---
title: Slocan short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)
question: "Can I rent out my home or a room on Airbnb in Slocan?"
place: Slocan, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/slocan
category: Housing and renting
owner: shared
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/slocan/short-term-rental/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/slocan/short-term-rental.json"
---

# Slocan short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)

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

**Short answer:** Yes. In Slocan, R-1, R-2 and R-3 allow one vacation rental unit per parcel, and R-1 and R-2 allow a bed and breakfast if the owner lives there. You need a Category 3 business licence ($100 a year) and must register with the Province.

**Who handles it:** More than one level of government  
**Cost:** Category 3 business licence, $100 per annum; half the annual fee if issued after June 30.  
**How long:** The Village does not state a processing time.  
**Where:**
- In person: Village Office, 503 Slocan Street, PO Box 50, Slocan, BC V0G 2C0 (Monday to Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (confirm by phone))
- Phone: Village Office, 250-355-2277
- Online: Province of BC, short-term rentals, https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/principal-residence-requirement

## Key facts

- **Allowed:** Yes: one vacation rental unit per parcel in R-1, R-2 and R-3. Bed and breakfast is allowed where permitted (R-1, R-2) if the owner lives in the dwelling, with at most 2 sleeping units. Slocan is on the Province's exempt list, so the provincial principal-residence rule does not apply.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 633, 2013 (PDF, consolidated Feb. 10, 2025), s. 4.17(1)](http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/633-Zoning-Bylaw-2013-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-Feb.-10-25.pdf)
  - Official wording: "One vacation rental unit is permitted per parcel in the R-1, R-2 and R-3 Zones provided that:"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 633, 2013 (PDF, consolidated Feb. 10, 2025), s. 4.16(1)](http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/633-Zoning-Bylaw-2013-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-Feb.-10-25.pdf)
  - Official wording: "the owner of the bed and breakfast accommodation resides in the dwelling;"
  - Source: [Principal residence requirement, Province of BC, Exempt communities list](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/principal-residence-requirement)
  - Official wording: "Municipalities with populations under 10,000 and not within 15 km of a larger municipality (listed below)" … "Silverton Slocan Smithers"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Business licence:** Yes: Category 3 business licence (Bed & Breakfast or Vacation Rental Unit), $100 per annum; half the annual fee if issued after June 30.
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 584, Schedule I](http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/584-Fees-and-Charges-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-Feb-18-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Business Licence Category 3 – Home-Based Business" … "Any Bed & Breakfast or Vacation Rental Unit business as" … "Business Licence Transfer Fee"
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 662, 2018 (PDF, consolidated April 11, 2022), s. 5(a)(i)](http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/662-Business-License-Bylaw-2018-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-April-11-22.pdf)
  - Official wording: "shall hold a subsisting licence therefore from the Village"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Provincial registration:** Yes: hosts renting for fewer than 90 consecutive days must register with the Province, even where the principal-residence rule does not apply.
  - Source: [Principal residence requirement, Province of BC, Business licence exemptions](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/principal-residence-requirement)
  - Official wording: "Provincial registration requirements apply to short-term rentals offered for fewer than 90 consecutive days"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Operating rules:** Max 2 people per sleeping unit and 5 people total; no structural changes that alter the neighbourhood's character; no exterior signage; owner must prevent noise, light or traffic nuisance; parking 2 spaces per vacation rental unit.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 633, 2013 (PDF, consolidated Feb. 10, 2025), s. 4.17(1)](http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/633-Zoning-Bylaw-2013-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-Feb.-10-25.pdf)
  - Official wording: "a maximum of two (2) persons per sleeping unit and a maximum of five (5) persons total is" … "there is no exterior signage advertising the vacation rental;"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 633, 2013 (PDF, consolidated Feb. 10, 2025), s. 4.21(4) table](http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/633-Zoning-Bylaw-2013-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-Feb.-10-25.pdf)
  - Official wording: "in addition to those units provided for the principal dwelling. 4.17 Vacation Rental Unit (1) One vacation rental unit is permitted per parcel in the R-1, R-2 and R-3 Zones provided that:"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** No ticket schedule found. Zoning Bylaw: penalty up to $10,000 plus prosecution costs. Business Licence Bylaw: minimum fine $100 and costs.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 633, 2013 (PDF, consolidated Feb. 10, 2025), s. 3.7](http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/633-Zoning-Bylaw-2013-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-Feb.-10-25.pdf)
  - Official wording: "TEN THOUSAND" … "DOLLARS ($10,000.00) plus the costs of prosecution."
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 662, 2018 (PDF, consolidated April 11, 2022), s. 12(b)](http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/662-Business-License-Bylaw-2018-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-April-11-22.pdf)
  - Official wording: "minimum fine or penalty of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) and costs"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 633, 2013, ss. 4.16-4.17; Business Licence Bylaw No. 662, 2018; Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 584, Schedule I.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 633, 2013 (PDF, consolidated Feb. 10, 2025), ss. 4.16, 4.17](http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/633-Zoning-Bylaw-2013-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-Feb.-10-25.pdf)
  - Official wording: "4.17 Vacation Rental Unit"
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 662, 2018 (PDF, consolidated April 11, 2022), title](http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/662-Business-License-Bylaw-2018-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-April-11-22.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Village of Slocan Business Licence Bylaw No. 662, 2018."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The Village of Slocan [Zoning Bylaw No. 633](http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/633-Zoning-Bylaw-2013-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-Feb.-10-25.pdf) allows one vacation rental unit per parcel in R-1, R-2 and R-3. A bed and breakfast is allowed where permitted (R-1, R-2) if the owner lives in the dwelling, with at most 2 sleeping units.

Slocan is on the Province's list of municipalities exempt from the provincial principal-residence rule. Hosts renting for fewer than 90 consecutive days must still register with the Province.

## Steps

1. Confirm your zone allows it.
2. Apply for a Category 3 business licence (Bed & Breakfast or Vacation Rental Unit) at the Village Office, $100 per annum, half if issued after June 30.
3. Register with the Province's short-term rental registry.

## Good to know

- Rules: at most 2 people per sleeping unit and 5 people total; no structural changes that alter the neighbourhood's character; no exterior signage; the owner must prevent noise, light or traffic nuisance; 2 parking spaces per vacation rental unit.
- No ticket schedule was found. The Zoning Bylaw sets a penalty of up to $10,000 plus prosecution costs. The [Business Licence Bylaw](http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/662-Business-License-Bylaw-2018-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-April-11-22.pdf) sets a minimum fine of $100 and costs. These are court penalties.
- The Province's exempt list changes; check it on the BC government page.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 633 (PDF)](http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/633-Zoning-Bylaw-2013-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-Feb.-10-25.pdf)
- [Business Licence Bylaw No. 662 (PDF)](http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/662-Business-License-Bylaw-2018-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-April-11-22.pdf)
- [Business Licences, Village of Slocan](https://www.slocancity.com/business-licences/)

## Related questions

- [Slocan business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/slocan/business-licence.md)
- [Slocan zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/slocan/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Slocan secondary suite and carriage house rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/slocan/secondary-suite.md)
- [Slocan home-based business rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/slocan/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)
- [Silverton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/silverton/short-term-rental.md)
- [New Denver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-denver/short-term-rental.md)
- [Nelson](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nelson/short-term-rental.md)
- [Kaslo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kaslo/short-term-rental.md)
- [Castlegar](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/castlegar/short-term-rental.md)
- [Nakusp](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nakusp/short-term-rental.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 633, 2013 (PDF, consolidated Feb. 10, 2025)](http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/633-Zoning-Bylaw-2013-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-Feb.-10-25.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Business Licence Bylaw No. 662, 2018 (PDF, consolidated April 11, 2022)](http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/662-Business-License-Bylaw-2018-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-April-11-22.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 584, Schedule I (PDF)](http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/584-Fees-and-Charges-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-Feb-18-2026.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Principal residence requirement, Province of BC](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/principal-residence-requirement) (read 2026-11-08)

_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/slocan/short-term-rental/_