Landlord Registration and Licences in BC

The research for this guide found no provincial registry, licence or registration duty for landlords of long-term tenancies. None appears in the full Residential Tenancy Act, in the Residential Tenancy Regulation, or on the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) pages read. No government page read names a city that licenses long-term landlords.

That is a statement about the sources checked, not a promise that no local rule exists. Your city or regional district may have its own requirements, so confirm with it before you rent.

The only province-wide registry found is for short-term rental accommodation. The government says hosts must register their short-term rentals with the provincial registry to operate in BC, and each short-term rental unit must be registered. Listings must show the provincial registration number. The registry is not for long-term tenancies. See the BC short-term rental host registration page.

As of that page, last updated July 23, 2026, the annual fee is $100 for a rental where you live and $450 where you do not, plus a $1.50 service fee that is not refunded if the application is denied. Fees change, so check the page for the current figure. The rules also limit short-term rentals to the host's principal residence plus one secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit in many places, but not everywhere. Regional district bylaw fines can reach $50,000, and a municipal ticket can be up to $3,000 per infraction per day.

If you rent to the same person for months at a time under a normal tenancy agreement, this registry is not the one you need.

The host registration page tells hosts to follow local short-term rental bylaws, "such as having a valid business licence, if applicable". Those are municipal or regional district rules, and each one applies only in that area. The research did not find a long-term landlord licence in any named city.

A simple check:

1. Call or search the website of your city or regional district and ask whether a business licence or rental licence applies to your property.
2. Ask whether the answer is different for a secondary suite or a whole house. Zoning is a municipal matter, so this guide does not cover it.
3. Write down who you spoke to and the date.

Some arrangements are outside the Act (s.4), so the normal landlord duties do not apply. They include:

• living accommodation occupied as vacation or travel accommodation;
• accommodation where the tenant shares a bathroom or kitchen with the owner;
• housing owned by an educational institution and provided to its students or employees;
• rentals made by a not for profit housing cooperative to a member;
• agreements with a term longer than 20 years.

The full list in s.4 is longer. Do not assume your rental is outside the Act without reading it. For a spare room, see the Ask page on renting a room in your house.

Because there is no registration step, the legal duties come from the Act and the Regulation:

• Written agreement. Prepare a written tenancy agreement for every tenancy and give the tenant a copy within 21 days (s.13). It must contain the standard terms in the Regulation.
• Deposits. A security deposit and a pet damage deposit are each capped at half of one month's rent (s.19).
• No application fees. You must not charge for accepting or processing an application (s.15).
• Condition inspections. Offer inspections at move-in and move-out on the approved form, RTB-27.

See the forms BC landlords must use, and how to become a landlord in BC. The Ask page on how to become a landlord gives the short version.

Not preparing a written agreement, or charging an application fee, is an offence with a fine of up to $5,000 (s.95(1)). The RTB director can also impose an administrative penalty of up to $5,000 (s.87.3 and s.87.4). Missing the condition inspections can cost you the right to claim against the deposit for damage (s.24(2) and s.36(2)).

This guide explains the rules in general terms; for a specific case, ask the tribunal or a licensed legal professional.