Owner-only hosting, no annual night cap, building inspections required, and one booking at a time — here's what Surrey hosts need to know.
Unlike Burnaby, Surrey does not impose a limit on how many nights per year you can host. The only time restriction is that each individual guest stay must be less than 90 consecutive days. This makes Surrey relatively favourable for full-time STR operators who own their home.
Surrey allows short-term rentals, but restricts them to homeowners (not tenants) and requires a business licence, building inspection, and BC provincial registration. One notable advantage: Surrey is one of the few Metro Vancouver cities without an annual night-count limit.
All Surrey STR operators must meet these requirements before and during operation.
Short-term rentals can only be operated by the property owner. Tenants are not permitted to run STRs in Surrey, regardless of landlord permission. The property must be the owner's principal residence.
A City of Surrey short-term rental business licence is required and must be renewed annually. The licence fee is $350 per year plus any applicable application fees. The licence number must appear on listings.
A building inspection is required before the licence is issued to confirm safety compliance with the City's building bylaws. If unpermitted or unsafe construction is found, corrective action may be required before licensing proceeds.
Surrey requires hosts to keep records of all guests for at least two years and provide those records to the city upon request. Only one booking group is permitted at a time — the property cannot be rented to multiple separate groups simultaneously.
These examples show how Surrey's rules apply in common scenarios.
You own your home, live there, have passed the inspection, hold a licence, and host guests year-round with no annual limit on total nights. Each booking is under 90 days. Surrey allows this.
You own the property and can rent either a spare room or the entire unit. You must hold a licence, pass inspection, keep guest records, and ensure only one guest group occupies the property at a time.
Tenants cannot operate STRs in Surrey. Owners who do not live in the property as their principal residence are also not permitted to use it as a short-term rental.
Legal short-term rentals in the City of Surrey require all of the following.
City of Surrey: The City of Surrey's land planning and development section covers STR licensing, the business licence application process, inspection requirements, and current fee schedules.
Province of BC — STR Registry: All BC hosts must register with the provincial STR registry to receive their provincial registration number before listing.
Regulations change regularly. Always verify current requirements directly with the City of Surrey and the Province of BC before listing your property.
⚠ Disclaimer: This page is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. STR regulations change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with the City of Surrey and the Province of BC. Last verified: March 2026.