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

# Port Alberni short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)

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

**Short answer:** Only in limited cases. In Port Alberni a short-term rental is allowed as a bed and breakfast in a single detached dwelling lived in by its permanent residents (up to 2 bedrooms), in a legal secondary suite in the R or RR zones, or as a guest house in the C9 zone. A City licence and provincial registration are required.

**Who handles it:** More than one level of government  
**Cost:** No separate B&B fee is listed; the general Service licence category is $132 a year.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Provincial short-term rental line (Service BC), 1-833-828-2240
- Email: Provincial registry, STRregistry@sbc.gov.bc.ca
- Phone: City business licensing, 250-720-2835
- Email: City business licensing, bus_licence@portalberni.ca
- In person: Development Services, Upper, 4835 Argyle Street, Port Alberni, BC V9Y 1V9

## Key facts

- **Allowed:** Only in a single detached dwelling lived in by its permanent residents (B&B, up to 2 bedrooms), in a legal secondary suite in the R or RR zones, or as a guest house in the C9 zone (up to 8 sleeping units). Provincial rules also apply.
  - Source: [Bed and Breakfast, Bed and Breakfast page](https://www.portalberni.ca/bed-and-breakfast)
  - Official wording: "Zoning Bylaw 5105 only allows Short Term Rental (STR) within a permanent resident occupied single-detached dwelling or guest house" … "Short-term rentals are currently permitted in Port Alberni within a single-detached home, legal secondary suite, or a guest house operation." … "Up to two bedrooms may be used as a short-term rental."
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024, s. 6.14](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Bed and breakfast operations shall have a maximum of two (2) bedrooms"
  - Source: [Short Term Rental FAQ, Short Term Rental FAQ, page 2](https://portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/pages/B%26B%20Short-Term%20Pamphlet%202025_0.pdf)
  - Official wording: "A single-detached home with a legal secondary suite (R or RR" … "A guest house operation (C9 zoning)."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Business licence:** Yes. A City Bed & Breakfast Business Licence is required. Schedule A has no separate B&B fee; the general Service category is $132 a year.
  - Source: [Bed and Breakfast, Bed and Breakfast page](https://www.portalberni.ca/bed-and-breakfast)
  - Official wording: "Short-term rental owners must obtain a City of Port Alberni Bed & Breakfast Business Licence."
  - Source: [Business Licence Regulation Bylaw No. 4951, 2017 (PDF, consolidated), Schedule A](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/4951_4951-1_4951-2_4951-3_Business%20Licence%20Regulation%20Bylaw_Consolidated_ao.pdf)
  - Official wording: "CATEGORY: 1. Service FEE: $132.00" … "All businesses except those identified in Categories 2-7 of this schedule."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Provincial registration:** Yes. Short-term rental hosts must register with the Province and pay annual fees; unregistered listings are removed. Port Alberni is on the Province's list of communities where the principal residence requirement applies.
  - Source: [Short-term rentals, Province of British Columbia, BC short-term rentals page](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals)
  - Official wording: "Short-term rental hosts, platforms and strata hotel platforms in B.C. must register and pay annual registration fees."
  - Source: [Short-term rental registration - Province of British Columbia, Failure to register](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/registry)
  - Official wording: "Your listings will no longer be advertised,"
  - Source: [B.C.'s short-term rental principal residence requirement, Province of British Columbia, List of communities](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/principal-residence-requirement)
  - Official wording: "Port Alberni Port Coquitlam Port Moody"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Operating rules:** Run by the permanent residents of a single detached dwelling; at most 2 bedrooms with no more than 2 guests per room; breakfast only; one off-street space per bedroom used plus the house's own space. The business licence must be posted. Building and Fire departments inspect first.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024, s. 6.14](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf)
  - Official wording: "The operation must be conducted by permanent residents of the dwelling." … "with not more than two (2) guests per room." … "Breakfast shall be the only meal permitted to be served to guests." … "One (1) off-street parking space for each bedroom used for the operation must be provided."
  - Source: [Business Licence Regulation Bylaw No. 4951, 2017 (PDF, consolidated), s. 7.5](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/4951_4951-1_4951-2_4951-3_Business%20Licence%20Regulation%20Bylaw_Consolidated_ao.pdf)
  - Official wording: "shall post and maintain in a conspicuous place on the business premises"
  - Source: [Bed and Breakfast, Bed and Breakfast page](https://www.portalberni.ca/bed-and-breakfast)
  - Official wording: "The Building and Fire departments will perform a site visit/inspection of the property"
  - Source: [Short Term Rental FAQ, Short Term Rental FAQ, page 1](https://portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/pages/B%26B%20Short-Term%20Pamphlet%202025_0.pdf)
  - Official wording: "One (1) off-street parking space for each bedroom used by the business must be provided plus 1 for each unit in the SFD."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Operating without a business licence: bylaw notice $200 ($150 if paid early, $250 late). Using land against the Zoning Bylaw permitted uses: $200 ($150 early, $250 late). No fine specific to short-term rentals was found.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 5128, 2025, Schedule A-6, s. 3.1](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5128%2C%205128-1_Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20Bylaw%20No.%205128%2C%202025_Consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "3.1 Carry on a business without a licence $200.00 $150.00 $250.00" … "3.1 Carry on a business without a licence $200.00 $150.00 $250.00" … "3.5 Contravene Uses Permitted $200.00 $150.00 $250.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (s. 6.14 Bed and Breakfast and Guest House Operations); Business Licence Regulation Bylaw No. 4951, 2017; and the Province's Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024, s. 6.14](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf)
  - Official wording: "6.14 Bed and Breakfast and Guest House Operations"
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 5128, 2025, Schedule A-6](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5128%2C%205128-1_Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20Bylaw%20No.%205128%2C%202025_Consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Business Licence Regulation Bylaw No. 4951, 2017"
  - Source: [Short-term rentals, Province of British Columbia, BC page](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals)
  - Official wording: "Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Port Alberni's [Zoning Bylaw 5105](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf) (s. 6.14) allows short-term rental only:

- as a bed and breakfast in a single detached dwelling lived in by its permanent residents (up to 2 bedrooms),
- in a legal secondary suite in the R or RR zones, or
- as a guest house in the C9 zone (up to 8 sleeping units).

Unauthorized suites may not be used. Provincial rules also apply: hosts must register with the Province and pay annual fees, and unregistered listings are removed. Port Alberni is on the Province's list of communities where the principal residence requirement applies, which limits rentals to your usual home plus one secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit on the same property.

## Steps

1. Confirm your zone and the rules with Development Services (250-720-2835).
2. Building and Fire departments inspect first.
3. Apply for a City Bed & Breakfast Business Licence at bus_licence@portalberni.ca. Post the licence.
4. Register with the Province before you list.

## Good to know

- B&B rules: at most 2 bedrooms with no more than 2 guests per room; breakfast only; one off-street space per bedroom used plus the house's own space. Guest house rules differ: up to 8 sleeping units and 16 guests.
- The $132 a year is the general Service category; no official page lists a separate B&B fee.
- Operating without a business licence: a bylaw notice is $200 ($150 if paid early, $250 late). Using land against the Zoning Bylaw is the same amount. The business licence bylaw also sets a court fine of $1,000 to $10,000.

## Official forms and pages

- [Bed and Breakfast, City of Port Alberni](https://www.portalberni.ca/bed-and-breakfast)
- [Provincial short-term rental registration](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/registry)
- [Provincial principal residence requirement](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/principal-residence-requirement)

## Related questions

- [Port Alberni business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/business-licence.md)
- [Port Alberni zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Port Alberni secondary suite and carriage house rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/secondary-suite.md)
- [Port Alberni home-based business rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/home-based-business.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Short-term rental rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/short-term-rental.md)
- [Qualicum Beach](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/short-term-rental.md)
- [Parksville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/short-term-rental.md)
- [Cumberland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/short-term-rental.md)
- [Comox](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/short-term-rental.md)
- [Courtenay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/short-term-rental.md)
- [Lantzville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/short-term-rental.md)

## Sources

- [Bed and Breakfast, City of Port Alberni](https://www.portalberni.ca/bed-and-breakfast) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Short Term Rental FAQ (PDF), City of Port Alberni](https://portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/pages/B%26B%20Short-Term%20Pamphlet%202025_0.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (PDF)](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Business Licence Regulation Bylaw No. 4951, 2017 (PDF, consolidated)](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/4951_4951-1_4951-2_4951-3_Business%20Licence%20Regulation%20Bylaw_Consolidated_ao.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 5128, 2025 (PDF)](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5128%2C%205128-1_Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20Bylaw%20No.%205128%2C%202025_Consolidated.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Short-term rentals, Province of British Columbia](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals) (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)
- [B.C.'s short-term rental principal residence requirement, Province of British Columbia](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/principal-residence-requirement) (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/port-alberni/short-term-rental/_