Now Accepting Applications for Short-Term Rental Business Licences

April 4, 2018

The City is now accepting Business Licence applications for short-term rental businesses. 

New regulations allow short-term rentals for eligible operators subject to a Business Licence and compliance with operating requirements.

Eligible operators must have a Short-Term Rental Business Licence. You can email your completed application and supporting documentation to str@victoria.ca.

You are eligible if:

  • Your short term rental is your principal residence – the whole home on occasion (for example, when you are on vacation), or up to two bedrooms in your home with shared kitchen and living spaces. This does not include a self contained suite, except for when a renter (with owner's permission) rents out a suite (their principal residence) on occassion. For more information, view Schedule D - Home Occupations [PDF - 49 KB].
  • You own a legally non-conforming unit where transient accommodation was a permitted use, otherwise known as a "grandfathered" property.  Changes to the Zoning Bylaw now prohibit short-term rentals in residential units where "transient accommodation" was a permitted use in zoning. However, properties may be considered legally non-conforming under this use if they have been opearting a short-term rental in a transient accommodation zone prior to the zoning changes, and comply with strata regulations and operating requirements. If you have questions about your specific property, please contact Zoning at 250.361.0316. However, please note that for properties in transient zones, legal non-confirming status cannot be confirmed until a Business Licence application is processed.View the list of affected zones here. View the map of affected zones here.

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