By-law of the month
Short-term Rental Licensing By-law
By-laws are put in place to ensure a safe and orderly community for all who live, work and play in Vaughan. Each month, the City of Vaughan explores a different by-law and what it means for you. This month, let’s take a look at the Short-term Rental Licensing By-law 158-2019 (PDF).
Here are the basics
With safety as a leading priority, the City remains committed to providing measures to regulate short-term rental housing to ensure these accommodations are safe for guests to stay in.
In Vaughan, you can rent out your home or part of your home for short stays (29 nights or fewer), but only if you get a licence from the City. This applies to homeowners and tenants who use the home as their main place to live.
According to the Short-term Rental Licensing By-law 158-2019 (PDF):
homeowners or tenants/lessees are considered owners.
businesses, such as Airbnb, that offer a service to advertise and book a short-term rental, are considered brokerages.
both owners and brokerages are required to obtain a licence.
To get a licence, owners and brokerages must apply with the required supporting documents and licensing fee. Application forms are available at vaughan.ca/ShortTermRentals.
Municipal Accommodation Tax
A Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) applies to all short-term rental stays. Owners who operate a short-term rental and brokers who collect payment on behalf of owners must charge a four per cent MAT on accommodations sold and remit that to the City. Once an owner or brokerage is issued a short-term rental licence, they will be automatically registered for MAT, and will receive an email which explains how to remit MAT to the City. To learn more about MAT, visit vaughan.ca/mat.
Fines
Owners and brokers who do not obtain a licence for their short-term rental and do not comply with all requirements will be subject to fines and other actions, including revoking or denying a licence.
Residents can call Service Vaughan at 905-832-2281 to file a complaint. Those found to be in violation of the Short-term Rental Licensing By-law could be fined up to $5,000 for their first offence, and up to $10,000 for their second and all subsequent offences.
For more information on short-term rentals and everything you need to operate one in your home, visit vaughan.ca/ShortTermRentals.
For updates and news as they happen, subscribe to Vaughan News and follow the official corporate channels on X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
