Short-term rentals in Montreal (Airbnb): the rules in 2026

The rules in Montreal at a glance

Rules checked on November 3, 2026 on montreal.ca, quebec.ca and citq.qc.ca. The City says the permit application period is closed and applications reopen at the start of 2027. Always check the source before buying or posting a listing.

Renting your principal residence in Montreal: the steps

The City requires an operating permit renewed every year. The application review fee is $350 plus tax, and the permit must be printed and displayed so it is visible from the street. Renting is allowed from June 10 to September 10, for a total of 31 days or less during that period, according to the City’s page; outside it, renting your principal residence short-term is prohibited.

The municipal permit does not replace provincial registration: you also need the CITQ number, shown in the listing.

Renting year-round: the tourist residence

To offer stays of 31 days or less year-round in a unit that is not your principal residence, you need a certificate of occupancy, and this type of rental is only allowed in certain areas of Montreal. Depending on the borough, the use must also be approved by the borough council (conditional use) and a minimum distance may be required between two tourist residences. The City publishes the list of authorized areas.

The Quebec rules on top of the city’s

Any unit offered to tourists for 31 days or less must be registered with the Corporation de l’industrie touristique du Québec (CITQ), and the number must appear distinctly in the listing. For a principal residence, the government asks for two documents showing it really is your principal residence — “the place where you usually live and centre your family and social activities” —, liability insurance of at least $2,000,000, a zoning confirmation from the municipality and, if you rent or live in a condo, the authorization of the landlord or the syndicate.

Registration fees for a principal-residence establishment are $54 since January 1, 2026 (CITQ).

• Operating without registration: a fine of $2,500 to $25,000 for an individual ($5,000 to $50,000 in other cases).
• Not displaying the registration number distinctly: $1,000 to $10,000 ($2,000 to $20,000).
• A platform publishing an offer without a registration number: $5,000 to $50,000 ($10,000 to $100,000).

Before buying a condo or plex for Airbnb in Montreal

The return on a purchase "for Airbnb" rests entirely on the right to rent: check the zoning of the exact address, the condo declaration (many prohibit short-term rentals) and your insurance. Since January 1, 2024, the federal government denies deductions for the expenses of a short-term rental that does not comply with provincial or municipal rules.

What a professional checks before you buy to rent in Montreal

The rules above say what the City generally allows. The real question, before an offer, is narrower: can this unit be rented short-term, and does the project still work without that income? Four professionals answer it, each on their own ground.

• The real estate agent checks the zoning of the exact address and, in a condo, what the declaration and bylaws allow, before you make an offer.
• The mortgage broker checks whether the lender will finance a unit rented short-term and whether it will count that income to qualify you: a lender may refuse to count it.
• The notary checks, before signing, any registered restrictions that could prohibit renting.
• The appraiser sets the value of the unit without taking for granted short-term rental income the rules could prohibit.

The rules in other cities

Compare with Quebec City · Toronto · Ottawa · Vancouver · Calgary, or see the rules by province in Canada.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• City of Montreal — Short-term tourist accommodation (French)
• City of Montreal — Renting your principal residence to tourists (French)
• City of Montreal — Areas authorized for a tourist residence (French)
• Government of Quebec — Registering a tourist accommodation establishment (French)
• Government of Quebec — Offences and fines, tourist accommodation (French)
• CITQ — Registration fees (French)