Short Term Rentals

• Please review Town of Aurora’s Short-Term Rental By-law No. 6426-22 in advance of your application.
• Gather the following documents below prior to submitting your application.
• Documents must be ready to be uploaded as a PDF when you complete Step 2 of the application process

Documents Required

• Identification – confirming age (i.e., Drivers’ license, Provincial ID card, or Passport) *Health Cards are not an acceptable form of ID.
• Corporate entity, incorporating documents or registered partnership, a registered declaration of partnership.
• Vulnerable Sector Screening Search or Criminal Conviction Background Search issued by the Police Service where the applicant resides.
• Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) number, if applicable.
• Certificate of Insurance with an endorsement for “Short-Term Rentals”.
• Licensee Code of Conduct form (All owners of the property will have to sign a copy of this and the file will need to be submitted as one document).
• Exterior Site Diagram including amenities such as swimming pools, hot tubs, sheds, pergolas, gazebos, etc. - drawing can be prepared by the owner/applicant.
• Interior Floor Plans to identify rooms such as: kitchens, washrooms, bedrooms, living rooms, etc. Drawing can be prepared by the owner/applicant.   
• A permitted use letter from the Town’s Building Division. To obtain this please email the Building Department and request your permitted use letter. Please note a fee may be required, based on the provisions of the Town’s Fees and Charges By-law, as amended.
• Licence/renewal fee, in accordance with the Town’s Fees and Charges By-law, as amended.

Step 2 - Apply for your Licence

• Complete the online application and upload the documents outlined in Step 1.
• An application fee is required for all applications.

If you encounter technical difficulties, please contact Host Compliance support.

Step 3 – Inspection 

• Upon successful submission and review of the required documentation, an inspection will be arranged with a Bylaw Officer.
• Satisfactory compliance as per inspection report is required.
• Fees may apply for properties found in non-compliance with any subsequent inspections following the initial inspection.

Step 4 – Approval

• If all inspection results comply, and all requirements are met, the Licensing Administrator will provide an approval in writing and a licence will be issued for a period of one year.
• You will be required to post a copy of your licence inside the front entrance of the STR. 
• You will also be provided by mail or in-pickup, a sticker that will need to be affixed to the front window or front door on the exterior of the property.
• Once the licence is issued, the licensee shall be responsible for the maintenance of quarterly Fire Extinguisher Inspections and maintenance records and tests for all smoke and CO alarms. Please note: these documents will be required for all renewals.

• Quarterly Fire Extinguisher, Smoke & CO Alarm Inspection Log *Required for renewals 

• Licensee Code of Conduct & Acknowledgment Schedule "B" (All owners of the property will have to sign a copy of this and the file will need to be submitted as one document).

Appeal Process

• Where the Manager, Bylaw Services has denied an applicant a licence, a renewal of a licence, or has suspended or revoked a licence, the Manager, Bylaw Services shall inform the applicant or licensee by way of written notice setting forth the grounds for the decision with reasonable particulars and shall advise of the right to appeal such decision to Aurora Appeal Tribunal
• An Owner may appeal to the Aurora Appeal Tribunal in relation to a matter set forth in a notice delivered. Appeals will not be permitted for the issuance of demerit points until they have resulted in the suspension or revocation of a Licence. Appeals will not be permitted for any matters that have already been heard by the tribunal.
• A request for an appeal must be made in writing to the Town Clerk, within 30 calendar days of service of the written notice.

Please see the Aurora Appeal Tribunal By-law No. 5558-13  

No, longer than 28 days would be a tenancy agreement. Tenancy Agreements fall under the jurisdiction of Residential Tenancies Act.

How do I know if the Short-Term Rental that I am staying at is licensed? 

Short Term Rentals are required to display a decal containing their license information in a conspicuous place on the property. 

If you are issued a Short-Term Rental Licence, you are allowed to rent the entire home with/or up to three bedrooms.

Off-street parking space must be provided for each bedroom identified as being used for the purposed of STR.

Do I need to make renovations to my home to operate a short-term rental?

To maintain a level of safety for you and your guests, the Province of Ontario, through the Building Code, establishes minimum construction standards for your dwelling unit.

In general, existing homes that are compliant with the Building Code and Zoning By-law may not require renovations or additional construction. As well, all bedrooms are required to either be built as part of the original construction or lawfully constructed under the authorization of a building permit.

Are there any additional options for waste collection if I have a short-term rental licence? 

I am selling my property, what do I do? 

A licence is non-transferable with the sale of the property. The Licensee must notify the Town of Aurora within 15 days of any change such as:

• Change in business name
• Change in the location of the business premise such as the mailing address of the property owner
• Change in ownership of the business, and
• Change in the licensee’s policy of liability insurance
• The new owner can apply for a new licence if they want to continue the short-term rental use. 

A Demerit Point System has been established to support the enforcement of the Short-Term Rental By-law.  Demerit Points are accumulative, and all property owners start with zero points.  Demerit Points reset on an annual basis from the date in which they were applied to a license. Violations by a Short-Term Rental, or by the Operator or Licensee of such Short-Term Rental, will result in demerit points as outlined in the document below.

A licence may be suspended/revoked at the discretion of the Manager, Bylaw Services, if the total demerit point exceeds 14 points.

View the Demerit Point System

How long will the demerit point be on file?

The demerit points reset to “0” upon each anniversary of the initial licence.