Short-Term Rental Rules and Regulations in Calgary  A practical compliance and launch guide for owners, hosts, and property managers 

Executive Overview 

Calgary allows short-term rentals when the operator holds the appropriate City of Calgary business licence and the property satisfies safety, operational, and regulatory requirements. Since April 1, 2025, Calgary’s framework distinguishes between primary residence and non-primary residence short-term rental licences, and the definition of short-term rental includes temporary accommodation for stays of up to 180 consecutive days. Operators should confirm property eligibility, complete required permits or upgrades, pass a fire inspection, keep guest records, display the licence number in listings, and maintain insurance that specifically supports short-term rental or home-sharing activity. 

Key Compliance Requirements 

• Obtain the correct short-term rental business licence before advertising or accepting bookings. 

• Confirm whether the property is a primary residence or non-primary residence short-term rental. 

• Complete required building, electrical, plumbing, gas, secondary suite, or safety permits before inspection where applicable. 

• Pass the required fire inspection before operating. 

• Ensure all sleeping rooms have compliant emergency egress and that smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are installed and maintained. 

• Provide a visible escape plan and emergency contact information for guests. 

• List only one booking for the property at a time and follow occupancy rules, including no more than two guests sleeping in each room. 

• Post the business licence number on every online listing. 

• Maintain guest booking records, including the paying guest’s full name, email address, and number of associated guests. 

• Review condominium bylaws, rental agreements, mortgage conditions, and insurance requirements before listing. 

Licence, Permit, and Evidence Table 

Compliance Area	Who to Check With	Typical Evidence to Keep
Short-term rental business licence	City of Calgary business licensing	Approved licence, licence number, renewal confirmation, application documents
Fire inspection and life safety	City of Calgary inspection or fire safety authority	Passed inspection record, deficiency correction proof, smoke and carbon monoxide alarm records, escape plan
Building, electrical, plumbing, or gas work	City permits office and qualified contractors	Permit approvals, inspection reports, contractor invoices, completion certificates
Secondary suite compliance	City of Calgary secondary suite resources	Suite registry or approval records, inspection reports, permit history
Condominium restrictions	Condo board, property manager, or condominium corporation	Current bylaws, written communications, notices to property management, board guidance
Owner authorization	Property owner or landlord	Written owner authorization, lease permission, management agreement
Insurance	Insurance broker or insurer	Certificate of insurance, policy endorsement for short-term rental or home sharing, liability limit confirmation
Guest records and booking controls	Internal host/property manager process	Guest register, booking logs, platform reservation records, cancellation and incident records
Taxes and levies	Tax advisor, Alberta tax authority, and Canada Revenue Agency as applicable	Revenue records, platform tax reports, levy remittance records, GST/HST registration records if applicable

 

Insurance Considerations 

• Confirm that the policy expressly permits short-term rental or home-sharing use; standard homeowner policies may exclude commercial guest stays. 

• Ask the insurer or broker to confirm the minimum liability limit required for the licence and whether additional commercial general liability coverage is needed. 

• Confirm coverage for guest injury, property damage, theft, fire, water damage, loss of rental income, and host negligence. 

• Review whether platform-provided host protection is primary, secondary, limited, or excluded for certain claims. 

• Keep a current certificate of insurance and policy endorsement in the compliance file. 

• Notify the insurer before launch and after any material change, such as renovations, occupancy changes, adding a hot tub, or using a property manager. 

Tips Before Listing a Property Online 

• Do not publish the listing until the business licence is approved and the licence number can be displayed. 

• Confirm the property is inspection-ready before booking the fire inspection. 

• Photograph safety features, exits, parking locations, entry instructions, and house rules for the listing and guest guide. 

• Set accurate occupancy limits and sleeping arrangements based on compliant rooms only. 

• Write quiet-hours, parking, garbage, smoking, pet, party, and visitor rules in plain language. 

• Create a guest communication workflow for pre-arrival, check-in, in-stay support, check-out, and post-stay review. 

• Test smart locks, Wi-Fi, alarms, appliances, heat, air conditioning, and emergency lighting before the first booking. 

Guest-Facing Website Copy 

Welcome to our Calgary short-term rental. We are committed to providing a safe, comfortable, and respectful stay for every guest and neighbour. Our property is operated under a City of Calgary short-term rental business licence, and key safety information is posted inside the home, including emergency contacts, fire exits, smoke and carbon monoxide alarm locations, and house rules. Please review the guest guide before arrival and contact us right away if anything requires attention during your stay. 

Owner Checklist 

• Confirm ownership, mortgage, lease, condo, and neighbourhood restrictions. 

• Determine whether the property will be licensed as a primary or non-primary residence rental. 

• Confirm the property is not restricted by affordable housing designation or other use restrictions. 

• Complete required upgrades, permits, and inspections before launch. 

• Obtain insurance that expressly covers short-term rental activity. 

• Review pricing, minimum stay, cancellation, revenue, and tax assumptions. 

• Approve the guest rules, neighbour response process, and incident escalation process. 

• Keep a central compliance file with licences, permits, inspection reports, insurance documents, and guest record procedures. 

Host or Property Manager Checklist 

• Display the City of Calgary business licence number on all online listings. 

• Maintain accurate nightly rates, fees, taxes, occupancy limits, and availability calendars. 

• Collect and retain required guest information for each booking. 

• Prevent overlapping bookings for the same property. 

• Keep the escape plan and emergency contact sheet visible to guests. 

• Inspect smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, egress paths, locks, and safety equipment between stays. 

• Document cleaning, maintenance, damages, complaints, refunds, and incidents. 

• Respond quickly to neighbour or guest concerns and escalate urgent safety issues immediately. 

Practical Launch Sequence 

1. Confirm the property type, ownership authority, condo or lease restrictions, and licence category. 

1. Review property safety requirements and identify upgrades or permits before applying. 

1. Complete required work and gather supporting documents. 

1. Apply for the short-term rental business licence. 

1. Prepare the fire inspection package, visible escape plan, emergency contact sheet, and alarm documentation. 

1. Pass the fire inspection and resolve deficiencies promptly if any are identified. 

1. Finalize insurance, tax, pricing, guest recordkeeping, and cancellation procedures. 

1. Create the listing with the licence number, compliant occupancy, clear rules, and accurate photos. 

1. Run a soft-launch test stay with a trusted reviewer to validate entry, cleaning, Wi-Fi, safety, and communication workflows. 

1. Open the listing, monitor guest feedback, and review compliance documents before every licence renewal.