Scarborough is Toronto's largest district by land area and home to over 630,000 residents. If you own a home in Agincourt, Birch Cliff, Guildwood, Malvern, or anywhere else in the former City of Scarborough, you are hosting under Toronto's STR rules, not a separate Scarborough bylaw.
Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 547 (as amended by By-law 503-2024) governs everything east of Victoria Park the same way it governs everything west. That means $375 registration, 180-night cap for entire-home rentals, unlimited partial-unit hosting, principal residence required, and 8.5% Municipal Accommodation Tax temporarily through July 31, 2026 (reverting to 6% after).
Scarborough Is Part of Toronto
Scarborough amalgamated with Toronto on January 1, 1998, along with Etobicoke, North York, York, East York, and Old Toronto to form the unified City of Toronto. There is no Scarborough-specific STR bylaw and there never will be. Every policy decision comes out of Toronto City Hall at 100 Queen Street West, and enforcement is handled by Toronto's Municipal Licensing and Standards division.
This matters because:
- Your registration application goes to the City of Toronto, not Scarborough Civic Centre
- Toronto MLS officers enforce STR rules across Scarborough
- The same night cap, fees, and tax rate apply whether you're in Rouge or in the Beaches
- Any Toronto STR bylaw amendment automatically applies to Scarborough
Key Rules at a Glance
Scarborough STR Snapshot (Toronto Chapter 547)
Registration required ($375) 路 Principal residence only 路 180-night cap for entire-home 路 Unlimited partial-unit 路 8.5% MAT through July 31, 2026 then 6% 路 Individual persons only 路 STR = under 28 consecutive days
Registration Requirements
Every Scarborough Airbnb must be registered with the City of Toronto before listing. Registration is online at toronto.ca/str and requires:
- $375 initial fee (annual renewal $390)
- Proof of principal residence (government ID, utility bill, or CRA tax document showing property address)
- Emergency contact information available 24/7 when guests are in residence
- Declaration of compliance with Toronto zoning, building code, fire code, and the 180-night cap
- Landlord consent letter (notarized) if you are renting the property
- Condo approval if you are in a multi-unit building with a condominium corporation
Once approved, you receive a STR Registration Number that must appear on every platform listing (Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com). Operating without a valid number carries fines up to $100,000 per offence.
The 180-Night Cap (Entire-Home Rentals)
Toronto's 180-night cap is what surprises most first-time Scarborough hosts. If you are renting out your entire home while you travel or between tenant changes, you cannot exceed 180 nights per calendar year.
"A short-term rental operator shall not rent out an entire principal residence as a short-term rental for more than 180 nights in any calendar year." Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 547-6
Practical implications for Scarborough hosts:
- Once you hit 180 nights, the listing must be blocked until January 1 of the following year
- Airbnb enforces this automatically based on the registration number
- Partial-unit hosting (rooms, basements while you live in the main unit) does NOT count toward the 180
- The cap is per registration number, not per property. If you legitimately change principal residences mid-year, the clock does not reset
Partial-Unit Hosting Has No Cap
Here is the Scarborough angle that works better than downtown: if you live in a large detached or semi-detached home and rent out part of it (a basement apartment, a bedroom, an in-law suite), the 180-night cap does not apply. You can host partial-unit guests 365 nights a year.
Why This Matters in Scarborough
Scarborough has a much higher share of large detached homes with finished basements than downtown Toronto. A typical Scarborough 4-bedroom detached in Agincourt or Cliffside is well-positioned for partial-unit hosting: you occupy the main floor, the basement becomes an unlimited-nights STR, and you never hit the 180-night cap because the entire home isn't being rented at once.
Principal Residence Rule
Every Scarborough STR must be in the operator's principal residence. Toronto's definition:
"Principal residence means the dwelling unit in which an individual lives and makes their home and is the residence used by the individual to receive mail, and is the address used by the individual on documentation including for taxation, voting, and other governmental purposes." Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 547-1 (Definitions)
What does this exclude?
- Investment properties (condos bought purely for rental income)
- Second homes or vacation properties
- Properties held by corporations where the corporation is not an occupant
- Properties where the "operator" does not actually live on-site
Toronto enforcement verifies principal residence through utility bills, tax records, driver's licence registration, and voter roll data. Fraudulent principal residence claims are prosecuted and result in registration revocation plus fines.
Municipal Accommodation Tax
Scarborough STR bookings are subject to Toronto's 8.5% MAT (temporarily elevated from 6% between June 2025 and July 31, 2026; reverts to 6% after). Platforms collect and remit automatically:
- Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com: collect 8.5% at checkout and remit to Toronto directly. No action required from the host.
- Direct bookings: you collect 8.5% from the guest and remit monthly to the City of Toronto through the online MAT portal.
- Stays of 28+ consecutive nights: exempt from MAT (falls outside STR definition anyway).
Mid-Term Rental Strategy (Investment Properties)
If you own a Scarborough investment property that does not qualify for STR registration (second home, investment condo, no principal-residence connection), mid-term rentals of 28+ consecutive nights are the legal alternative. Mid-term is exempt from Chapter 547 entirely.
Strong Mid-Term Tenant Sources in Scarborough
- Centennial College staff and visiting faculty: Progress Campus is a major Scarborough anchor with academic hiring cycles driving 4-8 month housing demand
- University of Toronto Scarborough: visiting professors, grad students, postdocs on 3-12 month appointments
- Scarborough Health Network (Birchmount, General, Centenary): travel nurses and locum physicians on 13-week contracts
- Markham tech corridor relocations: IBM, AMD, Honda staff relocating to Markham often land in Scarborough first because of price
- Pearson Airport access via Highway 401: airline crews and aviation contractors on rotating schedules
- Chinese and South Asian family visits: Scarborough's established diaspora communities bring extended family visits of 1-3 months
Typical Scarborough mid-term rates: 3-bedroom detached $3,800-$5,500/month furnished. 2-bedroom condo $2,800-$3,800/month. One turnover per month versus 10-15 STR turnovers means drastically less cleaning and guest-messaging overhead.
Best Areas of Scarborough for Hosting
The Bluffs (Cliffside, Birchmount, Cliffcrest)
Waterfront and cliff views drive premium nightly rates. Scarborough Bluffs Park and Bluffer's Park Beach are photo-worthy. Proximity to Warden subway station helps downtown-bound guests. Large older homes on deep lots make strong principal-residence plus basement-STR combinations.
Agincourt and Milliken
Highway 401/404 access, close to Markham's tech corridor. Strong mid-term demand from corporate relocations. Significant Chinese and South Asian demographic brings extended-family visits. Pacific Mall area is a tourism draw for Asian cuisine and shopping.
Guildwood and West Rouge
Quieter residential areas close to the Toronto Zoo, Rouge National Urban Park, and the Guild Inn Estate. Tourism demand plus family-visit demand. Lower nightly rates but also lower competition and steadier bookings.
Scarborough Village and Eglinton East
Close to Scarborough Health Network Centenary Hospital, making this strong for healthcare-related mid-term rentals. RT Line (Scarborough Centre) and future Eglinton East extension add transit value.
Port Union and West Hill
GO Lakeshore East access puts guests 40 minutes from Union Station. Rouge Beach and Rouge Hill stations make it a good landing spot for Union-bound business travelers.
Compliance Checklist
- Confirm your property is your principal residence (not an investment property)
- Check your condo declaration if applicable (many Scarborough condos ban STRs)
- Register at toronto.ca/str and pay $375
- Post Registration Number on every platform listing
- Set Airbnb entire-home limit to 180 nights (or use partial-unit unlimited strategy)
- Maintain 24/7 emergency contact for guest issues
- Ensure working smoke and CO detectors, fire extinguisher, clearly marked exits
- Keep records of nights rented, nightly rates, and MAT collected for 3 years
- Renew registration annually by anniversary date
Official Resources
Official Links
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Scarborough have its own Airbnb rules, or does Toronto's apply?
Toronto's. Scarborough was amalgamated into the City of Toronto in 1998 and has no separate STR bylaw. All Scarborough hosts follow Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 547 (amended most recently by By-law 503-2024), which governs the entire city from Etobicoke to Scarborough. Same $375 registration, same 180-night cap, same 8.5% MAT.
Can I Airbnb my Scarborough basement apartment?
Yes if it's a legal secondary suite within your principal residence. Toronto's STR rules allow partial-unit rentals (rooms, basements, in-law suites) without the 180-night cap that applies to entire-home rentals. Key requirement: it must be inside your principal residence, meaning the main home where you actually live. A separate investment property with a basement suite does not qualify.
Is there a night limit for Scarborough Airbnbs?
Yes, but only for whole-home rentals. Toronto caps entire-unit STRs at 180 nights per calendar year (Section 547-6). Partial-unit rentals (just a room or basement while you're living in the main residence) have no annual cap. So if you want year-round hosting, host part of your home while you occupy the rest.
Do I need to be the owner to Airbnb my Scarborough property?
No, renters can also Airbnb with explicit landlord approval. You must prove it's your principal residence (where you actually live) and obtain notarized written permission from your landlord. Most landlords will not agree. If you own your Scarborough home, you skip the landlord-permission step but still need to prove principal residence.
How much is Toronto's Airbnb registration for Scarborough hosts?
$375 initial registration, renewable annually at $390 (subject to Toronto fee adjustments). The registration number must appear on every listing across every platform. Operating without a valid registration carries fines up to $100,000 per offence under Chapter 547.
What is Toronto's 8.5% MAT and who pays it in Scarborough?
The Municipal Accommodation Tax is 8.5% on STR bookings in Toronto (including Scarborough), applied temporarily until July 31, 2026, after which it reverts to 6%. Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com collect and remit the MAT automatically on platform bookings. For direct bookings, you collect and remit yourself monthly.
Can I Airbnb an investment condo near Scarborough Town Centre?
Not under STR rules. Toronto's principal residence requirement means your investment condo does not qualify for short-term rental registration. The workaround is mid-term rentals of 28+ consecutive days, which fall outside Chapter 547 entirely. Scarborough has strong mid-term demand from Centennial College staff, Scarborough Health Network travel nurses, and corporate relocations to the Markham/Agincourt tech corridor.
What areas of Scarborough are best for Airbnb?
High-demand Scarborough sub-neighbourhoods for short-term rentals: the Bluffs (guests love the waterfront), Agincourt and Milliken (close to Markham's tech corridor and airport access via Highway 401/404), Scarborough Village and Guildwood (near Toronto Zoo), and Birch Cliff/Warden Woods (walkable to subway stations for downtown access). Detached homes with 3+ bedrooms and parking outperform condos on per-night revenue in Scarborough.
How does Scarborough compare to downtown Toronto for hosting?
Same rules, different economics. Scarborough properties typically earn 30-50% less per night than downtown Toronto but have much lower acquisition cost, so cash-on-cash returns are competitive. Scarborough principal residences also benefit from the unlimited partial-unit rule, making them strong candidates for hybrid STR plus mid-term setups where the main floor hosts STR guests and the basement is mid-term.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Bylaw and regulation details change frequently. Always verify current rules directly with the City of Toronto before making hosting decisions.
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