This guide provides a concise, step-by-step process to aquire an Airbnb license in Toronto. It covers document preparation, application process, fee payment, and compliance with local regulations. It is important to note that a short-term rental license is mandatory to list your property on Airbnb. If you are in a condo building always check with your property management if short-term rentals are allowed.
Q: How much does it cost to register for a short-term rental license in Toronto?
A: The fee is $53
Q: Does my short-term rental license expire?
A: Yes. Your license must be renewed each year and its costs $53. Your date of renewal is the day your license was issued in the following year. If you do not renew your license you could incur fines from the city of Toronto for operating your short-term rental and have your listing suspended and removed from Airbnb.
Q: When do I need a short-term rental license?
A: A short-term rental license is required if you will be renting out your property for any duration less than 27 nights in the City of Toronto. Anything over 28 nights is considered long-term rentals and does not require a license
Q: If I don't live in Ontario but I own a property in Toronto, can I still get a short-term rental license?
A: Yes, but you must have an Ontario drivers license with an address that matches the property you are applying for. If you dont have an Ontario drivers license please contact our team for further information.
You will need to provide the following documents when you apply for a short-term rental license:
A valid Ontario driver's license or Ontario photo card with the address of your principal residence.
A valid credit card to pay the annual registration fee.
The name and phone number of an alternate (emergency) contact who will be available 24 hours a day and will act on your behalf if you are unavailable.
A completed Consent form from your alternate contact.
Visit the City of Toronto' dedicated short-term rental website here to access the registration form. You must scroll to the bottom of hte page to Accept the Terms of Use and click "Proceed".
You will be required to supply your Address, Suite or Unit Number (If applicable) and select whether or not this address is your principal residence.
It is extremely important that the address you select matches your drivers license exactly and matches the address used for your listing on Airbnb. The City will suspended listings on Airbnb if the license information does not match.
In Toronto you can only short-term rent your principal residence. This does not mean you have to own the property, but the address you are applying with must match the address on your drivers license. You must select "Yes" to this question if you would like to proceed.
Property details include information about property ownership, the building type of your property (condo, house, etc) and which part(s) of the property you will be allowing guests to rent.
As mentioned above, you will be required to inform the City if you own this property, and if not, are you currently renting this property. Some buildings in Toronto allow you to register and run a short-term rental even if you are leasing the property from the owner. You must consult your building property management company yo see if this is allowed as well as receive approval from your landlord.
Complete the required fields that includes:
Full Name
Drivers License Number and Expiry
Phone Number
Valid Email Address
Emergency Contact Information (Matching the information on your Consent Form)
The City of Toronto does not require you to create an account to register for your short-term rental license; their preferred method of communication is via email. Ensure the email address you provide is valid and is one that you access frequently.
It is extremely important that you review your application for accuracy. Any information that is incorrect will delay the time it takes to receive your license and can lead to possible suspensions. If you notice any errors be sure to fix them at this step.
Once you have verified your application information, review the Declarations field and confirm by clicking the checkbox and "Next" to continue.
The payment of $53 is non-refundable, meaning even if your license is rejected you will not receive a refund. If you are ready to proceed, you may click "Pay Now" which redirects you to a third party payment provider.
Once you have paid the registration fee, you can submit your application. Your application will be reviewed by the City of Toronto and you will be notified of the decision within 1 to 2 months.
If your application is approved, you will be issued a short-term rental license. You will need to display your license number on your Airbnb listing.
Here are some additional things to keep in mind when applying for a short-term rental license in Toronto:
You can only host short-term rentals in your principal residence.
You can only host short-term rentals for a maximum of 180 nights per calendar year. This resets every January 1st.
You can only rent up to three bedrooms or your entire residence.
You are responsible for a 6% MAT on all short-term rentals. It is important to check with your OTA's if they will be remitting taxes on your behalf, or passing them on to you to remit.
For more information on short-term rental regulations in Toronto, please visit the City of Toronto's Short-Term rental website or reach out to our team!
