Gibsons short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)

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

Gibsons, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-06

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.

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.Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, s. 3.7.4; Principal residence requirement, Province of BC, Exempt communities; Short-term rentals, Licence types · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 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 Fruitvale Gibsons Gold River 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.
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.Business Licence Bylaw No. 666, 1992 (consolidated), Schedule A; Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, s. 3.7.4(1.7) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 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 A valid Town Business Licence is required for the conduct of any Short-Term Rental
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.Short-term rentals, Provincial registry; Principal residence requirement, Province of BC, List of exempt communities · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 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. Fruitvale Gibsons Gold River
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.Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, s. 4.1.5(3); Business Licence Bylaw No. 666, 1992 (consolidated), Part III, s. 6(b); Business Licence Bylaw No. 666, 1992 (consolidated), Part III, s. 5(c); Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, s. 3.7.4(1.5), (1.4) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Each bedroom used as Short-Term Rental, up to a maximum requirement of 4 must conspicuously display their Licence number in any listing, medium or material used for Short-Term Rental can be anyone over the age of 18 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,
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.Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1125 (consolidated), Schedule A, Bylaw 1342; Business Licence Bylaw No. 666, 1992 (consolidated), Part II, s. 13(a) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording 1342 3.7.4.1.7 STR no business licence $200 $150 $300 Yes Operate STR outside of Principal fine of not less than $200.00 and not more than $10,000 or imprisonment
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)Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, s. 3.7.4; Business Licence Bylaw No. 666, 1992 (consolidated), title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 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 BUSINESS LICENCE BYLAW NO. 666

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 (s. 3.7.4) and Business Licence Bylaw 666.

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

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

The same question in other places

Bowen Island · Lions Bay · Sechelt · District of North Vancouver · North Vancouver · Vancouver

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

Sources

Short-term rentals, Town of Gibsons (read 2026-11-06)
Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons (read 2026-11-06)
Business Licence Bylaw No. 666, 1992 (consolidated), Town of Gibsons (read 2026-11-06)
Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1125 (consolidated), Town of Gibsons (read 2026-11-06)
Principal residence requirement, Province of BC (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. How answers are checked.