Short-Term Rental Accommodation in Kamloops
In May 2025, the City amended its Zoning Bylaw and Business Licence and Regulations Bylaw to align with provincial legislation on short-term rental accommodations. The legislation aims to strike a balance between the need to create more long-term homes for residents and the need to accommodate visitors.
The City’s bylaw amendments permit and license short-term rentals in Kamloops under certain conditions.
As of May 1, 2025, all short-term rental hosts and platforms operating in BC must be registered with the provincial short-term rental registry to ensure compliance with provincial rules, which include complying with local government zoning and business licence bylaws.
The Province monitors compliance, issues compliance orders, and administers penalties for violations. For more information on provincial short-term rental accommodation requirements, visit the provincial website.
Requirements for Short-Term Rentals in Kamloops
Business Licensing
A business licence is required for short-term rentals (less than 30 days) and monthly rentals less than 90 days advertised on a short-term rental platform, consistent with provincial short-term rental rules.
Short-term rental hosts in Kamloops must display a valid business licence number on their listings. If a listing does not comply with the City’s business licence requirements, the short-term rental platform must remove the listing at the City’s request.
The current cost of a business licence for short-term rental accommodation is $67.20 annually per unit.
Short-Term Rental Accommodation in Kamloops:
- must be within a room or entire dwelling unit (such as a basement suite, carriage house, or the entire house) on a property that is the owner’s principal residence
- may not exceed one short-term rental booking at a time in any unit on any lot, and the number of people allowed in a short-term rental depends on the total number of people living in the dwelling long term (see FAQs) to mitigate potential adverse impacts associated with large guest parties and overlapping bookings
- is not permitted in conjunction with home-based daycares, residential care homes, or where a home-based business permits a customer/client
- is not permitted on a property containing an illegal suite (see FAQs)
- require the host to sign a good neighbour agreement as a condition of business licence approval
- require approval of the strata corporation if the dwelling unit is within a strata development
- requires proof of ownership and principal residence
Learn about business licensing and apply for a business licence
Learn about building permits and find permit application forms and checklists (i.e. legalize a suite)
Learn more about residential suites and view the Secondary Suite Construction Requirements Guide
FAQs
When is a business licence required for renting out rooms or units on my property?
A business licence is required for short-term rentals (less than 30 days) or monthly rentals up to 90 days that are advertised on a short-term rental platform, such as Airbnb.
A business licence is also required for renting two or more suites on a property (e.g. a basement suite, carriage house, and/or garden suite) long term (30 days or more) or renting a house with a suite long term where the owner does not live on the property. (Note: a short-term rental is not permitted where there are two or more suites on the property.)
How many people can I have in my short-term rental?
The number of people allowed in a short-term rental depends on the total number of people living in the dwelling long-term, including family members and boarders or lodgers (e.g. roommate, student, or worker renting a room).
The total number of people in the entire dwelling unit cannot exceed five unrelated people. The exception applies to families of three or more, limiting the total number of renters (combined total number of boarders, lodgers, and/or short-term rental guests) to two.
Does my short-term rental require an inspection?
Yes, an inspection of the short-term rental space is required. The inspection is to confirm the rental space meets regulations and to confirm there is no illegal suite on the property.
If the short-term rental is located on a property containing a secondary suite (or if the suite is the rental), the suite must be legal. A legal suite is constructed or upgraded under a valid building permit, ensuring all safety requirements, such as smoke alarms and egress, are met. Secondary suites that have been installed without a building permit are considered illegal and must either be legalized or decommissioned.
How do I know if my suite is legal? And if it’s not, how do I legalize it?
A legal suite is constructed or upgraded under a valid building permit. Constructing under a building permit ensures all life safety requirements, such as smoke alarms and egress, are met. If you did not construct your suite under the building permit process, the suite is considered illegal.
The process for legalizing a suite may involve renovations or upgrading to meet Building Code requirements. If a suite is deemed illegal upon an inspection, it must either be legalized or decommissioned.
Learn more about residential suites and view the Secondary Suite Construction Requirements Guide.
