BC short-term rental compliance checklist for 2026
The actual list of what BC short-term rental hosts need to have in place under the Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act, with line-by-line sources and the deadlines that matter.
Quick answer
BC short-term rental hosts in 2026 must comply with the Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act (Bill 35). Core requirements: register with the BC STR Registry, hold a valid municipal business licence, meet the principal-residence rule where applicable, post the registry number on all listings, maintain working interconnected smoke alarms (every floor + every bedroom), CO alarms on every floor with fuel-burning equipment, a 2A10BC fire extinguisher per floor, a posted evacuation plan, and a written maintenance log. Fines for non-compliance can hit $3,000 per day per offence.
What does the BC Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act require?
The BC Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act (Bill 35) came into force in stages starting May 2024. As of 2026, it covers any rental of 90 days or less in BC, with three layers of requirements stacked on top of each other: the provincial registry, the municipal business licence, and provincial/municipal life-safety standards.
Each layer has its own deadline and penalty. Missing any one of them can result in delisting from Airbnb and VRBO (the platforms are required to enforce the registry), a municipal fine, or a provincial fine. Worst-case daily fine under the Act is $3,000.
The full checklist
- Register with the BC Short-Term Rental Registry and obtain a registration number.
- Display the registration number on every active listing (Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, direct).
- Verify whether the principal-residence requirement applies to your property. It applies in most BC municipalities over 10,000 population.
- Obtain a valid municipal business licence from the City of Kelowna (or your home municipality).
- Install interconnected smoke alarms on every floor and in every bedroom. Hard-wired or radio-linked - battery-only standalone units fail compliance.
- Install CO alarms on every floor with fuel-burning equipment (gas furnace, gas range, gas fireplace, wood stove). Combo smoke/CO units count.
- Install one 2A10BC fire extinguisher per floor, wall-mounted, certified within the last 12 months.
- Post a written evacuation plan with current bedroom count and exit routes.
- Maintain a written maintenance log with date, technician, and items checked. Required for city business-licence inspections.
- Post emergency contact information at the property (your contact, plus 911).
- Carry adequate liability insurance (most municipalities now require $2M minimum for STR operations).
Who's exempt?
The Act has narrow exemptions. The two most common in Kelowna:
- Hotels, motels, and licensed B&Bs operating under separate provincial frameworks are exempt from the principal-residence rule.
- Properties in certain resort communities and Indigenous lands are exempt by Order in Council.
What if I miss the principal-residence requirement?
Most Kelowna and West Kelowna STR properties must be the host's principal residence (the home they live in for most of the year). The principal-residence rule allows the host to rent: the entire principal residence while temporarily away, OR up to two bedrooms / one secondary suite within the principal residence.
If you own an investment property that isn't your principal residence, short-term rental is generally not permitted in most BC cities over 10,000 people. The Act gives municipalities discretion to exempt certain zones (resort areas, hotel-zoned properties), but those exemptions are narrow.
What happens at a Kelowna STR inspection?
Kelowna inspectors visit when there's a complaint, a renewal, or a random audit. They check the same items every time: alarms (tested with the button), extinguishers (pressure gauge in green, tag current), evacuation plan posted, business licence on file, and the maintenance log. Most visits are 20-30 minutes.
The single most common failure point in Kelowna inspections is missing CO alarms on the floor with a gas range. Hosts often install one in the basement near the furnace and forget the kitchen level.
How do I track all of this?
A monthly inspection retainer (about $129-$179 per property per month in Kelowna) is the easiest way to stay continuously compliant without thinking about it. The retainer covers the inspection, the photo log for your file, and a heads-up before any compliance item expires.
If you'd rather DIY: keep a spreadsheet with installation dates and expiry dates for each alarm, extinguisher, and CO unit. Set calendar reminders 30 days before each renewal. The annual time investment is 4-6 hours plus the cost of replacements.
Frequently asked
Does the BC STR Act apply to my rental of 6 months or longer?
No. The Act defines short-term as 90 days or less. Long-term tenancies (6+ months) fall under the BC Residential Tenancy Act, which is a separate framework with different requirements.
What's the fine if I don't have a smoke alarm in a bedroom?
Under the BC Fire Code, missing or non-functioning smoke alarms can carry fines of $115 to $575 per offence per day. Stacked with the STR Act provisions for non-compliance, the per-day exposure can hit $3,000.
Do I need a separate CO alarm if my smoke alarm is a combo unit?
No. Combination smoke/CO units (often labeled 'dual sensor') satisfy both requirements as long as they're installed on the correct floors per the CO alarm rule (every floor with fuel-burning equipment).
Compliance, done for you.
Monthly inspections, photo log, and a heads-up before anything expires. Built specifically for BC short-term rental hosts.