Whistler short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)

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

Whistler, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-06

Short answer

In Whistler, only if your property's zoning allows tourist accommodation. You also need a municipal tourist accommodation business licence and provincial short-term rental registration. Residential-zoned homes and employee housing cannot be rented to tourists. Whistler is exempt from the provincial principal-residence rule.

Key facts

Allowed	Only on a property whose zoning lists tourist accommodation or temporary accommodation as a permitted use. Residential-zoned properties and employee housing units cannot be rented to tourists for any length of time. Whistler is on the Province's exempt list, so the provincial principal residence requirement does not apply.Tourist Accommodation Requirements, 1. Check your property's zoning and covenants; Tourist Accommodation Regulation Bylaw No. 2142, 2017, s. 4; Principal residence requirement, Province of British Columbia, List of exempt communities, 'Municipalities exempt from the principal residence requirement' · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Properties with residential zoning and employee housing units cannot be marketed or rented to tourists for any length of time. No person may carry on a tourist accommodation business in the Resort Municipality with respect to any premises other than a tourist accommodation property. Municipalities exempt from the principal residence requirement West Kelowna Whistler Zeballos
Business licence	Yes. A tourist accommodation business licence is required. $25 application fee, then an annual fee of $250 for a tourist accommodation business (web pages say '$250 per guest unit'; the fee table lists $250 with no unit fee). Hotels $190 + $10 per guest unit; campgrounds $190 + $5 per site. Fees set by Amendment Bylaw No. 2451, 2024.Tourist Accommodation Regulation Bylaw No. 2142, 2017, s. 3; Tourist Accommodation Requirements, Tourist accommodation business licence fees; Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 2253, 2019 (PDF, consolidated February 8, 2023), Schedule A · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording No person may carry on a tourist accommodation business in the Resort Municipality without a current licence for that business. $250 per guest unit per year $190 + $10 per guest unit per year $190 + $5 per site per year Business licence application fee \| $25 Tourist Accommodation Business (other $190.00 $25.00/tourist
Provincial registration	Yes. Hosts offering stays of fewer than 90 consecutive days must register each unit with the Province's short-term rental registry and pay the annual fee. Whistler's exemption from the principal residence requirement does not remove registration. Listings must show the municipal licence number.Tourist Accommodation Requirements, 3. Register with the provincial short-term rental registry; Principal residence requirement, Province of British Columbia, Business licence exemptions · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Tourist accommodation (also known as short-term rental) hosts, platforms, and strata hotels need to register with the provincial short-term rental registry by May 1, 2025. Display a valid municipal business licence number on your listing on any short-term rental accommodation platform Provincial registration requirements apply to short-term rentals offered for fewer than 90 consecutive days, regardless of whether a local business licence is required.
Operating rules	Post the licence number on all marketing. A bed and breakfast operator must live on the premises while it is in use. A hotel needs a 24-hour front desk, housekeeping and building maintenance. No licence is processed for a property with an open or incomplete building permit.Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 2253, 2019 (PDF, consolidated February 8, 2023), s. 8; Tourist Accommodation Regulation Bylaw No. 2142, 2017, s. 8, 12; How B.C.'s new short-term rental rules affect Whistler, FAQ, Open or expired permits · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Every holder of a licence for a tourist accommodation business shall post their licence number in a conspicuous place on any marketing for the business. A person operating a tourist accommodation business as a bed and breakfast must reside have an on-site front desk that provides: provide housekeeping services to every guest unit in the hotel; and The RMOW does not process business licence applications for any property with open or incomplete building permit files.
Fine	Municipal ticket: $3,000 for operating without a licence, using premises not permitted, marketing stays under one month, or breaking licence terms. Bylaw notice: $500. A court can fine up to $10,000 per offence.Municipal Ticket Information System Implementation Bylaw No. 1719, 2005, Schedule B (Tourist Accommodation Regulation Bylaw No. 2142, 2017), amended by Bylaw 2427; Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2174, 2018, Schedule (Tourist Accommodation Regulation Bylaw No. 2142, 2017); Tourist Accommodation Regulation Bylaw No. 2142, 2017, s. 20 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Carry on tourist accommodation business without a licence 3 $3000 Market property for less than 1 month 6 $3000 Carry on tourist accommodation business 3 500 500 NO commits an offence of this bylaw, and is liable on conviction to a fine or penalty of up to $10,000 for each offence.
Bylaw	Tourist Accommodation Regulation Bylaw No. 2142, 2017; Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 2253, 2019; Zoning and Parking Bylaw No. 303, 2015Tourist Accommodation Regulation Bylaw No. 2142, 2017, s. 22; Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 2253, 2019 (PDF, consolidated February 8, 2023), title; https://www.whistler.ca/wp-content/uploads/Zoning-_and_Parking_Bylaw_303_2015_2026-08-07.pdf, title page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording This bylaw may be cited as "Tourist Accommodation Regulation Bylaw No. 2142, 2017". BUSINESS LICENCE AND REGULATION BYLAW NO. 2253, 2019 ZONING AND PARKING BYLAW NO. 303, 2015

How it works

Whistler allows short-term (tourist accommodation) rentals only on a property whose zoning lists tourist accommodation or temporary accommodation as a permitted use. Under the Tourist Accommodation Regulation Bylaw No. 2142, residential-zoned properties and employee housing units cannot be rented to tourists for any length of time. Covenants, such as rental pool covenants, can also limit use.

The Province's principal-residence requirement does not apply: Whistler is on the Province's exempt list. Provincial registration is still required.

Steps

Check your zoning (see zoning-lookup) and any covenants on title.
Apply for a tourist accommodation business licence with the Municipality.
Register each unit with the Province's short-term rental registry if you offer stays of fewer than 90 consecutive days, and pay the annual fee.
Show your municipal licence number on all listings and marketing.

Good to know

No licence is processed for a property with an open or incomplete building permit.
A bed and breakfast operator must live on the premises while it is in use. A hotel needs a 24-hour front desk, housekeeping and building maintenance. Hotels and lodges also pay $125 a year for a fire safety inspection.
No one may market a stay of less than 1 month unless the property is a tourist accommodation property.
Fines: a municipal ticket is $3,000 and a bylaw notice is $500; a court can fine up to $10,000 per offence.
The consolidated bylaw lists a different tourist accommodation fee ($190 plus $25 per property) from the Municipality's current pages. Confirm with Business Licences.
We found no guest, bedroom or parking limits in the bylaw.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Pemberton · Squamish · Lions Bay · Anmore · District of North Vancouver · Bowen Island

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

Sources

Tourist Accommodation Requirements, Resort Municipality of Whistler (read 2026-11-06)
Tourist Accommodation Regulation Bylaw No. 2142, 2017 (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 2253, 2019 (PDF, consolidated February 8, 2023) (read 2026-11-06)
How B.C.'s new short-term rental rules affect Whistler, Resort Municipality of Whistler (read 2026-11-06)
Principal residence requirement, Province of British Columbia (read 2026-11-06)
Municipal Ticket Information System Implementation Bylaw No. 1719, 2005 (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2174, 2018 (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
https://www.whistler.ca/wp-content/uploads/Zoning-_and_Parking_Bylaw_303_2015_2026-08-07.pdf (read 2026-11-06)

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.