Short-term rentals — Nanaimo, British Columbia

Can I run an Airbnb here? Do I need a licence?

In the City of Nanaimo, British Columbia, short-term rentals rules are set by Zoning Bylaw No. 4500 (short-term rental provisions), verified 2026-08-28. A licence is required. Zones allowed: Residential zones R1-R12, R14, R15; Agriculture Rural Residential zones AR1, AR2.

Zoning Bylaw No. 4500 (short-term rental provisions) adopted bylaw

licence required	yes	Part 5 - Definitions, "SHORT-TERM RENTAL OPERATOR"
owner occupancy required	yes	s. 6.16.1
zones allowed	Residential zones R1-R12, R14, R15; Agriculture Rural Residential zones AR1, AR2.	s. 7.2.3; s. 8.2.2

scout note

Amended 2022-FEB-07 to permit and regulate short-term rentals (stays under 30 days) in residential zones: max 4 guests, max 2 guest bedrooms, all guest parking must be off-street/on-site, strata authorization required where applicable.

City of Nanaimo to require business licences for Short Term Rentals (news release)

Official announcement of Council's 2022-FEB-07 adoption of zoning/business-licence amendments requiring STR operators to hold a City business licence, effective for applications starting 2022-APR-01.

Short-Term Rentals (business licence requirements page)

Official city page explaining STR business-licence requirement ($165/yr), that fines run $500/infraction/day, and that zoning/parking/business-licence/bylaw-notice-enforcement bylaws were all amended together to regulate STRs.

Machine-readable: short-term-rentals.json · Official website: https://nanaimo.ca · Last verified 2026-08-28 · Short-term rentals across British Columbia · Short-term rentals in other municipalities