Osoyoos short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)

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

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

Short answer

In Osoyoos you can run a short-term rental with a Town business licence ($750 a year) in the RS1 and Agriculture zones, and in a resort residential building in the CT4 zone. Hosts must also register with the Province and use their principal residence.

Key facts

Allowed	Yes, with a Town business licence, in the RS1 and Agriculture zones and in a "resort residential building" in the CT4 zone. Osoyoos has opted in to the provincial principal residence requirement: the host's principal residence plus one secondary suite or one accessory dwelling only.Short-Term Rentals, Which Zones Allow STRs; Principal residence requirement, Province of BC, Communities with principal residence requirement · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Subject to a business licence, an STR is permitted in the following zones: Small-Scale Multi-Unit Residential (RS1) Zone A "resort residential building" within the Resort Commercial (CT4) Zone Agriculture (AG) Zone which limits STRs to the host's principal residence and one secondary suite or one accessory dwelling unit The expandable menu below lists the communities where the principal residence requirement applies (as of June 1, 2026). Oak Bay Osoyoos Parksville
Business licence	Yes. A Town business licence is required. Fee $750 a year for a short-term rental accommodation (same for a bed and breakfast). Applicants sign a statutory declaration before a Commissioner for Oaths.Business Licence Bylaw No. 1400, 2025, s. 8.1; STR Licencing · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording d) short-term rental accommodation: $750.00 Operating a short-term rental accommodation or bed and breakfast operation requires a valid business licence. You will be required to sign a statutory declaration before a Commissioner for Oaths.
Provincial registration	Yes. Hosts must register with the Province, which requires a valid Town of Osoyoos business licence. The Town licence application must show proof of compliance with the provincial principal residence requirement.Short-Term Rentals, Provincial Regulations; Business Licence Bylaw No. 1400, 2025, Schedule A s. 2(b)(i) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Hosts are required to register with the Province. including a valid Town of Osoyoos business licence. proof of compliance with the provincial Principal Residence Requirement for a
Operating rules	Maximum 2 guests per bedroom. Parking: the Town's page says one off-street space per bedroom; Zoning Table 10.2.1 says 1 per sleeping unit. Licence may require showing the licence number in all ads and a 24-hour local contact. Fire extinguisher per floor, smoke and CO alarms, evacuation plan posted.Sources differ: The Zoning Bylaw parking table says 1 space per sleeping unit for short-term rentals; the Town STR tips page says one per bedroom. Posted inside the unit: Fire and Safety Plan, Parking Plan, garbage and recycling information, good neighbour guide. Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 1277, 2011 (noise) also applies.Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024, s. 7.7; Tips for STR Hosts, Parking; Business Licence Bylaw No. 1400, 2025, Schedule A s. 2(c), (d) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording the maximum number of patrons that may be accommodated within a dwelling unit shall not exceed two (2) per bedroom; Short-term rental accommodation 1 per sleeping unit one parking space is required per bedroom the inclusion of the Town of Osoyoos business licence number in all for response to nuisance complaints registered with the Town for a A short-term rental accommodation shall not be advertised by any means without, or one (1) fire extinguisher has been provided per floor of the dwelling unit and
Fine	Municipal tickets: advertising without a valid licence $3,000; advertising more bedrooms than licensed $1,500; no licence $150 ($120 within 30 days); short-term rental in a zone that does not allow it $3,000. Bylaw notices: no licence $150 ($120 early, $160 late); use not allowed in the zone $500.Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1279, 2011, Schedule 3 (Business Licence Bylaw No. 1400) and Schedule 23 (Zoning Bylaw); Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1392, 2025, Bylaw 1392 schedules (Business licence Bylaw 1045; Zoning 5.4) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Advertisement by any means of a Short-Term Rental 2(d), $3,000 $3,000 Accommodation without a valid Schedule A business licence Operating a business without a 3.1 $150 $120 more bedrooms and/or sleeping Operating a use not listed in respect of a particular 5.4 zone i) Short-term rental accommodation $3,000.00 $3,000.00 3(1)(a) No Business Licence $150 $120 $160 Yes 5.4 Operating a use not listed in $500 $450 $500 No
Bylaw	Business Licence Bylaw No. 1400, 2025 (Schedule A, s. 2); Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024 (s. 7.7); Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 1277, 2011Business Licence Bylaw No. 1400, 2025, Schedule A; Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024, s. 7.7; Tips for STR Hosts · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Short-Term Rental Accommodation and Bed and Breakfast Operation 2025 October 14, 1395.04 Adding new Section 7.7 Short-Term Rental Accommodations 2025 Removing and Replacing Section 10.6 Off-Street Vehicle Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 1277, 2011

How it works

A short-term rental needs a Town business licence under the Business Licence Bylaw No. 1400 (Schedule A). Under the Zoning Bylaw No. 1395 (section 7.7) it is allowed in the RS1 and Agriculture zones and in a "resort residential building" in the CT4 zone. It is not allowed on a parcel with a licensed bed and breakfast, and ALR parcels need Agricultural Land Commission approval.

Osoyoos is on the Province's list of communities where the principal residence requirement applies. You may rent the host's principal residence plus one secondary suite or one accessory dwelling only. Hosts must register with the Province, which requires a valid Town licence. The Town application must show proof of compliance with the principal residence requirement.

Steps

Confirm your zone allows short-term rentals (see the zoning-lookup answer).
Apply for the business licence. Applicants sign a statutory declaration before a Commissioner for Oaths.
Pay the $750 annual fee.
Register with the Province. ServiceBC can help: 1-833-828-2240.

Good to know

Maximum 2 guests per bedroom. Fire extinguisher per floor, smoke and CO alarms and a posted evacuation plan are required. The licence may require showing the licence number in all ads and a 24-hour local contact.
Parking: the Town's tips page says one off-street space per bedroom; Zoning Table 10.2.1 says 1 per sleeping unit. Confirm with Planning which applies.
Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 1277 (noise) also applies.
Municipal tickets: advertising without a valid licence $3,000; advertising more bedrooms than licensed $1,500; no licence $150 ($120 within 30 days); short-term rental in a zone that does not allow it $3,000. Bylaw notices: no licence $150 ($120 early, $160 late); use not allowed in the zone $500.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Oliver · Keremeos · Midway · Penticton · Summerland · Grand Forks

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

Sources

Short-Term Rentals, Town of Osoyoos (read 2026-11-06)
STR Licencing, Town of Osoyoos (read 2026-11-06)
Tips for STR Hosts, Town of Osoyoos (read 2026-11-06)
Business Licence Bylaw No. 1400, 2025 (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024 (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
Principal residence requirement, Province of BC (read 2026-11-06)
Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1392, 2025 (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1279, 2011 (PDF) (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.