GovHandbook

Coquitlam short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)

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

Coquitlam, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

In Coquitlam, the City licenses short-term rentals only as a sleeping unit in the host's own dwelling, and the host must live there. You need a home-based business licence ($100.80 a year), an inspection, and a provincial registration. The City does not address whole-home rentals.

Key facts

AllowedThe City licenses short-term rentals as a sleeping unit that is part of the host's dwelling (bed and breakfast, Airbnb private room): a permanent resident must live in and operate it, with no separate cooking facilities. Whole-home rentals are not addressed. The Province's principal residence requirement also applies in Coquitlam.Business Licences, Short-Term Rental Business Licence; Short-term rental principal residence requirement, Province of British Columbia, List of communities · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
At least one permanent resident of the home must live in and operate the short-term rental
Rental space must not have separate cooking facilities. Shared cooking facilities are permitted.
Examples of short-term rentals include but are not limited to bed and breakfasts and Airbnb® private room rentals.
Central Saanich Chilliwack Coldstream Colwood Comox Coquitlam Courtenay Columbia Shuswap Regional District Electoral Area B (Revelstoke Rural) Cowichan Valley Regional District Electoral Area A (Mill Bay/Malahat)
Business licenceYes. All short-term rentals need a home-based business licence and an inspection. The fee is $100.80 a year (Level One, which lists bed and breakfast and home occupation).Business Licences, Short-Term Rental Business Licence; Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 5484, 2025, Schedule K, Schedule K, Part 1, Level One · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
All short-term rentals require a home-based business licence and an inspection
A. Level One
bed and breakfast; Christmas tree sales (licence valid December only); home occupation
(a) general $ 100.80
All 2026 Rates are effective as of April 1, 2026
Provincial registrationYes. Short-term rental hosts in B.C. must register with the Province and renew each year. The fee is $100 a year for the host's principal residence and $450 for a separate secondary unit.Short-term rental registration, Province of British Columbia, Registration overview; Short-term rental principal residence requirement, Province of British Columbia, Principal residence requirement and registration fees · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Short-term rental hosts, platforms and strata hotel platforms in B.C. must register and pay annual registration fees.
If you have a short-term rental registration, you must renew it each year to continue operating.
The unit the host lives in is their principal residence. The guests have access to the host's space (bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and living room). Fee: $100 annually This includes:
Any accommodation that is separate from the home where the host lives, sleeps, and eats is considered a secondary unit, even if it is located on the same property or connected by an interior door. Guests stay in their own private space and do not have access to the host's bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen. Fee: $450 annually This includes:
Operating rulesA maximum of two guests or one family at a time; rental space under 40% of the home's residential floor area; no separate cooking facilities; no increase in noise, parking or traffic that affects the neighbourhood; at least one permanent resident lives in and operates it; inspection before approval.Business Licences, Short-Term Rental Business Licence; Zoning Bylaw 3000, Part 5, s. 508, s. 508(1) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
A maximum of two guests or one family is permitted to stay at any one time
Rental space must be less than 40% of the residential floor area
No noise, parking, pedestrian and/or vehicular traffic increases that impact the residential neighbourhood are allowed
must not accommodate more than two boarders per dwelling unit;
must be completely enclosed within a building.
FineWithout a business licence: bylaw notice $500 (no early-payment discount; 50% compliance-agreement discount where entered); municipal ticket $1,000. Operating contrary to a licence condition: bylaw notice $500, municipal ticket $1,000.Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 3749, Business Licence Bylaw schedule; Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 4320, Schedule B-4 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
No business licence 5.1 n/a 500 50%
Operate contrary to condition 11.4 n/a 500 50%
No business licence 5.1 1000
BylawBusiness Licence Bylaw No. 4344, 2013; Zoning Bylaw No. 3000, 1996 (s. 508, boarding); provincial Short-Term Rental Accommodations ActBusiness Licence Bylaw No. 4344, 2013 (PDF, consolidated December 20, 2021), s. 1.1; Zoning Bylaw 3000, Part 5, s. 508, s. 508(1); Short-term rental registration, Province of British Columbia, Subscribe · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Business Licence Bylaw No. 4344, 2013
rooms. 508 Accessory Uses (1) Boarding Use A boarding use: (a) must not accommodate more than two boarders per dwelling unit;
Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act

How it works

The City of Coquitlam licenses short-term rentals as a sleeping unit that is part of the host's dwelling, such as a bed and breakfast or an Airbnb private room. All short-term rentals need a home-based business licence and an inspection. The City's rules describe only room rentals in the host's home. They do not say whether whole-home or separate-suite short-term rentals are allowed, so ask Business Licensing or Planning. The Zoning Bylaw allows "boarding", including bed and breakfast, as an accessory use. Coquitlam is also on the Province's principal residence list, so the provincial rules apply.

Steps

  1. Check the City's rules below and confirm zoning with Planning and Development at 604-927-3430.
  2. Apply for a home-based business licence from the City (Business Licence Bylaw 4344). The fee is $100.80 a year, and the City inspects before approval.
  3. Register with the Province and renew each year: $100 for your principal residence, $450 for a separate secondary unit. Unregistered listings are removed and bookings cancelled.
  4. Display the business licence on the premises.

Good to know

  • City conditions: a maximum of two guests or one family at a time; rental space under 40% of the home's residential floor area; no separate cooking facilities; no increase in noise, parking or traffic that affects the neighbourhood; at least one permanent resident lives in and operates it.
  • A late licence application adds 25% of the fee.
  • Without a business licence, or contrary to a licence condition, a bylaw notice is $500 (no early-payment discount) or a municipal ticket is $1,000.
  • The Business Licence Bylaw copy is a December 2021 consolidation, so later amendments are possible.
  • Service BC answers registry questions at 1-833-828-2240.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Port Coquitlam · Port Moody · Belcarra · Anmore · New Westminster · Burnaby

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

Sources

  1. Business Licences, City of Coquitlam (read 2026-11-05)
  2. Business Licence Bylaw No. 4344, 2013 (PDF, consolidated December 20, 2021), City of Coquitlam (read 2026-11-05)
  3. Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 5484, 2025, Schedule K (PDF), City of Coquitlam (read 2026-11-05)
  4. Zoning Bylaw 3000, Part 5, s. 508 (PDF), City of Coquitlam (read 2026-11-05)
  5. Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 3749 (PDF), City of Coquitlam (read 2026-11-05)
  6. Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 4320 (PDF), City of Coquitlam (read 2026-11-05)
  7. Short-term rental principal residence requirement, Province of British Columbia (read 2026-11-05)
  8. Short-term rental registration, Province of British Columbia (read 2026-11-05)
  9. Rezonings and Zoning Bylaw Text Amendments, City of Coquitlam (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. How answers are checked.