Get started
How to get started: what to do, in order.
Eleven steps, starting with the one most owners skip. Do them in this order and you won't waste money.
- 1
Check your building is approved
What this means: Your building has to be approved by the City before you can rent by the night. That approval is called rezoning.
- Look your address up on the Buildings page, then check it with the City.
- If it isn't approved yet, ask your strata if they plan to apply.
- It costs $50 to apply for approval.
- If you live in the unit, you can rent it out even before the building is approved.
- 2
Read your building's rules
What this means: Your strata is the owners' group that runs the building. It can add its own limits, and it has to agree before the City will approve the building.
- The City form needs a signature from a strata council member.
- Read the building's bylaws for rental limits before you spend money.
- One booking per unit at a time. The building is not a hotel.
- 3
Get your City business licence
What this means: This is the City permit you need before you can take bookings. It costs $345 and you renew it every year.
- Your licence number has to be in every online listing.
- Say how many people can sleep in the unit in every listing.
- Put the renewal date in your calendar. Running without one leads to fines.
- 4
Register with the Province of BC
What this means: The province keeps its own list of Airbnb hosts. This is separate from your City licence.
- You'll need your registration number for the booking sites and for insurance.
- Keep it somewhere you can find it, with your City licence.
- 5
Get your unit safety-ready
What this means: Two pieces of equipment are required, and one of them needs a written record.
- A fire extinguisher on each floor, mounted on the wall.
- Working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
- Test the smoke alarms every month and write it in a log.
- 6
Furnish and stock the unit
What this means: A furnished place earns much more than a bare one. It's the biggest upfront cost most owners face.
- No more than 2 adults per bedroom.
- You can rent out up to 3 bedrooms in your unit.
- Local furnishing pros know the Airbnb standard, not the long-term rental one.
- 7
Get professional listing photos
What this means: Guests pick by photo. Good photos are one of the cheapest ways to earn more per night.
- Use photos of your own unit, not stock pictures.
- Make sure your licence number and sleeping limit appear in the listing text.
- Someone has to be reachable 24/7 for guests.
- 8
Decide: run it yourself or hire a manager
What this means: A local manager (some call them a co-host) runs the whole thing for you, for a share of your bookings.
- Most Kelowna managers charge 20–35% of your bookings. Our estimate takes out 25%.
- If you run it yourself, you still need someone on call 24/7.
- Managers handle guests, prices, messages and problems.
- 9
Arrange cleaning between guests
What this means: Each guest leaves, and the next one arrives. Someone has to clean and restock in between.
- Cleaning crews do same-day changeovers, linens and restocking.
- Leave a gap in your calendar so a late checkout doesn't cost you a bad review.
- 10
Sort out door locks and insurance
What this means: Two things matter before your first guest: how they get in, and whether your place is covered.
- Keyless locks let you give each guest their own code.
- A normal home policy often won't cover renting by the night. Get cover made for it.
- 11
Keep up with the rules
What this means: Fines can reach $500 a day for each problem. Staying legal is ongoing work, not a one-time job.
- Keep your smoke alarm log up to date.
- Update your listings if what you rent out changes.
- Rules change. Check with the City of Kelowna.
Keep this handy
Rules change. Check with the City of Kelowna. The City of Kelowna publishes the current rules, forms and fees.
kelowna.ca/short-term-rentalsFree estimate
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Tell us your building, how many bedrooms and whether it's furnished. We show a yearly range, then what's left after a manager's fee and the City licence.