Short-term accommodation licensing

A short-term accommodation is all or part of a home rented to guests for stays of 28 days or less. It may be hosted, where the host lives on site during the rental, or unhosted. Since February 1, 2023, a City business licence has been required to provide or broker a short-term accommodation in London.

Before you list, get licensed. 

To operate a short-term accommodation in London, you must:

• hold a valid Short-term Accommodation Provider Licence before you advertise or host guests
• show your licence number in all advertisements and listings
• only operate the short-term accommodation at your resident address
• if unhosted, you may offer no more than five bedrooms
• have a local emergency contact available throughout every guest stay
• follow all federal and provincial laws and all municipal by-laws

As of March 31, 2026, all short-term accommodations must pass a Property Standards Inspection and a Fire Safety Inspection.

Short-term accommodation brokers, the platforms that advertise and broker rentals, have separate licensing requirements. See Schedule 21 of the Business Licensing By-law.

New rules starting October 1, 2026

Starting October 1, 2026, each short-term accommodation provider is limited to:

• one short-term accommodation
• one Short-term Accommodation Provider Licence
• one ownership interest in a dwelling unit used as a short-term accommodation

Until September 30, 2026, providers may hold up to two short-term accommodations registered under their name at the same address.

Apply for or renew your licence at [application link]. When you apply, you will need to provide:

• the name, phone number, address and email of a local emergency contact (this may be you) who can respond within one hour of contact during a guest’s stay, and attend the property in person within one hour if contacted by an Enforcement Officer
• a description of the property, including a floor plan showing the location and square footage of the short-term accommodation, the number of bedrooms or sleeping areas, the type of building, and the number of off-street parking spaces
• whether the short-term accommodation is hosted or unhosted
• proof that all owners consent to the short-term accommodation, if the home is owned jointly or in co-tenancy
• a sworn declaration that all federal, provincial and municipal laws and by-laws are being followed
• attestations that you do not hold another provider licence, do not have an ownership interest in another dwelling unit operated as a short-term accommodation, and that no other provider licence has been issued for the dwelling unit

A Short-term Accommodation Provider Licence is $201 per year and is renewed annually at the start of each calendar year. A one-time inspection fee of $351 covers the Property Standards Inspection ($175) and the Fire Safety Inspection ($176). The inspection fee is charged once and does not renew annually.

If you are unsure about your responsibilities under other laws or by-laws, such as the Ontario Building Code or the City’s Zoning By-law, staff can answer your questions.

Every licensed short-term accommodation must show its licence number in all advertisements and listings. To confirm that a property is licensed, [link].

If you believe a short-term accommodation is operating without a licence, or you have a concern about noise or other nuisance, contact Municipal Compliance at [phone / online reporting link].

What to include in a complaint

Helpful details include:

• the address of the property
• a link to the listing
• the date and time of the concern
• a short description of the complaint

Yes; as the By-law requires, STAs must be at your resident address, or within a unit at your resident address.  Resident address means the place at which an individual typically sleeps, eats, keeps their personal effects, and has a regular place of lodging; an individual may have only one “Resident Address”.  This is often referred to as your “principal residence” and can be an owned or rented unit.

In most cases you will also be allowed to use one other dwelling unit as an STA, but the unit must be legally established and on the same property as your resident address; a secondary dwelling unit, a converted dwelling with two units, etc. may be permitted to be used. 

Yes, it is okay to use your apartment, or rental unit, as an STA as long as it is your resident address, that the landlord provides written authorization which clearly gives you permission to act as a host or provider, and that the unit you are living in has a Residential Rental Unit Licence, where applicable.

Yes, it is okay to host in your owned, or rented, condominium as long as it is your resident address and you provide the City with written authorization from the condominium board, and the landlord, where applicable

Yes, your insurance company will need to fill out and sign a Certificate of Insurance. You need to include this completed certificate with your application.

Note: If you use Airbnb to advertise/broker your Short-term Accommodation, the “Certificate of Insurance” document is not required.

Yes .  Each Short-term Accommodation Provider will be required to submit a 4% (plus HST) Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) per stay.  This amount shall be shown as a separate line on each receipt you provide to the guest(s) for their stay(s).  The City has designated  the Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA) to help collect the tax.  Your personal information will be shared with that agency so that they may communicate directly with you and assist with the payment.  Revenues from the MAT are reinvested to support tourism in London. 

Property standards and fire are mandatory inspections for all Short-term Accommodation licences. These inspections are to ensure the rental unit complies with all applicable laws and maintains tenant safety. After a complete application has been submitted, a Customer Service Representative will contact you to provide information on how to book the inspections.

Guideliens for Inspection

A valid City of London Business Licence and City of London Fire Safety Tips.

If you suspect a premises is being used as a Short-term Accommodation without a City of London Business Licence, or if you feel the property is creating some sort of nuisance, please call 519-661-4660, or email enforcement@london.ca and provide any property details that you can.  Details can include the municipal address, a link to the webpage you saw the property advertised, or any other information you believe will help Municipal Compliance Officers investigate your concern(s).

Yes; Short-term Accommodation Brokers (the platforms that advertise and broker the property rental) have similar, but separate, requirements for licensing in London.  Please refer to the Business Licensing By-law (Schedule 22) for all of the information required to apply for your “Platform” licence.

The fee for a new application for a Short-term Accommodation Provider licence is $552.  This includes a one-time fee in the amount of $351 for Fire and Property Standards inspections. The annual renewal fee is $201 

Note:  you may apply for the STA licence at any time during the year, but the licence fee is not prorated. All licenses expire on March 31st.

The City of London will begin accepting applications for Short-term Accommodation Licences on October 3, 2022 for the 2023 Business Licence year.

If you are providing or brokering short-term accommodations in your home after February 1, 2023, without an active business licence, you will be contravening the By-law and subject to enforcement and/or fines.