Short-term Rentals

• Short Term Rental (S.T.R.)- means all or part of a dwelling unit that is used to provide temporary accommodation through an S.T.R. Company. A licence is required by anyone who uses all or part of their home to provide temporary accommodation by using an S.T.R. Company.
• S.T.R Operator- is a registered owner of the property on which the S.T.R. is located and who makes the S.T.R. available through an S.T.R. Company.
• S.T.R. Company- is any person who facilitates or brokers S.T.R. rental reservations by providing a website or application to connect potential rentals with S.T.R. Operators and conducts the financial transaction between the parties.

Among other things, this licensing system is intended to:

• Enhance the enforcement of the Zoning By-law provision that requires the S.T.R. to be the principal residence of the S.T.R. Operator
• Introduce a requirement to have a local contact available at all times to respond to issues and who is available to attend within a period of no greater than one hour from the time of contact by telephone or email;
• Introduce insurance requirements
• Enhance the enforcement of the Zoning By-law provision that prohibits S.T.R. Operators from operating for more than 28 consecutive days and more than 180 days in a calendar year
• Limit the number of rooms to two, with a maximum of two occupants in each (when renting by the room)
• Enhance the enforcement of the Zoning By-law provision that prohibits any other rental use within a dwelling unit that contains an S.T.R.
• Introduce a Visitor's Code that would provide information about relevant City by-laws to S.T.R. renters

Highlights of the licensing system include:

• All S.T.R. Operators are required to obtain a licence to operate an S.T.R. in Oshawa
• S.T.R. Operator licensing standards and requirements can be found in Schedule “Q” of the Licensing By-law 122-2024
• The cost of an S.T.R. Operator licence is $100 plus a $50 application fee
• S.T.R. Operators are required to operate their rental in a responsible and respectful manner
• S.T.R. renters are required to comply with all City by-laws during their stay (e.g. Noise By-law 112-82 and Parking By-law 79-99)
• If renting by the room, no more than two rooms can be rented and each room can only have a maximum of two occupants
• S.T.R. Operators must ensure renters received a copy of the Visitor's Code as provided by the City to help educate visitors and their guests about acceptable standards of behaviour and to minimize adverse neighbourhood impacts, and Operators must retain confirmation that renters have received the documents
• All advertisements must include a valid City of Oshawa S.T.R. Operator business licence number
• S.T.R. Operators must ensure there are City-approved instructions posted in the S.T.R. in a location approved by the City that advise renters of what to do in the event of an emergency (see document linked under “additional Resources” section below)
• S.T.R. Operators must keep records available for City inspections for six years following the last date of the rental period, including:
  • The number of nights the S.T.R. was rented
  • The dates rented
  • Whether the rental was a whole home rental or by the room rental
  • Confirmation of renter receipt of the Visitor's Code
• S.T.R. Operators must ensure they have a local contact who is available to attend to the affiliated S.T.R. within one hour from the time of contact by telephone or email at all times.
• S.T.R Operators can only rent from their principal residence. For example; for a 2 unit dwelling, only the unit the S.T.R Operator lives in can be used as an S.T.R, not the other unit. For multi-unit buildings, the S.T.R. can only operate form the unit The S.T.R Operator lives in, not any other unit in the building.

• A floor plan (hand drawn plans are accepted) that identifies:
• All exits
• All windows
• All rooms, and identifying which bedrooms will be rented
• All spaces and common areas
• Proof of insurance that includes:
  • A limit of liability of not less than $2,000,000 (two million dollars) per occurrence for property damage and bodily injury.
  • Identifies the proposed use as a short term rental.
  • Lists the City as an additional insured.
  • Provides for at least 15 days written notice to the City of Cancellation.
• The contact information for a Local Contact who can attend the S.T.R. at all times within an hour from the time of contact by phone or email
• A statement attesting to the accuracy, truthfulness and completeness of the application, and that:
  • If the S.T.R. is a condo unit, the S.T.R. use is permitted by the associated condominium board
  • The S.T.R. is in compliance with various legislation
  • The S.T.R. has and will continue to have working smoke alarms on each level and carbon monoxide detectors on all levels where sleeping occurs
  • The S.T.R. will have instructions posted advising renters of what to do in the event of an emergency
  • If the S.T.R. is being rented by the room, no more than two rooms will be rented with a maximum of two occupants in each bedroom
  • The S.T.R. Operator will provide all renters with a copy of the Visitor's Code

Also, S.T.R. Operators must:

• Be in compliance with Zoning By-law 60-94
• Show that all property owners are aware of, consent to and authorize the S.T.R. use

Please note that any bedrooms located within a basement that do not have any record of a building permit will require an inspection by our Licensing Inspectors prior to approval of the licence.

Please refer to Schedule “Q” of Licensing By-law 122-2024 for more detailed information.

• Visitor's Code 
• Emergency preparedness 
• Declaration Form
• City By-laws
• Licensing By-law 
• Zoning By-law
• Municipal Accommodation Tax (M.A.T) By-Law