New Westminster short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)
Can I rent out my home or a room on Airbnb in New Westminster?
Short answer
In New Westminster, short-term rentals are not permitted unless you hold a valid Bed and Breakfast business licence, which is for a home where you live. A secondary suite or laneway house cannot be used. You must also register with the Province, which has its own fee.
Key facts
| Allowed | Not permitted unless the operator holds a valid Bed & Breakfast business licence. A B&B is a home based business where the operator lives on site and rents rooms for under 90 days with a daily breakfast. It is not allowed in a detached accessory building such as a laneway house.Business Licences and Permits, Short Term Accomodations; Business Licence Bylaw No. 8473, 2024 (PDF, consolidated November 3, 2025), s. 3.6 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingwill continue to not permit short-term rentals unless the operator has a valid Bed & Breakfast business license. reside at the business premises and be that person’s primary residence; not operate within a detached accessory dwelling unit or any other provide temporary sleeping accommodation of no less than a daily basis and for no more than a 90 day continuous basis; |
|---|---|
| Business licence | Yes, a B&B business licence. 2026 fees: $214 annual and a $59 non-refundable application fee. Building, Plumbing, Fire and Business Licensing staff inspect.Sources differ: The City's page still shows the 2025 fees ($58 application, $209 annual); the Schedule B to Bylaw 8529 for 2026 was followed.Business Licence Fees 2026, Schedule B, Schedule B, Business Licence Fees 2026; Business Licences and Permits, Short Term Accomodations · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingBed & Breakfast Accommodation $214.00 Business Licence Application (excluding Liquor Primary and Cannabis Retail) $59.00 Inspection by Building, Plumbing, Fire and Business Licensing staff is required. |
| Provincial registration | Yes. The Province requires registration for rentals of fewer than 90 consecutive days, even where a local licence is required. Each unit needs its own registration number. Annual fee: $100 for the host's principal residence, $450 for a secondary unit.B.C.'s short-term rental principal residence requirement, Province of British Columbia, Registration; B.C.'s short-term rental principal residence requirement, Province of British Columbia, Communities with principal residence requirement · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingProvincial registration requirements apply to short-term rentals offered for fewer than 90 consecutive days, regardless of whether a local business licence is required. Each short-term rental unit requires its own registration number. Fee: $100 annually Fee: $450 annually Nelson New Westminster North Cowichan |
| Operating rules | B&B: no more than four guests, plus one per 500 ft² over 2,000 ft², to a maximum of 10. At most one parking space per bedroom and two per three bedrooms. Operator must live on site and serve daily breakfast. Fire alarms and a posted fire safety plan required. The licence must be posted in public view.Business Licence Bylaw No. 8473, 2024 (PDF, consolidated November 3, 2025), s. 3.6; Business Licence Bylaw No. 8473, 2024 (PDF, consolidated November 3, 2025), s. 3.19 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingnot provide sleeping accommodation to more than four guests to a maximum of 10 not occupy more than one off-street parking or one on-street provide fire alarms in the principal residence unit and the bed and breakfast ensure a fire safety plan is posted in a visible location for guests. Every licence holder shall keep a copy of the licence posted in a conspicuous place visible to the public in the premises Every operator of a home based business must first receive permission |
| Fine | Bylaw notice: $500 for operating without a business licence ($450 early, $525 late); exceeding the B&B guest limit is $250. The Municipal Ticket Information schedule sets $1,000 and $750 for the same offences. The City page warns of $200 to $400 per day per offence.Sources differ: The City web page says $200-400 per day per offence; the Bylaw Notice Enforcement schedule sets the amounts shown. Followed the bylaw schedule.Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 7318, 2009 (PDF, consolidated 2026), Schedule A, Part 4; Business Licences and Permits, Short Term Accomodations; Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 8077, 2019 (PDF, consolidated 2026), Schedule B, Part 4 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wording2.1 No business licence 500.00 450.00 525.00 3.6(4) Exceed maximum guest 250.00 200.00 275.00 Operators in contravention may face fines of $200-400 per day, per offence 8473, 2024 2.1 No business licence 1,000.00 Exceed maximum guest count 750.00 |
| Bylaw | Business Licence Bylaw No. 8473, 2024 (s. 3.6, Bed and Breakfasts); Zoning Bylaw No. 6680, 2001 (s. 190.28)Business Licence Bylaw No. 8473, 2024 (PDF, consolidated November 3, 2025), title page; Zoning Bylaw No. 6680, 2001, Part 100 Introduction (PDF, as of June 8, 2026), s. 190.28 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingBUSINESS LICENCE BYLAW NO. 8473, 2024 Requirements for Home Based Businesses |
How it works
The City of New Westminster does not permit short-term rentals unless the operator holds a valid Bed and Breakfast (B&B) business licence, under Business Licence Bylaw 8473 s. 3.6. A B&B is a home-based business where the operator lives on site and rents rooms for under 90 days with a daily breakfast. It is not allowed in a detached accessory building such as a laneway house.
Steps
- Get landlord or strata permission first, if it applies.
- Apply for a B&B business licence from Business Licensing. Building, Plumbing, Fire and Business Licensing staff inspect.
- Register with the Province. It requires registration for rentals of fewer than 90 consecutive days, even where a local licence is required. Each unit needs its own registration number.
- Post the licence in public view.
Good to know
- B&B rules: no more than four guests, plus one per 500 square feet over 2,000 square feet, to a maximum of 10. At most one parking space per bedroom and two per three bedrooms. Fire alarms and a posted fire safety plan are required.
- Secondary suites, laneway houses and carriage houses cannot be used for short-term rentals. If the house has a suite, the B&B may run in the main house or the suite, not both.
- Fines: operating without a business licence is $500 by bylaw notice ($450 if paid early, $525 if late) or $1,000 by municipal ticket. Exceeding the B&B guest limit is $250 by bylaw notice or $750 by municipal ticket.
- The City's page warns of $200 to $400 per day per offence, which differs from the ticket schedules. Confirm with Business Licensing.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Burnaby · Coquitlam · Port Coquitlam · Port Moody · Belcarra · Surrey
Short-term rental rules in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Business Licences and Permits, City of New Westminster (Short Term Accommodations) (read 2026-11-05)
- Business Licence Bylaw No. 8473, 2024 (PDF, consolidated November 3, 2025) (read 2026-11-05)
- Business Licence Fees 2026 (PDF), Schedule B (read 2026-11-05)
- Zoning Bylaw No. 6680, 2001, Part 100 Introduction (PDF, as of June 8, 2026) (read 2026-11-05)
- B.C.'s short-term rental principal residence requirement, Province of British Columbia (read 2026-11-05)
- Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 7318, 2009 (PDF, consolidated 2026) (read 2026-11-05)
- Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 8077, 2019 (PDF, consolidated 2026) (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. How answers are checked.