Comox short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)

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

Comox, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-06

Short answer

In Comox you can run a vacation rental only as a home occupation, if you are the owner and live on the same lot, in a low-density residential zone or other listed zone. You need a Town business licence ($300 a year) and a provincial registration number.

Key facts

Allowed	Vacation rental is allowed as a home occupation in the low-density residential zones (R-SSMU, R-WF, R-CL, R-LL) and some other zones, within a dwelling unit on the same lot as the dwelling where the resident operator lives. It must be run by a resident property owner whose principal residence is on the same lot, and no more than one dwelling unit per lot may be used. It can be in a principal dwelling, secondary suite or coach house. Comox is on the Province's list of communities with the principal residence requirement.Zoning Bylaw No. 2056 (PDF, current to July 8, 2026), Table 6.5(1); Table 6.5(3); Zoning Bylaw No. 2056 (PDF, current to July 8, 2026), Table 9.2(1); Short-term rentals, principal residence requirement, Province of BC, Communities with principal residence requirement list · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Vacation Rental Accommodation home occupations are operated by a resident property on the same lot as the dwelling unit which the resident operator resides. No more than one dwelling unit per lot shall be used for a vacation (d) Home (iii) Bed and Breakfast Occupation 0.5 spaces per sleeping unit Accommodation (iv) Vacation Rental n/a Accommodation ALL OTHER USES Communities with principal residence requirement
Business licence	Yes. All home occupations, including vacation rentals, must have a valid Town business licence. The Vacation Rental business licence fee is $300 a year. The approval process has six steps (Planning, Building, Fire, Bylaw Officer, Business Licence Inspector, Finance) and takes around 2 months.Zoning Bylaw No. 2056 (PDF, current to July 8, 2026), Table 6.5(3)(a); Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2058 (PDF, consolidated to June 10, 2026), Schedule D; Vacation Rental Approval Process · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording All home occupations must have a valid business licence issued by the Vacation Rental Business $300 create the Business Licence and contact the applicant for payment, which is $300 it currently takes around 2 months to complete
Provincial registration	Yes. Provincial registration applies to short-term rentals offered for fewer than 90 consecutive days, whether or not a local business licence is required, and each rental unit needs its own registration number. Compliance with local bylaws is a condition of registration.Short-term rentals, principal residence requirement, Province of BC, Provincial registration · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 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. Each short-term rental unit requires its own registration number. Compliance with local bylaws is a condition of registration.
Operating rules	Six guests at any given time. Resident operator only (the owner must live on the lot). Only one dwelling unit per lot. No non-resident employees (employee rules apply to those working in the home). No nuisance from noise, vibration, smoke, dust, odours, heat, glare or electrical disturbance. Recreational vehicles may not be parked on site for the rental. A vacation rental cannot be on a lot with a care facility. The Town's approval process includes Fire Department and Bylaw Officer in-person inspections and a check for a building permit for the suite or coach house.Zoning Bylaw No. 2056 (PDF, current to July 8, 2026), Table 6.5(3); Vacation Rental Approval Process · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Six guests at any given time. On-site parking of recreational vehicles is not permitted. No accommodation home occupation shall be operated on the same lot as No non-resident employees. The Fire Department calls the applicant to set up an in-person inspection. They check to see if there is a Building Permit for a Secondary Suite or Coach House.
Fine	Business Regulation Bylaw: operating without a business licence is a $450 bylaw notice ($500 after 14 days) or a $500 municipal ticket; not displaying the licence $50 ($100 after 14 days). Zoning breaches such as an unlawful home occupation (s. 6.5): $200 ($250 after 14 days).Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2004 (PDF, consolidated to June 10, 2026), Schedule A, A2 and A18; Business Regulation Bylaw No. 1882 (PDF, consolidated to March 18, 2026), s. 11(4) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording No Business Licence 3(1) $450 $500 50% Unlawful home occupation 200 250 N/A No Business Licence 3(1) $500.00
Bylaw	Zoning Bylaw No. 2056 (s. 6.5 Home Occupations); Business Regulation Bylaw No. 1882; Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2058 (Schedule D).Zoning Bylaw No. 2056 (PDF, current to July 8, 2026), s. 6.5; Business Regulation Bylaw No. 1882 (PDF, consolidated to March 18, 2026), s. 1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Town of Comox \| Zoning Bylaw No. 2056 6.5 Home Occupations Table 6.5(1) Home Occupation Classifications This Bylaw may be cited as the Comox Business Regulation Bylaw No. 1882.

How it works

The Town of Comox Zoning Bylaw No. 2056 treats a vacation rental as a home occupation. It is allowed in the low-density residential zones (R-SSMU, R-WF, R-CL, R-LL) and some other zones, within a dwelling unit on the same lot as the dwelling where the resident operator lives. The operator must be the property owner with a principal residence on that lot, and no more than one dwelling unit per lot may be used. It can be in a principal dwelling, secondary suite or coach house. Comox is also on the Province's list of communities with the principal residence requirement.

Steps

Confirm your zone and that you meet the owner-resident rule (see the zoning-lookup answer).
Follow the Town's Vacation Rental Approval Process (comox.ca/vacationrental). It has six steps (Planning, Building, Fire, Bylaw Officer, Business Licence Inspector, Finance) and takes around 2 months.
Pay the business licence fee, $300 a year. The Town also checks for a building permit for any suite or coach house.
Register with the Province. Provincial registration applies to rentals of fewer than 90 consecutive days, and each rental unit needs its own registration number. Compliance with local bylaws is a condition.

Good to know

Rules: six guests at any given time; resident operator only; no non-resident employees; no nuisance from noise, vibration, smoke, dust, odours, heat, glare or electrical disturbance; no recreational vehicles parked on site for the rental; not allowed on a lot with a care facility.
Fire Department and Bylaw Officer in-person inspections are part of the approval.
Operating without a business licence: a bylaw notice is $450 ($500 after 14 days), and a municipal ticket is $500. Not displaying the licence is $50 ($100 after 14 days). An unlawful home occupation under the Zoning Bylaw is $200 ($250 after 14 days).
The court penalty for breaching the Business Regulation Bylaw is a minimum of $500 and a maximum of $10,000.
No requirement to post the licence number online or name a local contact was found; the Business Regulation Bylaw requires posting the licence at the place of business.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Courtenay · Cumberland · Powell River · Campbell River · Port Alberni · Qualicum Beach

Short-term rental rules in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

Zoning Bylaw No. 2056 (PDF, current to July 8, 2026), Town of Comox (read 2026-11-06)
Vacation Rental Approval Process, Town of Comox (read 2026-11-06)
Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2058 (PDF, consolidated to June 10, 2026), Town of Comox (read 2026-11-06)
Business Regulation Bylaw No. 1882 (PDF, consolidated to March 18, 2026), Town of Comox (read 2026-11-06)
Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2004 (PDF, consolidated to June 10, 2026), Town of Comox (read 2026-11-06)
Short-term rentals, principal residence requirement, Province of BC (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.