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

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

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

**Short answer:** In Fernie a short-term rental needs a City short-term rental licence, and only your principal residence qualifies (plus certain condo/hotel properties), not suites or second homes. The licence is $500 a year for a principal residence. Provincial registration is also required.

**Who handles it:** More than one level of government  
**Cost:** Business Licencing and Regulation Bylaw 2028, Schedule A: $500 a year for a principal residence, $700 for a condo/hotel with full ownership, $175 for each quarter share, and $20 to change the contact number. The City's general $150 business licence fee does not apply to short-term rentals.  
**How long:** No processing time is stated. The City reviews an application only once payment is received.  
**Where:**
- In person: City Hall, 501 3rd Avenue, Fernie, BC V0B 1M0 (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
- Email: Submit application, corporateservices@fernie.ca
- Phone: Bylaw Services, 250-423-2244
- Email: Bylaw Services, bylawservices@fernie.ca
- Online: Provincial short-term rental registry, https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/registry
- Phone: Province (Service BC) short-term rental questions, 1-833-828-2240

## Key facts

- **Allowed:** Yes, with a City business licence, but only in your principal residence (a room, an apartment or a house), and in condo/hotel properties in the C-1, C-HWY, CD-2 and R3R zones. Not allowed in secondary suites, garage suites, garden suites or secondary homes.
  - Source: [Business Licencing and Regulation Bylaw No. 2028, s. 2 'Short-Term Rental'; Sch. C item 1 and 4](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/573)
  - Official wording: "means a business operated by a person in their Principal Residence" … "Short-Term Rentals are not permitted in secondary suites and secondary dwelling units." … "All Short-Term Rental business licences are valid only for the Principal Residence which"
  - Source: [Short-Term Rentals](https://www.fernie.ca/EN/main/business/business-licences/short-term-rentals.html)
  - Official wording: "Properties zoned as Condo/Hotels in the C-1, C-HWY, CD-2 and R3R zones, as outlined in the Zoning Bylaw No. 1750." … "Which properties DO NOT qualify for a Short-Term Rental?"
  - Source: [Consolidated Zoning Bylaw No. 1750, s. 2 'Short-Term Rental'; 'Home Occupation'](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/197505)
  - Official wording: "the rental of all or a portion of a Dwelling Unit for periods of less than 30 days for valuable consideration in accordance with a valid and subsisting business licensed issued for that use in"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Business licence:** Yes. No one may offer or advertise a short-term rental without a valid short-term rental licence for that dwelling. Annual fee: $500 (primary residence), $700 (condo/hotel, full ownership), $175 (each quarter share). Online ads must show the licence number.
  - Source: [Business Licencing and Regulation Bylaw No. 2028, s. 12(1), 12(7); Sch. A](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/573)
  - Official wording: "No person shall offer or advertise for lease, rent or barter any portion of a dwelling" … "unit for Short-Term Rental for valuable consideration unless in possession of a valid and subsisting" … "B. Short-Term Rental-Primary Residence (Annual Fee) $500" … "C. Short-Term Rental-Condo/Hotel-Full Ownership (Annual Fee) $700" … "D. Short-Term Rental-Each Quarter Share (Annual Fee) $175" … "All electronic advertisements for Short-Term Rental must include the licensee’s"
  - Source: [Apply for a new Business Licence, Short-Term Rental Business License](https://www.fernie.ca/EN/main/business/business-licences/apply-for-a-new-business-licence.html)
  - Official wording: "Applications will only be reviewed once payment is received."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Provincial registration:** Yes. Hosts renting for fewer than 90 consecutive days must register with the Province, whether or not a City licence is needed. Fernie is on the Province's exempt list, so the provincial principal residence requirement does not apply here; the City's bylaw still requires a principal residence. ServiceBC: 1-833-828-2240.
  - Source: [Short-Term Rentals, Provincial Regulations](https://www.fernie.ca/EN/main/business/business-licences/short-term-rentals.html)
  - Official wording: "Anyone operating a short-term rental in B.C. and listing on a platform, which may include, for example, Airbnb, VRBO, or Booking.com, is also required to register with the Provincial Government of British Columbia." … "The Provincial regulations apply if you rent your property for a period of less than 90 consecutive days."
  - Source: [Short-term rentals, Province of British Columbia](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals)
  - Official wording: "Short-term rental hosts, platforms and strata hotel platforms in B.C. must register and pay annual registration fees." … "please contact the ServiceBC call centre at 1-833-828-2240"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Operating rules:** Two parking spaces on the parcel, kept clear of snow; a contact person reachable within 24 hours; one licence per dwelling unit; the licence number in every online ad; one extra on-site staff member in residential zones (two in commercial zones). No permanent cooking facilities in the rental area unless it is the whole dwelling. Licence is not transferable.
  - Source: [Business Licencing and Regulation Bylaw No. 2028, s. 12(3), 12(5), 12(6), 12(7); Sch. C items 4 and 5](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/573)
  - Official wording: "Only one Short-Term Rental business licence may be issued for a dwelling unit." … "A Short-Term Rental operator shall provide two (2) parking spaces of dimensions" … "specified in the Zoning Bylaw located on the parcel the business licence is issued for." … "at all times provide to the City the name of a contact person" … "and their current telephone number who is available to respond within 24 hours of" … "ii. In residential zones as specified by Zoning Bylaw No. 1750, one (1) additional" … "Unless it is the entire dwelling, permanent cooking facilities are not permitted in the Short-" … "Short-Term Rental business licences shall not be transferable."
  - Source: [Consolidated Zoning Bylaw No. 1750, Part 5 parking table](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/197505)
  - Official wording: "short-term rental 2 spaces"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Municipal ticket: $750 for advertising a short-term rental without a licence; $500 for failing to provide two parking stalls; $500 for failing to respond within 24 hours. $750 for carrying on business without a licence.
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw 2041, Appendix 3](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/55199)
  - Official wording: "Advertisement of Short-Term Rental without a Licence 12.1 $750.00" … "Failure to provide two (2) parking stalls 12. (5) i $500.00" … "Failure to respond within 24 hours 12. (5) iii $500.00" … "Carrying on business without a Licence 3. (1) $750.00"
  - Source: [Business Licencing and Regulation Bylaw No. 2028, s. 15(1)(f)](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/573)
  - Official wording: "a fine and penalty of not more than $1,000.00 and not less than $100.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Business Licencing and Regulation Bylaw No. 2028 (s. 12 and Schedules A and C); Consolidated Zoning Bylaw No. 1750 (short-term rental definition and parking)
  - Source: [Business Licencing and Regulation Bylaw No. 2028, Title](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/573)
  - Official wording: "Consolidated Bylaw No. 2028, cited as the Business Licencing and Regulation Bylaw"
  - Source: [Consolidated Zoning Bylaw No. 1750, Title page](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/197505)
  - Official wording: "CONSOLIDATED ZONING BYLAW NO. 1750"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under the City of Fernie's [Business Licencing and Regulation Bylaw 2028](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/573), no one may offer or advertise a short-term rental (a rental of less than 30 days) without a valid short-term rental licence for that dwelling. A licence is allowed only in your principal residence (a room, an apartment or a house), and in condo/hotel properties in the C-1, C-HWY, CD-2 and R3R zones. It is not allowed in secondary suites, garage suites, garden suites or secondary homes. The licence ends if the home stops being your principal residence.

## Steps

1. Check that the home is your principal residence, or a listed condo/hotel property.
2. Complete the application and the Self-Inspection Checklist, and gather proof of principal residence, a site plan and a floor plan.
3. Submit in person at City Hall or by email to corporateservices@fernie.ca, and pay the fee. The City reviews applications only once payment is received.
4. Register with the Province if you rent for fewer than 90 consecutive days. Service BC: 1-833-828-2240.

## Good to know

- **Rules:** two parking spaces on the parcel, kept clear of snow; a contact person reachable within 24 hours; one licence per dwelling unit; the licence number in every online ad. No permanent cooking facilities in the rental area unless it is the whole dwelling. The licence is not transferable.
- **Staff:** one extra on-site staff member is allowed in residential zones (two in commercial zones).
- **Province:** Fernie is on the Province's exempt list, so the provincial principal-residence rule does not apply here. The City's bylaw still requires a principal residence. The Province also requires PST and tourism tax on stays of 26 days or less.
- **Fines:** a municipal ticket is $750 for advertising a short-term rental without a licence, $500 for not providing two parking stalls, and $500 for not responding within 24 hours.
- No limit on guests or bedrooms was found in the bylaws.

## What you'll need

- Completed short-term rental application
- Completed Self-Inspection Checklist
- Proof of principal residence
- Site plan
- Floor plan

## Official forms and pages

- [Short-Term Rentals, City of Fernie](https://www.fernie.ca/EN/main/business/business-licences/short-term-rentals.html)
- [Apply for a new Business Licence (application and Self-Inspection Checklist)](https://www.fernie.ca/EN/main/business/business-licences/apply-for-a-new-business-licence.html)
- [Business Licencing and Regulation Bylaw 2028 (PDF)](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/573)
- [Provincial short-term rental registry](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/registry)

## Related questions

- [Fernie business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fernie/business-licence.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Short-term rental rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/short-term-rental.md)
- [Cranbrook](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cranbrook/short-term-rental.md)
- [Elkford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/short-term-rental.md)
- [Kimberley](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kimberley/short-term-rental.md)
- [Canal Flats](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/short-term-rental.md)
- [Creston](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/creston/short-term-rental.md)
- [Invermere](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/invermere/short-term-rental.md)

## Sources

- [Business Licencing and Regulation Bylaw No. 2028 (PDF), City of Fernie](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/573) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Short-Term Rentals, City of Fernie](https://www.fernie.ca/EN/main/business/business-licences/short-term-rentals.html) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Apply for a new Business Licence, City of Fernie](https://www.fernie.ca/EN/main/business/business-licences/apply-for-a-new-business-licence.html) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Consolidated Zoning Bylaw No. 1750 (PDF), City of Fernie](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/197505) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw 2041 (PDF), City of Fernie](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/55199) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Short-term rentals, Province of British Columbia](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/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/fernie/short-term-rental/_