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Short-term rental rules · Canada

Can you legally rent this address short-term?

Send us one Canadian address. Within 48 hours you get a report on whether short-term rentals are allowed there, what you must register, and whether your CRA deductions are at risk. Every finding is linked to its official source.

Order a report · $29 See a real sample

Money back if a rule we report was wrong on the date we checked it.

Why check before you list or buy

One wrong assumption can cost more than the property earns

$50,000

Maximum fine per infraction in British Columbia, where hosts must be on the provincial registry and most listings must be a principal residence.

$100,000

Upper limit per offence in Toronto, which only allows short-term rentals in the host's principal residence.

$0

Income tax deductions the CRA allows on a short-term rental that breaks provincial or municipal rules. That includes mortgage interest, utilities and maintenance.

Sources: Province of British Columbia, Lodgify summary of provincial rules. Rules change often; your report is checked against the current official sources.

The report

A clear answer for one address

Municipal bylaws, provincial registries and federal tax rules sit on different websites and often contradict what hosts hear in forums. We check each layer for your address and put the answer on one page.

Where the rules leave something open, such as a condo board's own bylaws, the report says so and tells you exactly who to ask.

Real sample · checked 2026-09-29 House with backyard suite, Halifax, NS
CONDITIONALAllowed only as your primary residence. Not allowed as a full-time investor rental.
  • Live there, rent while awayAllowedNeeds an HRM Zoning Confirmation Letter ($200), the municipal rental registry, and provincial registration ($50 a year).Source: halifax.ca, Short-Term Rentals
  • Rent the backyard suiteNot allowedA backyard or secondary suite doesn't count as your primary residence, so renting it by the night is a commercial rental.Source: halifax.ca, Short-Term Rentals
  • Investor, don't live thereNot allowedCommercial short-term rentals are only allowed in zones that permit hotels or motels.Source: halifax.ca, Short-Term Rentals
  • Buying a registered rentalActionThe seller's provincial registration doesn't transfer. You register again before taking bookings. Unregistered hosts face fines up to $100,000 a year.Source: novascotia.ca, Register your short-term accommodation
  • CRA deductionsRiskExpenses aren't deductible for days the rental operates without the required approvals.Source: Income Tax Act, section 67.7

Excerpt from a real report. House number withheld; paid reports confirm the zone for the exact address. Read the full 3-page sample (PDF)

Who orders it

Built for the moment before money moves

Buyers and investors

Check an address before you make an offer on a property you plan to rent by the night.

Current hosts

Confirm your listing is registered correctly before a platform, a city inspector or the CRA asks.

Realtors and accountants

Hand clients a sourced answer instead of a guess, and keep a dated record of what the rules said.

How it works

Address in, answer out in 48 hours

  1. Order

    Pay $29 and enter the address. Checkout takes about a minute.

  2. We research

    We check the municipal bylaw, licensing, provincial registry and federal tax rules that apply to that address.

  3. You get the report

    A PDF in your inbox within 48 hours, with a link to every official source and the date we checked it.

Pricing

Pay per address

Address report
$29 CAD, one address
  • Zoning, bylaw and licensing findings
  • Provincial registry requirements
  • CRA deduction risk check
  • Every finding linked to its official source
  • Delivered within 48 hours
Order a report · $29
Rule-change alerts · coming soon
$9 CAD a month
  • An email when rules change for your address
  • Reminders before licence renewals are due

Our guarantee. If a rule in your report was wrong on the date we checked it, we refund the full $29. If we can't find a clear answer in official sources, we tell you and refund you.

Questions

Before you order

Is this legal advice?

No. The report is research that summarizes official public sources and links to each one. For a binding answer on a specific situation, talk to a lawyer or your municipality. The report gives you the right questions to bring them.

Which addresses do you cover?

Any address in Canada. Rules are set by provinces and municipalities, so we research the ones that apply to your address. If the official sources don't give a clear answer, we say so and refund you.

How do you research it?

We use AI tools to find and read the relevant bylaws, registries and government pages, then check each finding against its official source before it goes in your report. Every claim comes with a link and the date we checked it.

Can you check my condo or strata bylaws?

Not directly, because those documents aren't public. The report flags when they matter and lists what to ask your board or property manager.

Are you affiliated with Airbnb, VRBO or any government?

No. StayRules is an independent research service.