parking plan submitted with the licence application.
- Driveway at least 6 m wide and long.
- No advertising signs on the lot.
- Cooking limited to a kitchenette or wet bar of 3.8 m² or less.
- On a lot under 1 ha with onsite sewage, a wastewater practitioner's report is needed.
You also need a valid District business licence. The B&B fee is $4 per bed, minimum $60 a year, and you must request an inspection when you apply. The Business Licence Bylaw No. 1021 also requires giving the number of bedrooms, keeping records of patrons and posting the daily rate.
The provincial rule applies too. Coldstream is on the Province's principal residence list, and hosts offering stays of fewer than 90 consecutive days must register with the Province, whether or not a local licence is required.
Steps
- Check your zone for B&B as an accessory use.
- Confirm with Planning (250-545-5304) that your home qualifies.
- Apply for the business licence and request the inspection.
- Register with the Province (1-833-828-2240).
Good to know
- Fines for an unauthorized Bed & Breakfast: a bylaw notice is $500 ($250 if paid within 14 days; $500 after 28 days), and a municipal ticket is $750.
- Operating without a business licence: a bylaw notice is $100 ($50 early, $150 late), and a municipal ticket is $100.
- Check your zone, since the zones that allow B&B can change.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Vernon · Lumby · Lake Country · Spallumcheen · Armstrong · Enderby
Short-term rental rules in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Zoning Bylaw No. 1838, 2024, s. 301.8 and s. 321.5, District of Coldstream (read 2026-11-06)
- Business Licence Bylaw No. 1021, 1990, District of Coldstream (read 2026-11-06)
- Short-term rentals, principal residence requirement, Province of BC (read 2026-11-06)
- Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1636, District of Coldstream (read 2026-11-06)
- Municipal Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 1598, District of Coldstream (read 2026-11-06)
- Contact Directory, District of Coldstream (read 2026-11-06)
Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. How answers are checked.