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

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

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

**Short answer:** Yes, but only the owner can host, in their principal residence. The City of Surrey requires a business licence, set at $369 a year in the Business Licence Bylaw (an online application costs $50, credited to the first year). You must also register with the Province's short-term rental registry. Tenants cannot host.

**Who handles it:** More than one level of government  
**Cost:** $369 a year for the business licence under Schedule A of the Business Licence Bylaw; an online application costs $50, credited to the first year's fee. The Province charges separate registry fees.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Business Licensing (extension 4), 604-591-4370 ext. 4
- Phone: Zoning requirements, 604-591-4448
- Phone: Complaints and enforcement (extension 1), 604-591-4370 ext. 1

## Key facts

- **Allowed:** Yes, only by the owner, in a home that is their principal residence (that unit, or another unit on the same lot). Allowed in single family dwellings, up to one secondary suite, coach house or garden suite on the lot, multiple unit residential dwellings, and up to one lock-off suite. Tenants cannot host.
  - Source: [Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000, Part 4, s. B.7(d)](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000)
  - Official wording: "Short-Term Rental use is only permitted in the following types of dwelling unit," … "principal residence of the individual who owns" … "a maximum of one secondary suite, coach house, or garden suite on any"
  - Source: [Short-Term Rentals, Hosting a short-term rental](https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/land-planning-development/provincial-housing-financial-regulations/short-term-rentals)
  - Official wording: "Short-term rentals cannot be operated by tenants"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Business licence:** Yes. A business licence is required before starting. Business Licence Bylaw Schedule A sets $369 per year; an online application costs $50, credited to the first year's fee. (Sources differ: The City's short-term rentals page says $358 per year; Schedule A of the Business License Bylaw (amended to Bylaw 21963, April 13, 2026) says $369. The bylaw is used.)
  - Source: [Surrey Business License By-law, 1999, No. 13680, Schedule "A"; s. 14.1](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/13680)
  - Official wording: "Short-Term Rental $369.00 per year" … "An application made online must be accompanied by payment of an application fee of $50.00."
  - Source: [Short-Term Rentals, Business license requirements](https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/land-planning-development/provincial-housing-financial-regulations/short-term-rentals)
  - Official wording: "An owner of a short-term rental in Surrey must obtain a business license prior to commencing their short-term rental operation." … "The business license fee is $358 per year"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Provincial registration:** Yes. Surrey's bylaw requires every short-term rental business to register with the Province's short-term rental registry and give the City proof of registration. The Province says hosts must register and pay annual fees.
  - Source: [Surrey Business License By-law, 1999, No. 13680, s. 60.1(2)(d)](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/13680)
  - Official wording: "Register the Short-Term Rental business with the Province of British Columbia’s short-term rental registry"
  - Source: [Short-term rentals, Province of British Columbia, Short-term rental registration](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."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Operating rules:** On request, prove the unit is your principal residence (or a suite, coach house or garden suite on the same lot). Only one booking (one person or group) at a time. Keep guest records (name, address, phone, email, arrival and departure) for 2 years. Register with the Province.
  - Source: [Surrey Business License By-law, 1999, No. 13680, s. 60.1(2)](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/13680)
  - Official wording: "is the proprietor’s principal residence, or is a secondary suite, coach house," … "Not offer or accept more than 1 booking, or otherwise allow occupancy" … "Keep records of the name, address, telephone number, and email" … "for a period of 2 years from the date of arrival"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Breaching the short-term rental rules in s. 60.1(2): bylaw notice $300 ($250 if paid within 14 days, $350 late); municipal ticket $1,000. Operating with no business licence: bylaw notice $450 ($400 early, $500 late); municipal ticket $500.
  - Source: [Surrey Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 18691, Schedule A, Schedule A, Part 1 (Business License Bylaw)](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/18691)
  - Official wording: "13680 60.1(2)(a) Fail to provide $300.00 $250.00 $350.00 Yes" … "13680 3 No business license $450.00 $400.00 $500.00 Yes"
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw 12508 Schedule, Schedule (Business License By-law)](https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/BYL_reg_12508.pdf)
  - Official wording: "10. Fail to provide information 60.1(2)(a) $1000.00" … "1. No business license 3 $500.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Business License By-law, 1999, No. 13680 (s. 60.1 and Schedule A); Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000 (Part 4, s. B.7(d))
  - Source: [Surrey Business License By-law, 1999, No. 13680, s. 1](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/13680)
  - Official wording: "This By-law may be cited for all purposes as "Business License By-law, 1999, No. 13680.""
  - Source: [Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000, Enacting clause](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000)
  - Official wording: "Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

In the City of Surrey a short-term rental means renting a dwelling to the public for less than 90 consecutive days per guest. Only the property owner may host, and the owner must live there as their principal residence, either in that unit or in another unit on the same lot. Tenants cannot host. Bed and breakfasts are separate.

Under [Zoning Bylaw 12000](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000), short-term rentals are allowed in single family dwellings, up to one secondary suite, coach house or garden suite on the lot, multiple unit residential dwellings, and up to one lock-off suite.

## Steps

1. Confirm your home type is allowed. Call Zoning at 604-591-4448 if unsure.
2. Register with the Province's short-term rental registry. [Business Licence Bylaw 13680](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/13680) requires proof of registration.
3. Get a Surrey business licence before you start hosting (604-591-4370 ext. 4).
4. Keep records of each guest (name, address, phone, email, arrival and departure) for 2 years. Only one booking (one person or group) is allowed at a time.
5. If asked, prove the unit is your principal residence.

## Good to know

- Fines: breaking the short-term rental rules in the bylaw brings a bylaw notice of $300 ($250 if paid within 14 days, $350 late) or a municipal ticket of $1,000. Operating with no business licence is a bylaw notice of $450 ($400 early, $500 late) or a municipal ticket of $500.
- A court can also fine $200 to $50,000 plus costs for any offence under the bylaw.
- The City's own web page lists the licence fee as $358 a year; the bylaw schedule says $369. Confirm the amount with Business Licensing.
- The Province's Compliance and Enforcement Unit also enforces short-term rental rules.
- Report a suspected unlicensed rental: 604-591-4370 ext. 1.

## Official forms and pages

- [Short-Term Rentals, City of Surrey](https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/land-planning-development/provincial-housing-financial-regulations/short-term-rentals)
- [Business License By-law No. 13680](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/13680)
- [Short-term rentals, Province of BC](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Short-term rental rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/short-term-rental.md)
- [Langley City](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langley/short-term-rental.md)
- [White Rock](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/white-rock/short-term-rental.md)
- [New Westminster](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/short-term-rental.md)
- [Port Coquitlam](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-coquitlam/short-term-rental.md)
- [Township of Langley](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langley-township/short-term-rental.md)
- [Coquitlam](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coquitlam/short-term-rental.md)

## Sources

- [Surrey Business License By-law, 1999, No. 13680](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/13680) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Short-Term Rentals, City of Surrey](https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/land-planning-development/provincial-housing-financial-regulations/short-term-rentals) (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)
- [Surrey Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 18691, Schedule A](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/18691) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw 12508 Schedule (PDF)](https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/BYL_reg_12508.pdf) (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/surrey/short-term-rental/_