Golden short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)

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

Golden, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-08

Short answer

In Golden you need a Town business licence to run a short-term rental or bed and breakfast. In residential zones the rental must be a separate unit with the host living in another unit on the lot; renting a whole single detached house is not allowed. The Province also requires registration.

Key facts

Allowed	Yes, with a Town licence. In R1S, R1D, R2, R2A, R5 and C5 an STR is a separate dwelling unit (suite or duplex half) with the host living in another unit on the lot; renting a whole single detached house is not allowed. Not allowed on a lot with a detached secondary dwelling. C1 to C4 and C6: no resident rule.Zoning Bylaw Excerpts, B&B and short-term rental, Zones and s. 9.6; Short-Term Rentals and Bed & Breakfasts, Eligibility · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording STRs and Bed and Breakfasts are permitted in the R1, R1-S, R1-D, R2, R2-A, R5 and C5 operated without the permeant resident requirement. not be permitted on a Lot where a Detached Secondary Residential Dwelling exists. To operate a short-term rental (STR), the STR must be within your principal residence and you must be occupying the dwelling unit or building during the rental period. In a residential zone, a short-term rental is renting a dwelling unit (ex. a secondary suite with its own kitchen) to provide temporary accommodation to the traveling public where another dwelling unit within the building is occupied by a permanent resident. Rental of an entire single detached dwelling.
Business licence	Yes, every STR and B&B needs a Town business licence. Yearly fee by bedrooms (1/2/3): B&B $125/$175/$225; residential STR $175/$225/$275; commercial STR $200/$250/$300.Short-Term Rentals and Bed & Breakfasts, Fees; Bed and Breakfast and Short Term Rental Regulation Bylaw No. 1438, 2020, s. 4.3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording All STR and B&B operators in Golden are required to have a business license. 1 bedroom: $125/year 3 bedrooms: $225/year 1 bedroom: $175/year 3 bedrooms: $275/year 1 bedroom: $200/year 3 bedrooms: $300/year (i) 1 sleeping unit $125
Provincial registration	Yes. The Province requires registration for short-term rentals offered for fewer than 90 consecutive days, even where a local licence is needed. Golden is on the Province's exempt list, so the provincial principal-residence rule does not apply; the Town's bylaws set their own resident-host rule.Principal residence requirement, Province of BC, Business licence exemptions; Short-Term Rentals and Bed & Breakfasts, Provincial requirements · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording Provincial registration requirements apply to short-term rentals offered for fewer than 90 consecutive days, regardless of whether a local business licence is required. Municipalities exempt from the principal residence requirement Gold River Golden Grand Forks Operators will need to upload a copy of their business licence to their provincial registration dashboard by
Operating rules	Two parking spaces for the home plus one per rented room; operator or responsible person reachable 24 hours and responding to complaints within 2 hours; sign visible from the street; neighbours notified; licence number in every listing. Residential: up to 3 bedrooms, 6 guests.Short-Term Rentals and Bed & Breakfasts, Business Licence Requirements; Bed and Breakfast and Short Term Rental Regulation Bylaw No. 1438, 2020, s. 8.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording Parking: you must provide two parking spaces for the residence plus an additional parking space for each STR room. your valid business licence number must be posted in any website listings, advertisements, and marketing and promotional materials. Maximum of six guests. ensure the operator or responsible person is available for contact 24 hours a day operate only one short-term rental premise per property;
Fine	Bylaw notice (Schedule T): operating without a licence $300 first offence, $400 second, $500 third; $280/$380/$480 if paid within 14 days, $320/$420/$500 after 28 days. Other offences $50 to $500.Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw, Schedule T · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording No business licence (1st offence) $300.00 $280.00 $320.00 No business licence (2nd offence) $400.00 $380.00 $420.00 No business licence (3rd offence) $500.00 $480.00 $500.00
Bylaw	Town of Golden Bed and Breakfast and Short Term Rental Regulation Bylaw No. 1438, 2020; Zoning Bylaw No. 1294, 2011, ss. 9.2 and 9.6, as amended by Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 1437, 2020Bed and Breakfast and Short Term Rental Regulation Bylaw No. 1438, 2020, s. 1.1; Zoning Bylaw Excerpts, B&B and short-term rental, Zoning excerpt; https://golden.civicweb.net/document/126132/, Bylaw 1437, 2020, s. 2 (j) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording Town of Golden Bed and Breakfast and Short Term Rental Regulation Bylaw No .1438, 2020. 9.6 Short Term Rentals 9.6 Short Term Rentals Dwelling Unit on the Lot while the Short Term

How it works

Every short-term rental (STR) and bed and breakfast (B&B) in Golden needs a Town business licence under Bylaw No. 1438, 2020.

In R1S, R1D, R2, R2A, R5 and C5, an STR is a separate dwelling unit (a suite or duplex half) with the host living in another unit on the lot. Renting a whole single detached house is not allowed in residential zones, and an STR is not allowed on a lot with a detached secondary dwelling. In C1 to C4 and C6 there is no resident rule.

The Province also requires registration for short-term rentals of fewer than 90 consecutive days, even where a local licence is needed. Golden is on the Province's list of municipalities exempt from the provincial principal-residence requirement, so the Town's bylaws set the resident-host rule.

Steps

Check that your zone and home meet the rules above (see the zoning-lookup answer).
Apply for the business licence through the Town's short-term rental page.
Register with the Province.
Follow the operating rules: two parking spaces for the home plus one per rented room; an operator or responsible person reachable 24 hours who responds to complaints within 2 hours; a sign visible from the street; neighbours notified; and the licence number in every listing.
Residential limit: up to 3 bedrooms and 6 guests. Commercial zones: up to 3 rooms and 8 guests.

Good to know

Also required: display the licence, a floor plan and contact details inside the entry; an annual inspection and declaration form; allow periodic inspections; and keep a guest register.
A bylaw notice for operating without a licence is $300 first offence, $400 second and $500 third. Other offences are $50 to $500, for example $100 for not displaying the licence.
Do not rely on 2025 deadlines on the Town page; check the page for current requirements.

What you'll need

Floor plan and contact details to display inside the entry
Annual inspection and declaration form

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Revelstoke · Radium Hot Springs · Invermere · Nakusp · New Denver · Canal Flats

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

Sources

Short-Term Rentals and Bed & Breakfasts, Town of Golden (read 2026-11-08)
Bed and Breakfast and Short Term Rental Regulation Bylaw No. 1438, 2020 (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
Zoning Bylaw Excerpts, B&B and short-term rental (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw, Schedule T (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
Principal residence requirement, Province of BC (read 2026-11-08)
https://golden.civicweb.net/document/126132/ (read 2026-11-08)

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.