Landlord Registration and Licensing in Prince Edward Island

For a normal long-term rental in Prince Edward Island, the research found no provincial landlord registry and no landlord licence. The Residential Tenancy Act has no registration or licensing scheme. A search of the Act text for those words turned up only registered mail and the exclusion for tourism-licensed accommodation.

That covers a house, apartment or room let month to month or for a fixed term. It does not cover short stays, which are licensed. If you are just getting started, how to become a landlord in PEI lists the steps.

Tourism PEI, the provincial tourism body, says any temporary guest accommodation that operates for a continuous period of less than one month must be licensed as a tourism property. That applies however it is marketed.

Charlottetown. The City of Charlottetown issues its own short-term rental operation licence. Operators with an establishment in the city need two licences, one municipal and one provincial. The municipal licence is a city rule that applies only in Charlottetown. Contact the City of Charlottetown for its current requirements and fees. Outside Charlottetown, check with your own municipality.

The research did not cover stays between one and two months, so ask Tourism PEI or the Rental Office before relying on either label for a stay of that length.

No registry does not mean no rules. These duties come from the Act and the public health rental regulations:

1. Prepare a written tenancy agreement with the items the Act lists, and give the tenant a free copy within 10 days. See PEI lease agreements.
2. Take no more than one security deposit, capped at one month's rent (one week's if rent is weekly). Put it in an interest-bearing account in the province within two banking days.
3. If you have three or more rental units, use a trust account for deposits only.
4. Complete the condition inspection report (Form 5) at move-in and at move-out.
5. Keep a register of occupants if the building has three or more units, and keep heat at not less than 65 F where you supply it. These two come from the public health rental regulations.

A breach of the Act can draw an administrative penalty of up to $10,000 from the Director, and it is an offence with a fine of up to $25,000.

This guide reports only what the PEI government sources showed. The research found no provincial landlord fee and no registry. It did not look at whether anything extra applies if you use a property manager or live outside the province, so ask the Rental Office if either describes you. It also did not read municipal by-laws outside Charlottetown's short-term rental licence. Not finding a rule is not proof there is none at the city level.

Think about zoning and occupancy rules with your municipality as well. This guide does not give municipal advice. A related quick read is how to become a landlord.

The most common mistake is treating a furnished short stay like a tenancy, or the other way round. If you let a unit for stays of under a month, you need the Tourism PEI licence. If you let it long term, the Act and its tenant protections apply.

The research did not find the penalty for running a short stay without a licence, so do not rely on a figure you see elsewhere. Ask Tourism PEI, and for Charlottetown, ask the city.

If you have a dispute with a tenant under a long-term tenancy, it goes to the Rental Office first, and IRAC hears appeals. This guide explains the rules in general terms; for a specific case, ask the tribunal or a licensed legal professional.