Toronto Short Term Rental Registration: How to Register in 2026

Toronto STR Registration: The Quick Version

Here's what you need to know at a glance:

The City of Toronto requires every short-term rental operator to register before listing any property for stays under 28 days. Operating without registration can result in fines from $1,000 to $100,000. Airbnb and VRBO also require your registration number to be displayed on your listing.

Before You Start: What You Need

Gather these before you sit down to register. Having everything ready means the application takes about 15 minutes.

Required Documents

1. Government-issued photo ID (Ontario Driver's Licence or Ontario Photo Card). This is not optional, and it must be current.
2. Proof of principal residence. At least one of the following showing your name and the property address:
   • Property tax bill
   • Utility bill (hydro, gas, water)
   • Income tax return (Notice of Assessment)
   • Mortgage statement
3. Credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express) for the $375 fee.
4. Property address that matches your ID and residence proof.

Eligibility Requirements

• Principal residence only. The property must be where you actually live. Investment properties, second homes, and vacation properties do not qualify.
• One registration per person. You can only register one property as your principal residence.
• Property types that qualify: Houses, semis, townhouses, condos, apartments (with landlord permission), basement suites, laneway houses, and garden suites.

Step-by-Step: How to Register Your Toronto Short-Term Rental

Step 1: Go to the Registration Portal

Visit the City of Toronto's official STR registration portal:

Go to Toronto STR Registration Portal →

Create an account if this is your first time, or log in with your existing credentials.

Step 2: Choose Your Registration Type

You'll be asked to select one of two types. This is the most important decision in the process:

Not sure which to pick? Read our complete partial-unit guide or our full regulations breakdown for detailed comparisons.

Step 3: Enter Your Property Details

Fill in your property address. This must match the address on your proof of residence documents. The system validates Toronto addresses, so make sure you enter it exactly as it appears on your utility bill or tax assessment.

Step 4: Upload Your Documents

Upload clear photos or scans of:

• Your Ontario Driver's Licence or Photo Card (front and back)
• One proof of principal residence document

Make sure the images are legible. Blurry uploads are the #1 reason applications get delayed. Use your phone camera in good lighting and make sure all four corners of the document are visible.

Step 5: Pay the Registration Fee

The 2026 registration fee is $375 (paid by credit card). This fee is non-refundable, even if your application is denied. Renewals in subsequent years are $390.

Step 6: Submit and Wait

After submitting, you'll get a confirmation email. Then the waiting begins.

How Long Does Approval Take?

Once approved, you'll receive an email with your STR registration number in the format STR-0000-XXXXXX. This is the number you must display on every listing.

If your application is incomplete or your documents don't match, the city will contact you for corrections. This can add a few extra days, which is why getting your documents right the first time matters.

Entire-Unit vs Partial-Unit: Which Should You Choose?

This decision affects how much you can earn and how you operate for the entire year. Here's the honest breakdown:

Choose Entire-Unit If:

• You're comfortable handing the whole place over to guests
• You have another place to stay during bookings (partner's home, cottage, family)
• You want to maximize nightly rates (entire homes earn 40 to 60% more per night than rooms)
• You're okay with the 180-night cap and plan to do mid-term rentals (28+ days) in the off-season

Choose Partial-Unit If:

• You have spare bedrooms or a basement room within your principal residence
• You're comfortable sharing your home with guests when you're there
• You want to host year-round with no night restrictions
• You value consistent income over peak-rate income

Note: Toronto's bylaw does not require you to be physically present during every guest stay for either registration type. The test is principal residence (§ 547-4.2 and § 547-1.1). Short trips, vacations, and business travel don't break that test as long as the unit remains where you ordinarily reside.

Many Toronto hosts who live in semi-detached homes in neighborhoods like the Beaches, Leslieville, and High Park use partial-unit registration for their basement bedrooms. They earn $1,500 to $2,500 per month consistently, 12 months a year, without worrying about night counts.

After You're Approved: Your First 48 Hours

Got your registration number? Here's exactly what to do next:

1. Add your registration number to every listing. Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, and any other platform. Toronto checks this. It's not optional. Airbnb has a dedicated field for it in your listing settings under "Local laws and taxes."
2. Set up your Airbnb listing if you haven't already. Sign up for Airbnb here and get a free consultation from our team on how to optimize your listing for maximum bookings.
3. Understand the MAT tax. Airbnb and VRBO collect the 8.5% Municipal Accommodation Tax automatically, so you don't need to do anything for platform bookings.
4. Track your nights. If you registered as entire-unit, start tracking from day one. You get 180 nights per calendar year (January to December). We recommend switching to mid-term rentals (28+ days) during the slow months (November to April) to save your STR nights for peak summer rates.
5. Keep records. Save all booking confirmations, guest contact info, dates, and payment records for at least 3 years. The city audits hosts.

The 8.5% Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT)

Every short-term rental in Toronto under 28 days is subject to the Municipal Accommodation Tax. Here's the breakdown:

• Current rate: 8.5% (temporarily increased from 6%, effective until July 31, 2026)
• Who collects it: Airbnb and VRBO collect and remit MAT automatically on your behalf
• Direct bookings: If you accept bookings outside of platforms, you must collect MAT yourself and remit to the city quarterly
• 28+ day stays: MAT does not apply to stays of 28 consecutive days or longer

For the official MAT details, visit the City of Toronto MAT page.

Renewing Your Registration

Your registration is valid for one year from the approval date. To renew:

1. Visit the City of Toronto STR Renewal Portal
2. Log in with your registration number (format: STR-0000-XXXXXX)
3. Verify your info and pay the $390 renewal fee (2026)

Set a calendar reminder for 2 weeks before your registration expires. If your registration lapses, you must remove your listings until it's renewed. Don't risk operating with an expired registration.

Common Mistakes That Delay Registration

1. Documents Don't Match

Your ID address, utility bill address, and property address on the application must all match. If you recently moved, update your driver's licence first. If your utility bill shows a slightly different format (e.g., "St" vs "Street"), use whatever format appears on your ID.

2. Blurry Document Uploads

The city staff need to read your documents. A blurry photo taken in bad lighting will get flagged. Use your phone camera, make sure the document is flat, and take the photo in good lighting with all four corners visible.

3. Registering Before Checking Condo Rules

You pay $375, get approved by the city, list your place, and then your condo board sends a cease and desist. Now you've wasted the fee and potentially face condo fines. Always check your condo's declaration and rules first.

4. Choosing the Wrong Registration Type

Switching from entire-unit to partial-unit (or vice versa) requires a completely new application and fee. Think about your actual living arrangement before committing. Are you sharing your home with guests in spare rooms while you continue to live there, or handing over the whole unit while you're elsewhere? Pick the registration type that matches reality.

5. Forgetting to Display the Registration Number

Your STR number must appear on every listing, on every platform. Airbnb specifically requires it in your listing settings. The city checks for this, and missing registration numbers result in enforcement action.

Condo Owners: Read This Before Registering

This deserves its own section because it's the biggest source of problems we see.

The City of Toronto will approve your STR registration if you meet the criteria. They do not check your condo rules. That's your responsibility.

Before You Register, Check:

1. Your condo's declaration (the master governing document). Look for any prohibition on "short-term rentals," "transient accommodations," or "rentals under 28 days."
2. Your condo's rules and bylaws. Some condos added STR restrictions after the declaration was written.
3. Board meeting minutes. Some condo boards have passed motions restricting STRs that may not be in the official declaration yet.

If your condo prohibits short-term rentals, your options are mid-term rentals (28+ days, which most condo rules allow) or advocating at your next AGM to change the rules.

We've helped several Toronto condo owners transition to mid-term rentals when their buildings didn't allow STRs. In many cases, mid-term actually produces more consistent income with less work. Call us at (647) 957-8956 to discuss your specific situation.

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