---
title: Gibsons short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)
question: "Can I rent out my home or a room on Airbnb in Gibsons?"
place: Gibsons, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/gibsons
category: Housing and renting
owner: municipal
owner_body: Town of Gibsons
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/short-term-rental/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/short-term-rental.json"
---

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

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

**Short answer:** Yes, in Gibsons, with a Town business licence. Outside the CM-1 zone, a short-term rental must be your principal residence, or be one of up to 35 non-principal-residence licences. Gibsons is on the Province's exempt list, but the Town's own rule still applies.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Gibsons, https://www.gibsons.ca)  
**Cost:** Principal residence: $200 a year. Non-principal residence (entire unit): $2,000 a year. New applicants also pay a one-time $400 application fee. Fine without a licence: bylaw notice $200.  
**How long:** No official page states a processing time. Renewal applications for non-principal-residence short-term rentals are due by November 1.  
**Where:**
- Online: Short-term rentals, Town of Gibsons, https://gibsons.ca/business/str/
- In person: Town Hall, Town of Gibsons, 474 South Fletcher Road, Gibsons, BC V0N 1V0 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (the hours the Town gives for in-person submissions, excluding holidays))
- Phone: Planning and Development, 604-886-2274
- Email: Planning and Development, planning@gibsons.ca

## Key facts

- **Allowed:** Yes, in any zone allowing residential use, with a Town business licence. Outside CM-1: a principal-residence STR may use up to two bedrooms while the operator is home, or the whole home up to three months a year. Non-principal-residence STRs (including a separate unit on the owner's property) are capped at 35 licences. CM-1 has no such limits.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, s. 3.7.4](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/)
  - Official wording: "Short-Term Rentals are permitted in any zone that permits a Residential Use" … "is only permitted for three months in a calendar year." … "limited to no more than two Bedrooms at a time." … "no more than 35 Dwelling Units"
  - Source: [Principal residence requirement, Province of BC, Exempt communities](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/principal-residence-requirement)
  - Official wording: "Fruitvale Gibsons Gold River"
  - Source: [Short-term rentals, Licence types](https://gibsons.ca/business/str/)
  - Official wording: "Outside the CM-1 Mixed-Use Commercial Lower Gibsons Zone, the Town has established a maximum of 35 Non-Principal-Residence STR Business Licenses." … "A separate Dwelling Unit on the same property as the owner’s principal residence is considered a Non-Principal Residence STR under the Town of Gibsons’ STR regulations."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Business licence:** Required. Principal residence: $200 a year. Non-principal residence (entire unit): $2,000 a year. New applicants also pay a one-time $400 application fee.
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 666, 1992 (consolidated), Schedule A](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/60436/)
  - Official wording: "ENTIRE UNIT (PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE) .................................................. $200.00" … "ENTIRE UNIT (NON-PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE) ……………………………..$2,000.00" … "A one-time application fee of $400 shall apply to all new applications for a"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, s. 3.7.4(1.7)](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/)
  - Official wording: "A valid Town Business Licence is required for the conduct of any Short-Term Rental"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Provincial registration:** Yes. Hosts must register with the Province's Short-Term Rental Registry using the Town business licence number; this does not replace the Town licence. Gibsons is on the Province's exempt list, so the provincial principal-residence rule does not apply here, but the Town's own rules do.
  - Source: [Short-term rentals, Provincial registry](https://gibsons.ca/business/str/)
  - Official wording: "Before operating, Short-Term Rental operators must register with the Province’s Short-Term Rental Registry using the Business License number issued by the Town of Gibsons." … "Registration with the Provincial Short-Term Rental Registry does not replace the requirement to obtain a Town of Gibsons Business License."
  - Source: [Principal residence requirement, Province of BC, List of exempt communities](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/principal-residence-requirement)
  - Official wording: "Fruitvale Gibsons Gold River"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Operating rules:** Parking: 1 space per bedroom used (max 4) plus each operator vehicle present. Display the licence number in every listing. Name a responsible person (18 or older). Post contacts, parking plan and fire safety plan in the unit. No outside sign beyond one 0.3 m². Not in an RV, tent or boat.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, s. 4.1.5(3)](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/)
  - Official wording: "Each bedroom used as Short-Term Rental, up to a maximum requirement of 4"
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 666, 1992 (consolidated), Part III, s. 6(b)](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/60436/)
  - Official wording: "must conspicuously display their Licence number in any listing, medium or material used for Short-Term Rental"
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 666, 1992 (consolidated), Part III, s. 5(c)](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/60436/)
  - Official wording: "can be anyone over the age of 18"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, s. 3.7.4(1.5), (1.4)](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/)
  - Official wording: "except for a single sign not exceeding 0.3 m² in area." … "Short-Term Rental is not permitted in a Recreational Vehicle, motor vehicle, tent,"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: $200 for operating a short-term rental without a business licence ($150 if paid early, $300 if late); the same $200/$150/$300 for other zoning breaches such as operating outside the principal residence. Court: $200 to $10,000 under the Business Licence Bylaw.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1125 (consolidated), Schedule A, Bylaw 1342](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/104779/)
  - Official wording: "1342 3.7.4.1.7 STR no business licence $200 $150 $300 Yes" … "Operate STR outside of Principal"
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 666, 1992 (consolidated), Part II, s. 13(a)](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/60436/)
  - Official wording: "fine of not less than $200.00 and not more than $10,000 or imprisonment"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025 (s. 3.7.4 and 4.1.5) and Business Licence Bylaw No. 666, 1992 (Part III, Schedule A)
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, s. 3.7.4](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/)
  - Official wording: "3.7.3. Home Occupations ................................................................................................... 3-10 3.7.4. Short-Term Rentals ................................................................................................... 3-11 3.8. Uses Permitted and Uses Prohibited in All Zones ........................................................... 3-12" … "Zoning Bylaw Bylaw No. 1342 | 2025 Consolidated for convenience to include 1342-01 - June 2026"
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 666, 1992 (consolidated), title](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/60436/)
  - Official wording: "BUSINESS LICENCE BYLAW NO. 666"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Short-term rentals are allowed in any zone that allows residential use, with a Town business licence. The rules are in [Zoning Bylaw 1342](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/) (s. 3.7.4) and [Business Licence Bylaw 666](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/60436/).

Outside the CM-1 zone, a principal-residence short-term rental may use up to two bedrooms while the operator is home, or the whole home up to three months a year. Non-principal-residence rentals (including a separate unit on the owner's property) are capped at 35 licences. The CM-1 zone has no such limits. Not allowed in an RV, vehicle, tent or boat.

The Province's exempt list includes Gibsons, so the provincial principal-residence rule does not apply here, but the Town's own rule does. Hosts must also register with the Province's Short-Term Rental Registry using the Town business licence number. That does not replace the Town licence.

## Steps

1. Check whether your property is in the Town and whether your zone allows it.
2. Apply for the licence through the Town (see its short-term rental page). Only individuals can hold one.
3. Register with the provincial registry using your Town licence number.
4. Show the licence number in every listing.

## Good to know

- Licence fees: $200 a year for a principal residence (also for part of a unit), $2,000 a year for an entire non-principal-residence unit, plus a one-time $400 application fee for new applicants.
- Licences are not transferable and expire on sale or change of operator.
- Parking: 1 space per bedroom used (maximum 4), plus each operator vehicle present. Name a responsible person aged 18 or older. Post contacts, a parking plan and a fire safety plan in the unit. No outside sign beyond one 0.3 m². The unit must be legally permitted.
- Fine: a bylaw notice is $200 for operating without a licence ($150 if paid early, $300 if late), and the same for other zoning breaches such as operating outside the principal residence. In court, $200 to $10,000 under the Business Licence Bylaw.

## Official forms and pages

- [Short-term rentals, Town of Gibsons](https://gibsons.ca/business/str/)
- [Policy 3.18, Short-Term Rental Business Licence Allocation Policy (PDF)](https://gibsons.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Policy-3.18-Short-Term-Rental-Business-Licence-Allocation-Policy_2026-V3.pdf)
- [Principal residence requirement, Province of BC](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/principal-residence-requirement)

## Related questions

- [Gibsons business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/business-licence.md)
- [Gibsons home-based business rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/home-based-business.md)
- [Gibsons secondary suite and carriage house rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/secondary-suite.md)
- [Gibsons zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/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)
- [Bowen Island](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/short-term-rental.md)
- [Lions Bay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/short-term-rental.md)
- [Sechelt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/short-term-rental.md)
- [District of North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/short-term-rental.md)
- [North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/short-term-rental.md)
- [Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/short-term-rental.md)

## Sources

- [Short-term rentals, Town of Gibsons](https://gibsons.ca/business/str/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Business Licence Bylaw No. 666, 1992 (consolidated), Town of Gibsons](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/60436/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1125 (consolidated), Town of Gibsons](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/104779/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Principal residence requirement, Province of BC](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/principal-residence-requirement) (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. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Town of Gibsons. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/short-term-rental/_