GovHandbook

Salmon Arm short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)

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

Salmon Arm, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

In Salmon Arm the Province limits short-term rentals to your principal residence plus one suite or accessory dwelling unit, and you must register with the Province. The Zoning Bylaw defines short-term rental but lists it as a use in no zone, and bars it in any accessory dwelling unit.

Key facts

AllowedProvince: limited to the host's principal residence plus one secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit. Zoning Bylaw 2303 defines short term rental (29 days or less) but lists it as no zone's use, and bars it in any Accessory Dwelling Unit. Owner-occupied B and Bs (two or three let rooms) are listed in R-10, R-11, R-17, R-19 and A zones.Short-term rental principal residence requirement, Province of British Columbia, Overview; list of communities; Zoning Bylaw No. 2303 (PDF, updated August 2026), s. 4.2.6; s. 2 definitions; s. 6.3.5 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
B.C. has a provincial principal residence requirement in some areas of the province which limits short-term rentals to:
Saanich Salmon Arm Salt Spring Island
Plus one secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit on the same property
No Accessory Dwelling Unit shall be used for short term rental or bed and breakfast.
SHORT TERM RENTAL means the rental of any dwelling unit or part thereof for periods of 29 days or less.
bed and breakfast limited to two let rooms within a principal single family dwelling only;
bed and breakfast, limited to three let rooms in the principal dwelling;
Business licenceThe City's fee schedule has a Bed and Breakfast category, $100 a year for 1 to 5 rooms and $150 for over 5 rooms, and no separate short-term rental category. The City says a licence is required for any person who operates a business.Fee for Services Bylaw No. 2498 (PDF, consolidated August 24, 2026), Schedule B, Appendix 8; Business Licensing, Business Licensing page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Bed and Breakfast 1 - 5 rooms $100.00 over 5 rooms $150.00
A City issued business licence is required, on an annual basis, by any person or persons who wish to begin or continue operating a business in Salmon Arm.
Provincial registrationYes. Hosts must register with the Province's Short-Term Rental Registry and renew yearly. Fee $100 a year for the host's principal residence and $450 a year for a secondary unit such as a suite or cottage.Short-term rental registration, Province of British Columbia, Registration overview; Short-term rental principal residence requirement, Province of British Columbia, Principal residence requirement and registration fees · 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.
If you have a short-term rental registration, you must renew it each year to continue operating.
Fee: $100 annually
Fee: $450 annually
Compliance with local bylaws is a condition of registration.
Operating rulesB and B: owner-occupied single family dwelling, two or three let rooms depending on zone, with 1 extra parking space per rental bedroom. No accessory dwelling unit may be used for short-term rental or B and B. No City rule found on guest numbers, posting a licence number or a local contact.Zoning Bylaw No. 2303 (PDF, updated August 2026), s. 2; s. 4.2.6; Appendix I · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
BED AND BREAKFAST means an owner-occupied single family dwelling containing rooms without cooking facilities
No Accessory Dwelling Unit shall be used for short term rental or bed and breakfast.
Bed and Breakfast 1 per bedroom available for rental (in addition to
FineMunicipal ticket: $100 for carrying on business without a business licence (Business Licence Bylaw s. 3.1). The ticket schedule lists no short-term rental offence.Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 2760 (consolidated), Schedule 5, Schedule 4 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
No Business Licence 3.1 $100.00
BylawZoning Bylaw No. 2303; Business Licence Regulation Bylaw No. 3102; Fee for Services Bylaw No. 2498; and the Province's Short-Term Rental Accommodations ActZoning Bylaw No. 2303 (PDF, updated August 2026), title; Business Licence Regulation Bylaw No. 3102, title; Short-term rental registration, Province of British Columbia, Registration · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
TO ZONING BYLAW NO. 2303, 1995
Licence Regulation Bylaw No. 3102
Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act, regulations and related information.

How it works

Salmon Arm is on the Province's list of communities where short-term rentals are limited to the host's principal residence plus one secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit. Zoning Bylaw No. 2303 defines short term rental as renting a dwelling unit or part of one for 29 days or less. It lists short-term rental as a use in no zone, and says no accessory dwelling unit may be used for short-term rental or bed and breakfast. Whether a particular rental is allowed in your zone is not stated; ask Planning.

Steps

  1. Ask Planning at City Hall whether your rental is allowed on your property.
  2. Ask Business Licensing (250-803-4003) about a City licence. The City says a licence is required for any person who operates a business. Its fee schedule has a Bed and Breakfast category but no separate short-term rental category.
  3. Register with the Province's Short-Term Rental Registry and renew yearly. Registration applies to rentals under 90 consecutive days.

Good to know

  • Owner-occupied bed and breakfasts (two or three let rooms) are listed in the R-10, R-11, R-17, R-19 and A zones: three rooms in R-17, R-19 and A zones, two in R-10 and R-11. Each rental bedroom needs 1 extra parking space.
  • The City documents read set no limit on guest numbers and no rule on posting a licence number or naming a local contact. Ask Business Licensing.
  • Fine: a municipal ticket for operating without a business licence is $100. The ticket schedule lists no short-term rental offence. The schedule's business licence section still names the repealed Bylaw 1457, so confirm with the City.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

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

Sources

  1. Business Licensing, City of Salmon Arm (read 2026-11-05)
  2. Zoning Bylaw No. 2303 (PDF, updated August 2026), City of Salmon Arm (read 2026-11-05)
  3. Fee for Services Bylaw No. 2498 (PDF, consolidated August 24, 2026), City of Salmon Arm (read 2026-11-05)
  4. Business Licence Regulation Bylaw No. 3102 (PDF), City of Salmon Arm (read 2026-11-05)
  5. Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 2760 (PDF, consolidated), City of Salmon Arm (read 2026-11-05)
  6. Short-term rental principal residence requirement, Province of British Columbia (read 2026-11-05)
  7. Short-term rental registration, Province of British Columbia (read 2026-11-05)
  8. Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 2760 (consolidated), Schedule 5 (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.