Courtenay short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)
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.
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.Zoning Bylaw No. 3203, Part 19, s. 6.19.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingThe 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 |
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| 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.Short-term rentals, Business licence and provincial registration; Business Licence Bylaw No. 2523 (consolidated October 24, 2025, PDF), Schedule A, item 1; Business Licence Bylaw No. 3212, 2026, Schedule A, Table 3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingA valid business licence is required to operate a short-term rental in Courtenay. The annual fee is $300. Short-term rental accommodation.…………………………………………….….. $150.00 Short-term rental accommodation Affordable Housing Amenity Reserve Fund Short Term Rental $300 $300 |
| Provincial registration | Yes. Hosts must also register with the Province's short-term rental registry and renew the registration each year.Short-term rentals, Business licence and provincial registration; Short-term rental registry, Province of B.C., Registration overview · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingYou must also register with the B.C. short-term rental registration. 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. |
| 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.Zoning Bylaw No. 3203, Part 19, ss. 6.19.1(4), (8); parking table; Business Licence Bylaw No. 2523 (consolidated October 24, 2025, PDF), s. 12.1(c), (d), (e) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingThe 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 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 |
| 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.Municipal Enforcement Bylaw No. 3185, Appendix A, Business Licence Bylaw · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingNo 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 |
| 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)Zoning Bylaw No. 3203, Part 19; Business Licence Bylaw No. 2523 (consolidated October 24, 2025, PDF), s. 12; Business Licence Bylaw No. 3212, 2026, s. 17.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingPart 19 Short-term Rental Accommodation SECTION 12 – SHORT-TERM RENTAL ACCOMMODATIONS “Business Licence Bylaw No. 2523, 2008”, as amended, is repealed effective end of day December |
How it works
Zoning Bylaw No. 3203 (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
- Check you qualify: owner, principal residence on the parcel, one rental per parcel.
- Plan for the extra dedicated parking space.
- Get a short-term rental business licence from the City: $300 a year.
- 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 applies until December 31, 2026, Bylaw 3212 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
The same question in other places
Comox · Cumberland · Powell River · Campbell River · Port Alberni · Qualicum Beach
Short-term rental rules in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Short-term rental accommodation, City of Courtenay (read 2026-11-05)
- Zoning Bylaw No. 3203, Part 19 (PDF), City of Courtenay (read 2026-11-05)
- Business Licence Bylaw No. 2523 (consolidated October 24, 2025, PDF), City of Courtenay (read 2026-11-05)
- Business Licence Bylaw No. 3212, 2026 (PDF), City of Courtenay (read 2026-11-05)
- Municipal Enforcement Bylaw No. 3185 (PDF), City of Courtenay (read 2026-11-05)
- Short-term rental registry, Province of B.C. (read 2026-11-05)
- Short-term rentals, City of Courtenay (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.