Every December, the same message lands in my inbox from owners who host on their own: “My listing says my licence is expiring. What do I need to do?” The answer is simple once you have done it a few times, but the timing catches people out, because renewing in Vancouver now involves two separate approvals and a listing update that nobody does for you.
Here is exactly what needs to happen before the year turns, and what to watch for in the weeks after.
Your city licence expires on December 31, every year
A City of Vancouver short term rental business licence covers one calendar year. Whatever month you first applied in, it runs out on December 31 and must be renewed for the year ahead. The City mails a renewal notice in December with the account number you need to renew, so keep an eye on your mailbox and do not throw it away with the holiday flyers.
For 2026 the City lists the fee at $1,108 a year, and a $111 late penalty applies if you renew after the deadline. That penalty is the smaller problem. The bigger one is that an expired licence means you are no longer licensed to host, while guests may already be booked into January.
The basic conditions do not change at renewal. The home must still be your principal residence, meaning the place you actually live for most of the year, and each person can hold only one short term rental licence. If you live in a strata or rent your home, the approval you gave the City when you first applied still needs to hold.
Renewing step by step
- Find your renewal notice from the City and the account number on it.
- Check that nothing has changed. If you have moved, changed how you use the home, or your strata has updated its bylaws, sort that out before you renew.
- Renew and pay online through the City’s short term rental licence page.
- Note your licence number for the new year. When it changes, every listing has to change with it.
- Update every listing: Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com and any direct booking site you use. The City requires the licence number on all online listings and advertising.
For most owners this takes about 30 minutes once the notice has arrived. The work is in remembering to do it in the busiest month of the year.
Then your BC registration, on its own schedule
Since 2025, every short term rental in British Columbia also needs a provincial registration number from the BC Short Term Rental Registry. This is where owners get confused, because the provincial registration does not follow the calendar year. It lasts one year from the day you registered.
A few things about renewing it:
- The renewal window opens 40 days before your registration expires, and the Registry emails reminders 40, 14 and 1 day before.
- Renewing early does not shorten your year. The new term runs a full year from your current expiry date.
- You need a valid city licence to renew, which is why the city renewal comes first.
- The fee depends on how you host: $101.50 a year, service fees included, when you live in the home you rent, or $451.50 for a private, self-contained unit.
- You cannot change your details during renewal. If your address or hosting setup has changed, you may need a new application and a new registration number.
If you do not renew, the Province says your listing may be removed and future bookings cancelled. Platforms check registration numbers, and they do not receive automatic updates from the Registry, so the number on your listing has to be right.
The step everyone forgets: updating your listings
In my experience, the renewal itself is rarely the problem. What causes trouble is a listing that still shows last year’s licence number, or a registration number that changed after a new application. A platform does not know you renewed until the numbers on your listing say so.
Set a reminder for the first week of January to open every listing and check both numbers against your new licence and registration. If you list on more than one platform, check each one, because each holds its own copy.
A simple renewal calendar
- Early December: watch for the City’s renewal notice and check that your residence, strata and insurance situation is unchanged.
- By December 31: renew your city licence and pay the fee.
- First week of January: update the licence number on every listing.
- 40 days before your BC registration expires: renew with the Province, then confirm the registration number on every listing.
Common questions
What happens if I miss the December 31 deadline?
The City adds a $111 late penalty, and until you renew you are hosting without a valid licence. Renew as soon as you notice, then update your listings.
Do I need to renew my BC registration at the same time?
No. Your provincial registration renews one year from the date you first registered, with a window that opens 40 days before it expires. You do need a valid city licence when you renew it.
Will my licence number change?
Check it every year. Whenever a city licence or provincial registration number changes, every listing needs the new number.
Can I renew if I now spend most of the year somewhere else?
The licence depends on the home being your principal residence. If your living situation has changed, talk it through before you renew rather than after. A free 30 minute Property Review is a good place to start.
Want this off your plate?
Renewals are one of the quiet jobs I handle for every owner I work with: tracking both dates, preparing the paperwork, and updating every listing the week the new numbers arrive. If you host on your own, my free Short Term Rental Owner’s Playbook has the full compliance calendar for the year.
Sources
Checked November 2, 2026:
