Definition of Short-Term Rental Accommodation:
Short-term rental accommodation is the business of providing temporary accommodation for compensation in a dwelling unit where a person may rent a portion or all of the premises for thirty (30) consecutive days or less.
Short-Term Rental Types
There are two types of short-term rental accommodations:
- Rental of an entire dwelling
- Rental of individual rooms or spaces in a home.
Transactions for short-term rental accommodations are usually completed through online platforms such as AirBnB, VRBO, HomeAway, and FlipKey.
Licensing Requirements:
A person applying for the issuance or renewal of a City of Yellowknife Short-Term Rental Accommodation Business Licence must provide satisfactory evidence that:
- The short-term rental accommodation operator owns the dwelling unit where the short-term rental accommodation will be offered, or;
- The owner of the dwelling unit where the short term rental accommodation will be offered has consented to the use of the dwelling unit for this purpose.
- If the dwelling unit is located within a condo corporation or co-op housing complex, the short-term rental operator must have written permission from the required association stating that the operation of a short-term rental in the unit is approved and does not violate any internal By-laws.
- All advertising and marketing of a short-term rental accommodation must include the use of a valid City of Yellowknife business licence number within the advertisement.
- The contact name and phone number of a person who can be reached 24 hours per day during rental periods must be clearly visible on the inside of the rental unit.
- No person shall carry on business as a short-term rental accommodation operator in a vehicle or an unlawful dwelling as defined in the City’s Zoning By-law.
Other Permit Requirements:
Hosts who are planning to develop a Secondary Suite must also obtain a Development Permit and Building Permit before any construction can take place. A building Permit is also required for any residential construction inside the home to accommodate a short-term rental accommodation, such as adding a new bedroom or finishing a basement.