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B.C. SHORT-TERM RENTAL • B.C. RULES

B.C. Short-Term Rental Principal Residence Rule: What Hosts Need to Check

In many B.C. communities, provincial rules limit short-term rentals to the host's principal residence plus at most one secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit on the same property. Exemptions exist, and local governments can impose stricter rules.

Rules and coverage are separate. Provincial eligibility, municipal licensing, strata bylaws and insurance-policy wording can all apply to the same listing. One approval does not replace the others.
UpdatedAugust 31, 2026
ByCanada Rate Lab Editorial Team
SourcesProvince of British Columbia + B.C. Laws + Insurance Bureau of Canada
MethodologySource-led research
QUICK VIEW
Provincial ruleMany communities
Principal homeEligible basis
Accessory unitUp to one
Local rulesCan be stricter

What the provincial floor allows

Where the principal-residence requirement applies, the Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act generally limits hosting to the property host's principal residence and not more than one secondary suite or other accessory dwelling unit in the prescribed location. The Province describes this as a minimum or floor rather than permission to ignore municipal rules.

The rule does not apply identically everywhere

The areas subject to the principal-residence requirement can change as local governments opt in or, where eligible, request changes to exempt land. The regulation also contains exemptions for specified property and accommodation types. Hosts should check the current provincial list and local bylaws for the actual property.

A secondary suite is not automatically unrestricted

A secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit may qualify under the principal-residence framework when it is on the same property as the host's principal residence, but it still requires its own short-term-rental registration where registration applies. Local zoning or business-licence rules can add further restrictions.

Insurance remains a separate decision

Satisfying the principal-residence rule does not mean a standard owner-occupied policy automatically covers short-term rental activity. The insurer still needs accurate occupancy and rental-use information.

HOST CHECKLIST

Verify the property, not just the platform listing

Before relying on a listing being active, check the current provincial registration, any local business-licence requirement, applicable strata bylaws and the insurance representative's confirmation of the rental use. Those systems can change independently.

Open the B.C. short-term rental hub →

Related B.C. short-term rental research

INSURANCEInsurance DisclosureWhy a B.C. homeowner should tell the insurer before hosting short stays, how occupancy changes risk and why platform protection is separate from the property policy.REGISTRATIONRegistration & LicensingB.C. short-term rental registration, annual fees, registration numbers, local business licences and 2026 renewal rules explained separately from insurance.STRATAStrata Hosting RulesHow B.C. strata bylaws can restrict or ban short-term rentals, how fines work and why condo-host insurance must still be reviewed separately.

Related property research

Canada Short-Term Rental InsuranceB.C. Strata InsuranceLandlord InsuranceB.C. Home Insurance

Primary sources

Province of B.C. — Principal residence requirementB.C. Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act — section 14B.C. Short-Term Rental Accommodations Regulation