Nelson short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)

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

Nelson, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

In Nelson you can run a short-term rental only in your principal residence, in a zone that allows it, and with a City short-term rental licence. Licences are capped, so ask whether any are available. You must also register with the Province.

Key facts

Allowed	Yes, but only as an accessory use in zones that list it, and only in the operator's principal residence. Annual licences are capped at 110 and four-month licences at 40; 31-day licences have no cap. No more than three licences in one block. A laneway house permitted after June 12, 2018 cannot be a short-term rental.Zoning Bylaw No. 3652, 2026, Part 4, s. 1(b), (f); Business Licence Bylaw No. 3661, 2026, s. 14.6; Schedule A, s. 2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording The principal use of the dwelling unit containing or comprising the Short-Term Rental shall remain a residential use. The lot must be the operator’s principal residence and they alone shall be engaged in A Laneway House for which the building permit application was received by the City on or after June 12, 2018 shall not be used as a Short-Term Rental. No person shall operate a Short-Term Rental unless the premises can be Maximum of three (3) licences in total are permitted within 110 40 No Cap
Business licence	Yes. Annual licence: $350 for guest room(s), $800 for a guest house or guest suite. Four-month licence: $150 / $400. 31-day licence (guest house or suite): $160. Annual applications received on or after August 1 pay half. The licence must be renewed yearly.Business Licence Bylaw No. 3661, 2026, Part 14, s. 14.8, 7.12; Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 3092 (Consolidated, revised April 28, 2026, PDF), Schedule N, Short term rental licence fees · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording No person shall operate a Short-Term Rental without a valid and subsisting licence. for Annual Short-Term Rental licence applications received on or after August 1st, the applicable licence fees will be reduced by fifty (50) percent. Annual short-term rental licence (six months to one year) Guest room(s) $350 Guest house or guest suite $800 Four-month short-term rental licence Guest room(s) $150 Guest house or guest suite $400 31-day short-term rental licence Guest house or guest suite $160
Provincial registration	Yes. The Province requires short-term rental hosts to register and pay annual registration fees. The City says the provincial rules, including a principal residence requirement, have applied since May 1, 2024 to rentals of less than 90 consecutive days.Short-term rentals, Province of British Columbia, Short-term rentals page; Short-Term Vacation Rentals, City page, New BC-wide regulations · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Short-term rental hosts, platforms and strata hotel platforms in B.C. must register and pay annual registration fees. On May 1st, 2024, the Province of British Columbia introduced a number of new regulations, including a principal residence requirement, for all short-term rentals. The Provincial regulations apply to you if you rent your property for a period of less than 90 consecutive days.
Operating rules	At most 2 adult guests per guest room, 4 per guest suite, 6 per guest home. One off-street parking space per dwelling unit. Ads must show the licence number, off-street parking spaces and maximum guest occupancy. A local contact within 30 km must answer calls within 15 minutes, 24 hours a day. Keep a daily guest register.Zoning Bylaw No. 3652, 2026, Part 4, s. 1(c); Part 7, s. 9; Business Licence Bylaw No. 3661, 2026, ss. 15.3(c), 15.4, 17.1, 19.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Not more than two adult guests shall be accommodated per guest room, not more than four adult guests shall be accommodated per guest suite, and Short-Term Rental 1 space per dwelling unit to respond within fifteen minutes to any must reside within thirty (30) kilometers of the Short-Term Rental property. a valid business licence number; the maximum permitted guest-occupancy applicable to the Short-Term Establish and maintain a daily register of the name, telephone number,
Fine	Bylaw notice: $300 for non-compliant short-term rental use ($250 within 14 days; $500 after 28 days); $500 for operating without a business licence ($450 / $500); $150 for advertising or guest registry breaches ($100 / $200). The licence rows still cite the repealed Bylaw 3347. Court: up to $50,000.Sources differ: Conflict: the City's page says $500 per day; the bylaw notice schedule sets the amounts above and the Zoning Bylaw (s. 5) sets a court penalty of $3,000 to $50,000 per offence. The licence-related bylaw notice entries cite the repealed Business Licence Bylaw 3347 (replaced by Bylaw 3661, 2026), so section numbers may be out of date.Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw, Schedule A, Zoning and Business Licence; Business Licence Bylaw No. 3661, 2026, s. 24.2; Short-Term Vacation Rentals, City page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Noncompliant Short-Term Rental use $300 $250 $500 Yes Operate without a Business Failure to comply with advertising requirements Failure to establish a guest registry 3652 Part 4, sec. 1 Noncompliant Short-Term $300 $250 $500 Yes 3347 Failure to comply with $150 $100 $200 Yes 3347 Failure to establish a guest $150 $100 $200 Yes BUSINESS LICENCE (Section 3.1 amended by BL. 3653, 2026) On being found guilty of an offence under this Bylaw, a person will be liable to pay a fine of up to $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months Non-compliance with zoning or the lack of a business licence can result in a fine of $500 per day.
Bylaw	Business Licence Bylaw No. 3661, 2026 (Parts 14 to 19 and Schedule A); Zoning Bylaw No. 3652, 2026 (Part 4, s. 1); Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 3092, Schedule N; BC Short-Term Rental Accommodations ActBusiness Licence Bylaw No. 3661, 2026, s. 27.1; Zoning Bylaw No. 3652, 2026, adoption page; Short-term rentals, Province of British Columbia, Short-term rentals page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Business Licence Bylaw No. 3661, 2026 This Bylaw may be cited as “Zoning Bylaw No. 3652, 2026” Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act and regulations on this page

How it works

Nelson's Zoning Bylaw 3652 allows a short-term rental only as an accessory use in zones that list it (R1, R2 and R3, for example, as a conditional use). The lot must be the operator's principal residence. The City's Business Licence Bylaw 3661 caps annual licences at 110 and four-month licences at 40, with no cap on 31-day licences, and allows no more than three licences in one block. In commercial zones the City says a tourist accommodation licence is used instead.

The City defines a short-term rental as a stay of 31 days or less. The Province has separate rules: the City says the provincial principal-residence rule and registration apply to rentals of less than 90 consecutive days. Ask ServiceBC (1-833-828-2240) about registration.

Steps

Check your zone on the Interactive Zoning Map.
Ask Development Services whether a licence is available, then submit the Short-Term Rental Business Licence Application.
Renew each year; renewal applications must be received by December 15.
Register with the Province, and remit PST and local tourism tax on stays of 26 days or less.

Good to know

Guest limits: 2 adult guests per guest room, 4 per guest suite, 6 per guest home. One off-street parking space per dwelling unit.
Ads must show the licence number, off-street parking spaces and maximum guest occupancy. You must keep a daily guest register.
A local contact within 30 km must answer calls within 15 minutes, 24 hours a day.
A laneway house with a building permit application received on or after June 12, 2018 cannot be a short-term rental.
Bylaw notices: $300 for non-compliant use ($250 within 14 days; $500 after 28 days); $500 for operating without a licence ($450 / $500); $150 for advertising or guest registry breaches ($100 / $200). In court, up to $50,000. The City's page says $500 per day; confirm with the City.
To report an illegal rental, contact Bylaw Enforcement. The City does not accept anonymous complaints.
Licences do not transfer when a home is sold; a new owner applies as a new applicant.

What you'll need

Short-Term Rental Business Licence Application

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Castlegar · Slocan · Salmo · Fruitvale · Montrose · Trail

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

Sources

Short-Term Vacation Rentals, City of Nelson (read 2026-11-05)
Business Licence Bylaw No. 3661, 2026 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Zoning Bylaw No. 3652, 2026 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 3092 (Consolidated, revised April 28, 2026, PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw (PDF), City of Nelson (read 2026-11-05)
Issues and Complaints, City of Nelson (read 2026-11-05)
Bylaw Services, City of Nelson (read 2026-11-05)
Short-term rentals, Province of British Columbia (read 2026-11-05)

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