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

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

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

**Short answer:** Yes, in Courtenay, if you own the property and your principal residence is on it. One short-term rental per parcel, up to 3 bedrooms and 6 guests. You need a City short-term rental business licence ($300 a year) and a provincial registration.

**Who handles it:** More than one level of government  
**Cost:** City business licence $300 a year (Bylaw 2523 shows it as $150 plus a $150 Affordable Housing Amenity Reserve Fund offset fee; Bylaw 3212 sets $300 from January 1, 2027). Provincial registration fee is set by the Province.  
**Where:**
- Online: Business licence application, https://digitalsmartforms.ca/f/s/CourtenayBusinessLicenceApplication
- Email: Business licensing, businesslicence@courtenay.ca
- Phone: Business licensing, 250-703-4835
- Phone: ServiceBC short-term rental registry, 1-833-828-2240
- Email: Provincial registry, STRregistry@sbc.gov.bc.ca

## Key facts

- **Allowed:** Yes, in a single residential dwelling, a detached accessory dwelling unit, or a secondary suite that is part of a single residential dwelling. Only the parcel owner may operate it, and the owner's principal residence must be on the same parcel. One per parcel; not combined with a bed and breakfast or day care.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 3203, Part 19, s. 6.19.1](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw-3203-consolidated-july-21-2026-1)
  - Official wording: "The short-term rental accommodation may only be permitted within the following" … "dwelling unit types: single residential dwelling, accessory dwelling unit, or secondary suite" … "No more than one short-term rental accommodation is permitted per parcel;" … "Short-term rental accommodation is not permitted in combination with bed and breakfast" … "The short-term rental accommodation shall only be operated by the owner of the parcel;" … "Short-term rental accommodation is not permitted unless the principal residence of the"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Business licence:** Yes: a short-term rental business licence is required, $300 a year. Bylaw 2523 Schedule A shows it as $150 plus a $150 Affordable Housing Amenity Reserve Fund offset fee; Bylaw 3212 (from Jan 1, 2027) sets $300.
  - Source: [Short-term rentals, Business licence and provincial registration](https://www.courtenay.ca/services/bylaws/find-bylaw/short-term-rentals)
  - Official wording: "A valid business licence is required to operate a short-term rental in Courtenay. The annual fee is $300."
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 2523 (consolidated October 24, 2025, PDF), Schedule A, item 1](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/2523-business-licence-bylaw-no-2523-consolidated-october-24-2025)
  - Official wording: "Short-term rental accommodation.…………………………………………….….. $150.00" … "Short-term rental accommodation Affordable Housing Amenity Reserve Fund"
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 3212, 2026, Schedule A, Table 3](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/3212-business-licence-bylaw-3212-2026-revised-june-24-2026)
  - Official wording: "Short Term Rental $300 $300"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Provincial registration:** Yes. Hosts must also register with the Province's short-term rental registry and renew the registration each year.
  - Source: [Short-term rentals, Business licence and provincial registration](https://www.courtenay.ca/services/bylaws/find-bylaw/short-term-rentals)
  - Official wording: "You must also register with the B.C. short-term rental registration."
  - Source: [Short-term rental registry, Province of B.C., Registration overview](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." … "If you have a short-term rental registration, you must renew it each year to continue operating."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Operating rules:** Max 3 bedrooms and 6 guests, one booking at a time. Licence, operator contact and a 24-hour phone number posted inside the unit; fire and safety plan posted at exits and in each bedroom. One extra dedicated parking space. No noise, smoke, dust or glare detectable beyond the property boundary.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 3203, Part 19, ss. 6.19.1(4), (8); parking table](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw-3203-consolidated-july-21-2026-1)
  - Official wording: "The maximum number of bedrooms for short-term rental accommodation use is three (3)" … "shall not allow more than six (6) guests to occupy the dwelling" … "1 dedicated space per short-term rental operation in addition" … "No noise, vibration, smoke, dust, odors, heat, glare, electrical or radio disturbance"
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 2523 (consolidated October 24, 2025, PDF), s. 12.1(c), (d), (e)](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/2523-business-licence-bylaw-no-2523-consolidated-october-24-2025)
  - Official wording: "Only one booking is permitted at a time, with a maximum occupancy of three (3)" … "A valid short-term rental accommodation Business Licence must be displayed in a prominent place within the short-term rental accommodation unit" … "A Fire and Safety plan is required to be posted at entrances and exits from the"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Operating without a business licence: bylaw notice $500 ($375 if paid within 14 days; $500 after 30 days), listed under Business Licence Bylaw 2523 s. 2.1. No ticket is listed for short-term rental zoning or operating rules.
  - Source: [Municipal Enforcement Bylaw No. 3185, Appendix A, Business Licence Bylaw](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/3185-municipal-enforcement-bylaw-no-3185pdf)
  - Official wording: "No business licence 2.1 $500.00 $375.00 $500.00 Yes" … "if received by the City within 14 days of the person receiving or being presumed to have received the bylaw notice, the discounted penalty for early payment" … "if more than 30 days after the person received or is presumed to have received the bylaw notice, the penalty for late payment"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 3203, 2026 (s. 6.19); Business Licence Bylaw No. 2523, 2008 (s. 12), replaced from January 1, 2027 by Business Licence Bylaw No. 3212, 2026 (Schedule B, s. 7)
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 3203, Part 19](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw-3203-consolidated-july-21-2026-1)
  - Official wording: "Part 19 Short-term Rental Accommodation"
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 2523 (consolidated October 24, 2025, PDF), s. 12](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/2523-business-licence-bylaw-no-2523-consolidated-october-24-2025)
  - Official wording: "SECTION 12 – SHORT-TERM RENTAL ACCOMMODATIONS"
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 3212, 2026, s. 17.1](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/3212-business-licence-bylaw-3212-2026-revised-june-24-2026)
  - Official wording: "“Business Licence Bylaw No. 2523, 2008”, as amended, is repealed effective end of day December"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

[Zoning Bylaw No. 3203](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw-3203-consolidated-july-21-2026-1) (s. 6.19) allows a short-term rental (a rental of less than 90 consecutive days) in a single residential dwelling, a detached accessory dwelling unit, or a secondary suite that is part of a single residential dwelling. Only the parcel owner may operate it, and the owner's principal residence must be on the same parcel. It cannot be combined with a bed and breakfast or day care.

## Steps

1. Check you qualify: owner, principal residence on the parcel, one rental per parcel.
2. Plan for the extra dedicated parking space.
3. Get a short-term rental business licence from the City: $300 a year.
4. Register with the Province's short-term rental registry, and renew each year.

## Good to know

- Limits: maximum 3 bedrooms and 6 guests, one booking at a time. No noise, smoke, dust or glare detectable beyond the property boundary.
- Post inside the unit: the licence, operator contact and a 24-hour phone number; post a fire and safety plan at exits and in each bedroom.
- Licence bylaws: [Bylaw 2523](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/2523-business-licence-bylaw-no-2523-consolidated-october-24-2025) applies until December 31, 2026, [Bylaw 3212](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/3212-business-licence-bylaw-3212-2026-revised-june-24-2026) from January 1, 2027. New licences before 2027 fall under 2523; 2027 renewals use 3212. The operating rules are the same.
- Operating without a business licence: a bylaw notice is $500 ($375 if paid within 14 days). No ticket is listed for the zoning or operating rules; zoning offences can carry up to $50,000 on conviction.

## Official forms and pages

- [Short-term rental accommodation](https://www.courtenay.ca/community-and-culture/housing/short-term-rental-accommodation)
- [B.C. short-term rental registry](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/registry)
- [Business Licence Bylaw No. 2523 (consolidated October 24, 2025, PDF)](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/2523-business-licence-bylaw-no-2523-consolidated-october-24-2025)
- [Business Licence Bylaw No. 3212, 2026 (from January 1, 2027, PDF)](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/3212-business-licence-bylaw-3212-2026-revised-june-24-2026)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Short-term rental rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/short-term-rental.md)
- [Comox](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/short-term-rental.md)
- [Cumberland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/short-term-rental.md)
- [Powell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/powell-river/short-term-rental.md)
- [Campbell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/short-term-rental.md)
- [Port Alberni](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/short-term-rental.md)
- [Qualicum Beach](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/short-term-rental.md)

## Sources

- [Short-term rental accommodation, City of Courtenay](https://www.courtenay.ca/community-and-culture/housing/short-term-rental-accommodation) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 3203, Part 19 (PDF), City of Courtenay](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw-3203-consolidated-july-21-2026-1) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Business Licence Bylaw No. 2523 (consolidated October 24, 2025, PDF), City of Courtenay](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/2523-business-licence-bylaw-no-2523-consolidated-october-24-2025) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Business Licence Bylaw No. 3212, 2026 (PDF), City of Courtenay](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/3212-business-licence-bylaw-3212-2026-revised-june-24-2026) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Enforcement Bylaw No. 3185 (PDF), City of Courtenay](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/3185-municipal-enforcement-bylaw-no-3185pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Short-term rental registry, Province of B.C.](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/registry) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Short-term rentals, City of Courtenay](https://www.courtenay.ca/services/bylaws/find-bylaw/short-term-rentals) (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/courtenay/short-term-rental/_