Back in February, Halifax announced new restrictions on short-term renting. In the city’s attempt to free up housing for local residents rather than tourists, new restrictions were met with mixed responses. We made a blog post back in March explaining these new proposed restrictions, however, we thought we would now make an updated post now that the new regulations have gone into effect (September 1, 2023).
As of September 1, 2023, all short-term rentals in the HRM must comply with new land-use bylaw regulations.
New Definitions (Taken from halifax.ca):
Short-Term Rental: a dwelling unit, or part thereof, that is used mainly for the reception of the travelling or vacationing public and is provided as temporary accommodation for compensation.
Short-Term Bedroom Rental: a short-term rental where individual bedrooms within a dwelling unit are rented to separate parties or groups with or without meals.
New Regulations (Taken from halifax.ca):
Short-term rental in residential zones
Entire home STRs are only permitted in residential zones where it is located within the primary residence (dwelling unit) of the host
This allows residents to offer their own homes as a STR when they are away
Your primary residence does not include a second unit (such as a backyard suite) on the same property where you normally live
Short-term rental in commercial zones
Zones that permit tourist accommodations such as hotels or motels also permit STRs
Where tourist accommodations are permitted, commercial STRs do not need to be located in a primary residence
Short-term bedroom rentals
Short-term bedroom rentals are permitted in both residential zones and zones that allow commercial STRs (this has replaced the former provisions for bed and breakfasts)
In residential zones, the host must be the primary resident and must be on site while STR rooms are occupied
Consistent with existing regulations for bed and breakfasts, short-term bedroom rentals will limit the number of bedrooms that can be offered at the same time (typically most residential zones will include a limit of three bedrooms that can be rented, and some plan areas allow larger scale short-term bedroom rentals.
Permit Requirements:
Any commercial short-term rentals or short-term bedroom rentals are now required to obtain a development permit. If the STR is located in your primary residence, you do not need a permit, but you must contact your municipality to ensure the requirements of a primary residence are met.
Other Regulations
Other regulations that apply to tourist accommodations such as hotels, motels, and inns may also apply to Short Term Rentals. Check your zone and its permitted uses.
Short-Term Rental Checklist (Taken from halifax.ca)
1. Determine if your STR operation meets the regulations by:
Reviewing the information on this page (halifax.ca/shorttermrentals)
Reading the land use by-law for your area and the zone permissions for your land parcel with halifax.ca's interactive ExploreHRM mapping tool
Contacting a planner to confirm the requirement by contacting 311
2. Apply for a permit if necessary
3. Receive approved permit if necessary
4. Register once with the municipality’s Residential Rental Registry
5. Register annually with the Province of Nova Scotia’s Tourist Accommodations Registry
6. Begin offering short-term rental accommodations
Additional Questions:
If you have any additional questions, you can contact us, view halifax.ca's frequently asked questions on Short-term Rentals, or call 311 to speak to a planner.
If you currently own a short-term rental, you are likely aware that these new regulations are now in effect. If you have not yet spoken to a planner or applied for your permit, you may be in violation. Make sure you always follow the city’s regulations to make the most of your real estate investments and to avoid penalties.
Author: Jordan Gunn
Real Estate Assistant
Andrew Perkins Real Estate
Keller Williams Select Realty