Reminder: Licence needed to operate a short-term rental

Aug. 25, 2020 9:00 a.m.
Grace period for licence renewals ends Sept. 1, 2020

With businesses continuing to reopen and more people returning to work and travelling, short-term rentals are top of mind. The City of Vaughan is reminding short-term rental owners they must have a licence to operate. As well, the grace period for licence renewals will end on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
 
To obtain a licence, owners and brokerages, such as Airbnb, must follow these steps:
 
  • Step 1: Register for a Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) number. All short-term rental owners and brokerages require a MAT number.
  • Step 2: Fill out the short-term rental licence application form, available at vaughan.ca/ShortTermRentals.
  • Step 3: Submit the application form with the necessary documents and the licensing fee.
  • Step 4: Once a short-term rental owner has their licence, they must:
    • display the licence in a place visible from, or as near as possible to, the main entrance of the short-term rental.
    • notify the City of Vaughan, in writing, within seven days of any change to the information provided in the application to obtain or renew a licence.
    • ensure the home complies, at all times, with the Ontario Building Code and Ontario Fire Code, including maximum occupancy.
    • show the amount of the MAT as a separate item or charge on the bill for each stay – this applies to owners that operate their short-term rental independently from a brokerage.
    • collect and remit the MAT to the City of Vaughan.
    • renew the licence annually as long as the short-term rental is in operation. 
To learn more visit vaughan.ca/ShortTermRentals.
 
Short-term rentals were allowed in residential homes in Vaughan as of Jan. 1, 2020 provided the necessary licence was obtained. The City undertook an extensive review of the impacts of short-term rentals, including the commonly reported challenges, opportunities, benefits and best practices. Feedback from the community was received through a public consultation process which took place from November 2018 to March 2019 and incorporated into the new Short-term Rental By-law 158-2019.  
 
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