Short-Term Rentals

A principal residence is a dwelling unit where the occupants make their home, conduct their daily affairs (i.e. paying bills, receiving mail, etc.), and use the address on documentation related to billing, identification, taxation and insurance purposes.

Up to four unrelated guests, or six people within the same family, are permitted to stay in a short-term rental property.  

Burnaby’s guest limit is designed to allow families to utilize short-term rentals, while limiting the likelihood of disruptions to the neighbourhood resulting from a short-term rental with too many guests. 

This restriction provides an opportunity for homeowners to earn income by temporarily renting out a portion of their principal residence while they are present to host their visitors. Additionally, it allows homeowners to temporarily rent out their entire principal residence for up to 28 nights per year while they are absent, reducing the impacts of short-term rentals on the surrounding neighbourhood. 

No. Short-term rental licences will only be granted to applicants who are applying to list their principal residence as a short-term rental. This reduces the potential impact of short-term rentals on the long-term rental supply and reduces the chance of potential disruptions to the neighbourhood.

The secondary suites program in Burnaby was designed to increase the supply of affordable rental housing in the community. The City wants to ensure this supply of housing is available for long-term renters.

Only homeowners are permitted to operate short-term rentals within their principal residence. Tenants, even with the landlord's permission, are not permitted to operate short-term rentals nor eligible to obtain a business licence for this use.

You must have a business licence. In order to obtain a business licence, operators will have to:

1. Submit an application form along with mandatory documentation (proof of principal residence, and where applicable a letter of permission from strata). 
2. Pay a business licence fee. 
3. Agree to conform to the short-term rental regulations and all City bylaws. 
4. Operators will be provided with information about responsible short-term rental operations when they receive their business licence.

Operators must comply with the requirements outlined in the Short-Term Rental Operators Guidebook, which includes reviewing and distributing the following information:

1. Guest guidelines that will inform guests about relevant City bylaws (e.g. quiet hours, parking restrictions, garbage and recycling information and schedules, etc.). 
2. Fire safety information, including a fire plan. 
3. Neighbour notification form to distribute to neighbours with important contact information.

Please visit our business licence webpage. 

Yes, short-term rentals are allowed in strata units. Homeowners who wish to list their principal residence that is within a strata as a short-term rental must submit a letter of permission from the strata council along with their application for a business licence. 

For noise concerns:

During the day: 
Licensing: 604-294-7320
Monday-Friday, 8 am-4:45 pm

After office hours:
Burnaby Dispatch: 604-294-7200

For Parking Bylaw Enforcement:

Phone: 604-294-7944
Monday-Friday, 7 am-6 pm

Phone: 604-570-3660
Saturday-Sunday: 8:30 am-4:30 pm

(Contact RCMP at 604-646-9999 outside these hours)

Please contact Licensing at 604-294-7320 or [email protected]