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

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

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

**Short answer:** Yes, under conditions. In Kamloops the rental must be in your principal residence, in a zone that allows it. You need a City business licence, a provincial short-term rental registration, and a signed Good Neighbour Agreement. Only one booking at a time is allowed per property.

**Who handles it:** More than one level of government  
**Cost:** The City licence fee is in Schedule D of the Fees and Charges Bylaw: accommodation at $6.50 per room (minimum $77) plus a $15 non-refundable application fee. The wording is unclear on owner-occupied rentals, so confirm with Business Licensing. The Province also has registration fees.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Business Licensing, 250-828-3481
- Email: Business Licensing, business@kamloops.ca
- Email: Planning, planning@kamloops.ca
- Phone: Provincial STR registry (ServiceBC), 1-833-828-2240
- Online: Provincial short-term rental registry, https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/registry

## Key facts

- **Allowed:** Yes, under conditions: the rental must be a room or whole dwelling unit on the owner's principal residence, in a zone that lists short-term rental as an accessory use, on a property with a single-detached home (with or without one suite) or a duplex. Not allowed with a home-based daycare, a licensed residential care home or a home-based business with client visits, or on a property with an illegal suite.
  - Source: [Short-Term Rental Accommodations, Requirements](https://www.kamloops.ca/business-development/business-licensing/short-term-rental-accommodations)
  - Official wording: "must be within a room or entire dwelling unit (such as a basement suite, carriage house, or the entire house) on a property that is the owner" … "is not permitted in conjunction with home-based daycares, residential care homes, or where a home-based business permits a customer/client" … "is not permitted on a property containing an illegal suite"
  - Source: [Kamloops Guide to Short-Term Rental Accommodations (PDF, April 2026), p. 4](https://www.kamloops.ca/sites/default/files/CPLN_ShortTermRentals_Booklet_5-5x8-5_Apr2026_FINAL.pdf)
  - Official wording: "The property must contain only a single-detached home, a single-detached home with a residential suite, or a duplex."
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 55, s. 3.20.1(c); s. 8.1.2(b)](https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/138849)
  - Official wording: "Short-Term Rental Accommodations are not permitted in conjunction with a Daycare, Home-Based; or Residential Care Facility, Licensed Home-Based." … "Short-Term Rental Accommodation, subject to Division 3, Section 3.20"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Business licence:** Yes. A business licence is required for rentals under 30 days and for monthly rentals under 90 days advertised on a rental platform, and the number must appear on the listing. Schedule D (from January 1, 2026) lists accommodation at $6.50 per room, minimum $77, plus a $15 non-refundable application fee; the schedule's wording on whether this covers owner-occupied rentals is unclear, so confirm with the Business Licence office.
  - Source: [Short-Term Rental Accommodations, Business Licensing](https://www.kamloops.ca/business-development/business-licensing/short-term-rental-accommodations)
  - Official wording: "A business licence is required for short-term rentals (less than 30 days) and monthly rentals less than 90 days advertised on a short-term rental platform" … "must display a valid business licence number on their listings"
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 44-14, Sch. D, items 1 and 41](https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/204231/)
  - Official wording: "short-term rental accommodation, medium-term rental" … "(a) Suites or rooms $5.60/room n/a $6.50/room n/a" … "Minimum Minimum $67.20 $77.00" … "41. APPLICATION FEE $15.00 $15.00" … "any dwelling units located on the lot as their principal residence:" … "A non-refundable deposit"
  - Source: [Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 9-60, s. 523](https://kamloops.civicweb.net/filepro/document/204252/Business%20Licence%20and%20Regulation%20Bylaw%20No.%209-60.pdf)
  - Official wording: "as a Short-Term Rental Accommodation;" … "enter into a Good Neighbour"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Provincial registration:** Yes. Since May 1, 2025, all short-term rental hosts and platforms operating in BC must be registered with the provincial short-term rental registry, and must renew the registration each year.
  - Source: [Short-Term Rental Accommodations, Short-Term Rental Accommodation in Kamloops](https://www.kamloops.ca/business-development/business-licensing/short-term-rental-accommodations)
  - Official wording: "As of May 1, 2025, all short-term rental hosts and platforms operating in BC must be registered with the provincial short-term rental registry"
  - Source: [Short-term rental registration, Province of British Columbia, Registration overview](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/registry)
  - Official wording: "If you have a short-term rental registration, you must renew it each year to continue operating." … "Short-term rental hosts, platforms and strata hotel platforms in B.C. must register and pay annual registration fees."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Operating rules:** Listings must show the business licence number. Only one booking at a time per property and per dwelling unit. Total people in the unit, including long-term residents, boarders and guests, cannot exceed the household maximum (five unrelated people; if the family is more than three, only two boarders or guests). Host signs a Good Neighbour Agreement, shows proof of ownership and residence; the space is inspected. Strata approval is needed in a strata.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 55, s. 3.20.1](https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/138849)
  - Official wording: "Only one booking or reservation is permitted at a time:" … "shall not exceed the maximum permitted size of a Household;"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 55, s. 2.2 (Household)](https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/138849)
  - Official wording: "five or less unrelated Persons, including Boarders and Lodgers and" … "where the family size exceeds three Persons, in which case the combined"
  - Source: [Short-Term Rental Accommodations, Requirements](https://www.kamloops.ca/business-development/business-licensing/short-term-rental-accommodations)
  - Official wording: "require the host to sign a good neighbour agreement as a condition of business licence approval" … "requires proof of ownership and principal residence" … "Yes, an inspection of the short-term rental space is required." … "must display a valid business licence number on their listings" … "require approval of the strata corporation if the dwelling unit is within a strata development"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** $200 ticket for operating a business without a licence (s. 400). Ticket schedule also lists $100 under s. 523 (listed as 'Residential/Secondary Suites (Not owner occupied)'), the section that requires a licence and Good Neighbour Agreement for rentals. The Province also issues its own penalties.
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 43-15, Sch. D](https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/71966)
  - Official wording: "No Business Licence 400 $200.00" … "Residential/Secondary Suites (Not owner occupied) 523 $100.00"
  - Source: [Short-Term Rental Accommodations, Short-Term Rental Accommodation in Kamloops](https://www.kamloops.ca/business-development/business-licensing/short-term-rental-accommodations)
  - Official wording: "The Province monitors compliance, issues compliance orders, and administers penalties for violations."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 55, 2021, s. 3.20 (Short-Term Rental Accommodation); Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 9-60, 2012 (s. 523)
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 55, s. 1.1.1; s. 3.20](https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/138849)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited as “Zoning Bylaw No. 55, 2021”." … "SHORT-TERM RENTAL ACCOMMODATION"
  - Source: [Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 9-60, title](https://kamloops.civicweb.net/filepro/document/204252/Business%20Licence%20and%20Regulation%20Bylaw%20No.%209-60.pdf)
  - Official wording: "BUSINESS LICENCE AND REGULATION BYLAW NO. 9-60, 2012" … "Medium- and Short-Term Rentals"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Kamloops allows a short-term rental (a room or a whole dwelling unit) only on the owner's principal residence, in a zone that lists short-term rental as an accessory use (the R1 zone is one example; check your zone). The property must have a single-detached home (with or without one suite) or a duplex. It is not allowed with a home-based daycare, a licensed residential care home, or a home-based business with client visits, or on a property with an illegal suite. See [Zoning Bylaw s. 3.20](https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/138849).

## Steps

1. Check that your property qualifies. Floodplain, Silt Bluff and Rayleigh Waterworks District restrictions may rule it out; contact Planning at planning@kamloops.ca.
2. Register with the provincial short-term rental registry. Since May 1, 2025 all hosts and platforms in BC must register and renew each year.
3. Apply for a City business licence. A licence is required for rentals under 30 days, and for monthly rentals under 90 days advertised on a rental platform.
4. Sign the Good Neighbour Agreement and show proof of ownership and residence. The rental space is inspected. A strata needs strata corporation approval.
5. Show your business licence number in every listing.

## Good to know

- Licence fee: Schedule D (from January 1, 2026) lists accommodation at $6.50 per room, minimum $77, plus a $15 non-refundable application fee. The schedule's wording on owner-occupied rentals is unclear, so confirm with Business Licensing at 250-828-3481.
- Only one booking at a time per property and per dwelling unit.
- The total people in the unit, including long-term residents, boarders and guests, cannot exceed the household maximum (five unrelated people; if the family is more than three, only two boarders or guests).
- Not permitted where there are two or more suites on the property (City FAQ).
- A $200 ticket applies for operating a business without a licence. The ticket schedule also lists $100 for a breach of the rule requiring a licence and Good Neighbour Agreement for rentals where the owner does not live on site. The Province issues its own penalties. A host who does not register has listings removed and bookings cancelled.
- Provincial help: ServiceBC, 1-833-828-2240.
- The City's pages do not mention parking spaces or a local contact person.

## What you'll need

- Proof of ownership and residence
- Provincial registration number
- Strata approval, if in a strata
- Signed Good Neighbour Agreement

## Official forms and pages

- [Short-Term Rental Accommodations, City of Kamloops](https://www.kamloops.ca/business-development/business-licensing/short-term-rental-accommodations)
- [Kamloops Guide to Short-Term Rental Accommodations (PDF)](https://www.kamloops.ca/sites/default/files/CPLN_ShortTermRentals_Booklet_5-5x8-5_Apr2026_FINAL.pdf)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 55 (PDF)](https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/138849)

## Related questions

- [Kamloops business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/business-licence.md)
- [Kamloops secondary suite and carriage house rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/secondary-suite.md)
- [Kamloops zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/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)
- [Sun Peaks](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sun-peaks/short-term-rental.md)
- [Chase](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chase/short-term-rental.md)
- [Barriere](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/short-term-rental.md)
- [Logan Lake](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/logan-lake/short-term-rental.md)
- [Ashcroft](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ashcroft/short-term-rental.md)
- [Cache Creek](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cache-creek/short-term-rental.md)

## Sources

- [Short-Term Rental Accommodations, City of Kamloops](https://www.kamloops.ca/business-development/business-licensing/short-term-rental-accommodations) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Kamloops Guide to Short-Term Rental Accommodations (PDF, April 2026)](https://www.kamloops.ca/sites/default/files/CPLN_ShortTermRentals_Booklet_5-5x8-5_Apr2026_FINAL.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Short-term rental registration, Province of British Columbia](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/registry) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 55 (PDF), City of Kamloops](https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/138849) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 9-60 (PDF), City of Kamloops](https://kamloops.civicweb.net/filepro/document/204252/Business%20Licence%20and%20Regulation%20Bylaw%20No.%209-60.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 44-14 (PDF), City of Kamloops](https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/204231/) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 43-15 (PDF), City of Kamloops](https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/71966) (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/kamloops/short-term-rental/_