Toronto & Durham

Short-Term Rentals in Toronto: The Rules for Hosts

Toronto allows short-term rentals, but only within strict rules. Here is what hosts, and the tenants and condo owners thinking about hosting, need to know.

A condominium building with glass balconies

The City of Toronto regulates short-term rentals, meaning rentals of less than 28 consecutive days, through platforms like Airbnb.

The short answer

You can only host in your own principal residence, you must register with the City, and you can rent out your entire home for a limited number of nights a year. Check your lease or condo rules first.

The main rules

  • Principal residence only: you can host only in the home where you live. Owners and tenants can both qualify.
  • Registration: you must register with the City and show your registration number on every listing.
  • Night limits: if you rent out your entire home, there is an annual limit on nights. Renting a room while you live there isn't limited the same way.
  • Taxes: a municipal accommodation tax applies to short-term rentals.

Tenants

House keys on a wooden table

Your lease may not allow short-term rentals, and hosting may raise subletting issues under the Residential Tenancies Act. Get your landlord's written consent.

Condo owners

Many condominium declarations and rules ban or restrict short-term rentals. Condos can enforce these rules, including through the Condominium Authority Tribunal.

Insurance

Tell your insurer. Regular home or tenant insurance may not cover guests.

Penalties

Hosting without registering, or breaking the rules, can lead to fines.

Outside Toronto

Pickering, Ajax, Whitby and other municipalities may have their own licensing or zoning rules.

Talk to NEO

Based in Pickering, NEO helps clients across Toronto and Durham Region with tenancy, small claims, traffic and tribunal matters. Call 647-200-3526 or toll-free 888-519-2435, email info@neolegalservices.com, or book a free consultation.

Sources

Read next: Small Claims Court in Durham Region: The Oshawa Courthouse

General Ontario legal information, not legal advice for your matter, and reading it does not create a retainer. Sources checked 15 October 2026: check the current law, forms and dates before you act.

Photos from Pexels: A condominium building with glass balconies · House keys on a wooden table.

This article is general information for people in Ontario, not legal advice. Rules, forms and deadlines change, and every situation is different. Check the current rule or speak to a licensed legal professional before you act.

Not sure where you stand? A licensed paralegal can look at your documents and tell you your options.

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Law Society of Ontario — Barreau de l'Ontario
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