Providing opportunity while striking a balance to protect rental housing and neighbourhoods
Anyone who wishes to operate a short-term rental in Burnaby must obtain a business licence.
The licensing system is designed to protect long-term housing stock in our community and minimize disruption to residential neighbourhoods, while providing homeowners with the opportunity to earn extra income by renting their principal residence.
How to obtain a business licence for your short-term rental
To be eligible to rent a property in Burnaby as a short-term rental, the property must meet the following criteria:
- Homeowners may only list their principal residence as a short-term rental.
- Short-term rentals are permitted in strata units, with the written permission of the strata council.
- Short-term rentals are not permitted in rental units or secondary suites.
- Up to four unrelated guests, or six people within the same family are permitted to stay in a short-term rental.
- Homeowners are limited to renting their principal residence as a short-term rental for a maximum of 90 nights per calendar year, of which 28 nights may include the rental of the homeowner’s entire principal residence.
In order to obtain a business licence, operators will have to:
- Submit an application form along with mandatory documentation (proof of principal residence, and where applicable a letter of permission from their strata).
- Pay a business licence fee.
- Agree to conform to the short-term rental regulations and all City bylaws.
All licences are reviewed on an annual basis.
For more information on how to safely operate a short-term rental in Burnaby, download our Short Term Rental Operator’s Guidebook.
How to pay
You can pay invoices online with your credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express) or in-person with cash, cheque or debit card. Per the City's Fee Recovery Bylaw 13640, we'll charge a fee of 1.75% on payments made with a credit card.
Compliance
The City takes an active approach to enforcement of short-term rental regulations. Operators may face fines of up to $500 per infraction, with escalating fines for continued non-compliance.
Fines may be issued for violations including:
- failure to obtain a valid business licence
- operating a short-term rental on property that is not the operator’s principal residence
- failure to provide information to guests
- failure to attend
- failure to maintain records
- failure to post fire safety plan