Independent guide · official sources · updated November 2026

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

Principal residence, 180 nights for the entire home, $390 registration, fines: what is allowed, from the official source.

In short

In Toronto, short-term rentals (less than 28 consecutive days) are only allowed in your principal residence: you can rent up to three bedrooms with no limit on nights, or the entire home for at most 180 nights per calendar year. You must register with the City ($390, also $390 to renew in 2026) and include the registration number in all listings. Renting or advertising a property that is not a principal residence, or advertising without a number, carries a $1,000 fine per offence.

The rules in Toronto at a glance

Item	Rule
What you can rent	Your principal residence only
Bedrooms	Up to three bedrooms, unlimited nights
Entire home	At most 180 nights per calendar year
“Short-term” length	Less than 28 consecutive days
Registration	$390; number required in all listings
Fines (tickets)	$1,000: renting or advertising a non-principal residence, or advertising without a number; $700: entire unit over 180 days

Rules checked on November 3, 2026 on toronto.ca. Always check the source before buying or posting a listing.

Renting short-term in Toronto: the steps

The City defines a short-term rental as all or part of a dwelling unit rented for less than 28 consecutive days for payment, and only allows it in a principal residence. The host must register (a $390 fee) and the valid registration number must appear in all their listings.

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 Toronto

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 real estate lawyer 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 Montreal · Quebec City · Ottawa · Vancouver · Calgary, or see the rules by province in Canada.

Frequently asked questions

Can you rent a condo on Airbnb in Toronto?

Only if it is your principal residence: up to three bedrooms with no limit, or the entire home for at most 180 nights a year, after registering with the City ($390). The condo declaration may also prohibit it.

How much does short-term rental registration cost in Toronto?

$390, according to the City of Toronto; the 2026 renewal is also $390.

What is the fine for an illegal Airbnb in Toronto?

$1,000 per ticket for renting or advertising a property that is not a principal residence or for advertising without a registration number, and $700 for renting an entire unit for more than 180 days.

Sources

City of Toronto — Short-term rental operators

Buying to rent in Toronto?

A real estate broker who knows the area knows what zoning and the condo allow. Payotte names a single verified one per sector.

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