---
title: Squamish short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)
question: "Can I rent out my home or a room on Airbnb in Squamish?"
place: Squamish, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/squamish
category: Housing and renting
owner: shared
sources_read: 2026-11-09
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/squamish/short-term-rental/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/squamish/short-term-rental.json"
---

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

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

**Short answer:** In Squamish, a principal resident can license their principal home for stays under 90 days and must display the licence number in advertisements. Other properties fall under different rules, including a capped temporary-use permit programme.

**Who handles it:** More than one level of government  
**Where:**
- Phone: Municipal Hall, 604-892-5217
- Online: B.C. short-term rental host registration, https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/registry/host-registration

## Key facts

- **Allowed:** A principal resident can apply to rent their principal home for stays under 90 days.
  - Source: [Short-Term Rental Licences, Short-Term Rental Temporary Use Permits (STR TUPs) have reached the 30-unit cap issued by the District.](https://squamish.ca/home-and-property/bylaws-and-guidelines/short-term-rentals/)
  - Official wording: "Bylaws to regulate short-term rentals (STRs) in Squamish are in effect. Under the rules, a principal resident can legally rent their principal residence for periods of less than 90 days. STRs are not permitted in secondary suites or coach houses (accessory dwelling units). Our STR regulations help protect long-term rental housing and allow residents to earn additional income."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09
- **Business licence:** In Squamish, a principal resident can license their principal home for stays under 90 days and must display the licence number in advertisements.
  - Source: [Short-Term Rental Licences, Short-Term Rental Temporary Use Permits (STR TUPs) have reached the 30-unit cap issued by the District.](https://squamish.ca/home-and-property/bylaws-and-guidelines/short-term-rentals/)
  - Official wording: "Bylaws to regulate short-term rentals (STRs) in Squamish are in effect. Under the rules, a principal resident can legally rent their principal residence for periods of less than 90 days. STRs are not permitted in secondary suites or coach houses (accessory dwelling units). Our STR regulations help protect long-term rental housing and allow residents to earn additional income. All STR operators in Squamish must have a business licence and include their licence number in all online listings and advertising, or they may be subject to fines up to $3,000 per offence."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09
- **Provincial registration:** Register the unit with B.C. unless a provincial registration exemption applies. Display the registration number and any required local business licence number on the listing. Use the exact registered address.
  - Source: [Register as a short-term rental host, Province of British Columbia, Host registration, exemptions and approved registration](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/registry/host-registration)
  - Official wording: "Short-term rental hosts must register their short-term rentals with the provincial short-term rental registry to operate in B.C." … "Short-term rental hosts do not have to register if they provide: * Accommodations over 90 days long per booking * Accommodations on Reserve lands * Accommodations on the Nisga’a Lands or the treaty lands of a treaty First nation, unless the lands are subject to a coordination agreement that requires registration * The following accommodations that are not suitable for long-term housing:" … "Once registration is approved, hosts will receive a unique registration number for their short-term rental. Hosts are required to: * Update their short-term rental listing(s) to include the valid registration number (and a local government business licence number, if required) * Make sure the address on their short-term rental listing(s) exactly matches the address associated with the registration so platforms can successfully validate the registration number"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09
- **Operating rules:** Include the business licence number in every listing and advertisement.
  - Source: [Short-Term Rental Licences, Short-Term Rental Temporary Use Permits (STR TUPs) have reached the 30-unit cap issued by the District.](https://squamish.ca/home-and-property/bylaws-and-guidelines/short-term-rentals/)
  - Official wording: "All STR operators in Squamish must have a business licence and include their licence number in all online listings and advertising, or they may be subject to fines up to $3,000 per offence."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09
- **Fine:** Marketing short-term accommodation without a licence or without showing its number is $500 ($450 within 14 days, $550 after 28 days).
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2418, 2015, Section 5 and Business Licence schedule, sections 6.20(c) and 6.24(a)](https://squamish.civicweb.net/document/200801)
  - Official wording: "(b) if received by the District within fourteen (14) days of the person receiving or being presumed to have received the bylaw notice, the discounted penalty set out in Column 2 opposite the contravention; (c) if more than twenty-eight (28) days after the person received or is presumed to have received the bylaw notice, the late penalty set out in Column 3 opposite the contravention; or" … "6.20(c) Short-term Rental $500 $450 $550 No (Amended Accommodation by bylaw Marketing without a 2699) Licence 6.24(a) Short-term Rental $500 $450 $550 No (Amended Accommodation by bylaw Marketing without 2699) display of Licence number in listing or material"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09
- **Bylaw:** Not confirmed. Checked Short-Term Rental Licences - District of Squamish, Zoning Bylaw No. 2200, 2011, consolidated September 2026; not found there.

## How it works

Describe what a guest would be renting. A room in your home, a separate unit on the same parcel and an entire dwelling can be treated differently. Record the proposed length of stay and whether you live at the address. Include the business licence number in every listing and advertisement.

## Steps

1. For the local licensing requirements, consult [Short-Term Rental Licences](https://squamish.ca/home-and-property/bylaws-and-guidelines/short-term-rentals/). Find the local rules for the address and type of accommodation. Check any principal-residence, zoning and local licensing conditions that apply to it.
2. Check provincial registration separately. When an application asks for a number, identify whether it means a local business licence or the provincial registration number.

## Good to know

- Register the unit with B.C. unless a provincial registration exemption applies. Display the registration number and any required local business licence number on the listing. Use the exact registered address.
- A principal resident can apply to rent their principal home for stays under 90 days.
- Find your Squamish property on the Parcel & Land Use Map.
- Before listing the unit, compare the address, host and unit details on the listing with the approvals you obtained. Ask about the specific arrangement if you intend to rent more than one unit.
- For a question about the proposed rental address, unit type and licensing category, call the Municipal Hall at 604-892-5217. Identify the specific dwelling or suite you would list, even if it shares a street address with another unit.
- Read the applicable provisions in [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2418, 2015 (PDF)](https://squamish.civicweb.net/document/200801).

## What you'll need

- For a listing subject to provincial registration, have the registration number and any required local business licence number ready.

## Official forms and pages

- [Register as a short-term rental host, Province of British Columbia](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/registry/host-registration)

## Related questions

- [Squamish home-based business rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/squamish/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)
- [Lions Bay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/short-term-rental.md)
- [Bowen Island](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/short-term-rental.md)
- [Gibsons](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/short-term-rental.md)
- [District of North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/short-term-rental.md)
- [North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/short-term-rental.md)
- [Anmore](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/anmore/short-term-rental.md)

## Sources

- [Short-Term Rental Licences](https://squamish.ca/home-and-property/bylaws-and-guidelines/short-term-rentals/) (read 2026-11-09)
- [Register as a short-term rental host, Province of British Columbia](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals/registry/host-registration) (read 2026-11-09)
- [FAQ - Building Permit](https://squamish.ca/building-and-land-development/building-permit/faq-building-permit/) (read 2026-11-09)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2418, 2015 (PDF)](https://squamish.civicweb.net/document/200801) (read 2026-11-09)
- [Squamish municipal office contact information](https://squamish.ca/about/contact-and-feedback/) (read 2026-11-09)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. 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/squamish/short-term-rental/_