Published 2 November 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty
Only with every approval in place. In Toronto, a tenant can host only in their principal residence, must register with the City ($390 a year) and is limited to 180 nights for an entire home. Ontario law requires landlord consent to sublet and bars subletting for more than your rent. Without permission, the landlord can apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board.
This guide is for Ontario tenants thinking about listing their apartment, condo or room on Airbnb, and for landlords who suspect a tenant already is. You will learn what Toronto’s short-term rental rules allow, what Ontario tenancy law adds, what a landlord can do about unapproved hosting, and how to ask for permission the right way.
Can a tenant rent out their unit on Airbnb in Ontario?
Sometimes, but only if three separate sets of rules all say yes:
- Your city’s short-term rental rules. In Toronto, you can only host in your principal residence, and you must register with the City.
- Your lease and Ontario tenancy law. You need your landlord’s permission in practice, and the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (the RTA) limits what a tenant can charge when subletting.
- Your building’s rules. If you rent in a condo, the condo corporation’s rules may ban short-term rentals outright.
Passing one test does not get you past the others. A City of Toronto registration does not mean your landlord or your condo board has agreed.
This is general information as of November 2026, not legal advice. For your own situation, contact the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB), a community legal clinic, a paralegal or a lawyer.
Do I need my landlord’s permission to Airbnb my apartment in Toronto?
The City does not ask for it, but you should get it in writing. The City of Toronto says it does not require renters to get their landlord’s consent to register or operate a short-term rental. In the same breath, it says renters should, as a best practice, make sure their lease allows short-term rentals or get written consent from the landlord first.
The City also says it does not check whether a renter has the landlord’s consent, and it does not investigate landlord complaints about it. Instead, it points landlords to the LTB. In other words, the City leaves the landlord-tenant side to Ontario tenancy law.
Under that law, a tenant needs the landlord’s consent to sublet or assign a unit (RTA ss. 95 and 97), and Ontario’s standard lease repeats this in its assignment and subletting section. My guide to subletting versus assignment in Ontario explains the difference.
What are Toronto’s short-term rental rules for tenants?
Tenants follow the same rules as owners. Here are the main ones from the City’s operator page.
| Toronto rule | What it means for a tenant |
|---|---|
| Principal residence only | You can only host in the home where you actually live and use for bills, ID, taxes and insurance |
| Registration required | $390 registration fee, renewed every year; the fee is subject to annual increases |
| ID and proof of residence | Ontario driver’s licence or Ontario Photo Card, plus two more documents showing you live there |
| Entire home | Maximum 180 nights per calendar year |
| Rooms only, while you live there | Up to three bedrooms, no nightly cap; you can advertise one fewer than the bedrooms you have |
| One registration per dwelling unit | Roommates cannot each register the same unit |
| Municipal Accommodation Tax | Operators must collect and remit 6% |
| Minimum age | 18 or older |
Source: City of Toronto, Short-Term Rental Operators/Hosts page (checked November 2026). A short-term rental is a stay of less than 28 consecutive days.
Two points catch tenants out. A basement or laneway tenant can host only in the suite that is their own principal residence. And if you live in the main part of a house, you cannot separately short-term rent a basement suite. Other GTA cities have their own licensing rules. My comparison of short-term rental rules across the GTA covers them.
The City also has real enforcement tools. It can ask you for an in-person interview and extra documents to prove the unit is your principal residence, and it can inspect registered rentals each year. A registration is tied to the address. If it is revoked, the City says you cannot apply again for one year, and no other person can register that address for one year either. For a tenant, that means a revoked registration also affects your landlord and whoever rents the unit after you. One more reason to get your landlord’s agreement before you start.
Instant Home Valuation
What’s your home
worth today?
Answer six quick questions and get an instant value range built from current Toronto & GTA sale data — property type, size, condition, lot and location all weighted the way a real pricing conversation weighs them. Takes about ninety seconds.
Reading recent GTA sale data…
Building your estimate
Estimated market value
—
$0–$0
Most likely value $0 · roughly $0 per square foot
What moved the number
Starting from the area baseline for your property type, here’s what each answer added or subtracted.
Market context
Recent local averages for comparison.
—
A range is a starting point.
A strategy is what sells.
This model doesn’t know that your neighbour’s identical semi went $80,000 over asking last month, or which two upgrades actually pay back in your area. That conversation is free and takes twenty minutes.
Can a tenant make a profit on Airbnb in Ontario?
This is where tenants run into the RTA. Section 134(3) says a tenant cannot sublet a rental unit for more than the rent the landlord lawfully charges, and cannot collect a fee, premium or similar amount for subletting.
Whether a particular Airbnb stay counts as a “sublet” depends on the facts. The RTA defines subletting as the tenant moving out, giving someone the right to occupy the unit until a set date, and keeping the right to move back in (s. 2(2)). Some short-term hosting may fit that definition and some may not. That uncertainty is exactly why written permission matters. If you are relying on Airbnb income to cover your rent, you are taking a legal risk that is hard to judge without advice.
The rule also limits landlords. If an arrangement is a sublet, a landlord can only charge the tenant reasonable out-of-pocket expenses for giving consent (s. 97(3)). A landlord demanding a share of your Airbnb income could be in breach of s. 134, which bans fees and similar charges beyond rent.
What can a landlord do if a tenant Airbnbs without permission?
The landlord has to go through the LTB. A landlord cannot lock a tenant out or remove guests’ belongings on their own. Depending on the facts, these are the routes a landlord may try, as described in the LTB’s brochure on ending a tenancy:
- Unauthorized occupant (Form A2). If a tenant transferred occupancy without consent, the landlord can apply without a notice, but must file no later than 60 days after discovering the occupant (s. 100).
- Interference with the landlord’s rights or other tenants (Form N5). For substantial interference, such as noise, security or nuisance from a stream of guests. A first N5 gives at least 20 days, and the tenant can void it by stopping within 7 days. My guide to the N5 notice explains this.
- Illegal act (Form N6). A landlord may argue that hosting in breach of a city by-law is an illegal act. Whether that succeeds is up to the LTB.
As of November 2026, the landlord’s A2 filing fee is $201. Only the LTB can order an eviction, and only the Court Enforcement Office (the sheriff) can enforce one.
Your tenant insurance may not cover paying guests. The Insurance Bureau of Canada warns that renting out a property for a long or short term without telling your insurer first can void your coverage, and the City of Toronto tells hosts to ask their insurer about the right product. A guest who starts a fire or floods the unit below could leave you personally responsible for the damage. Talk to your insurer in writing before your first booking.
Can I Airbnb a rented condo in Toronto?
Only if the condo corporation allows it and your landlord agrees. The City says some condo corporations have by-laws or rules that limit or ban short-term rentals, and it is the operator’s responsibility to follow them. Ontario’s standard lease also says that a tenant in a condo agrees to follow the declaration, by-laws and rules the landlord provides.
Breaking condo rules creates a problem for your landlord as the unit owner, and that quickly becomes a problem for your tenancy. Ask your landlord for the current rules before you list. My guide to Ontario condo rules on short-term rentals explains how these rules work.
How do I ask my landlord for permission to host on Airbnb?
Make it easy for the landlord to say yes. A short written request that answers their likely worries works far better than asking after the fact. Include:
- Whether you will rent rooms while you are home, or the whole unit while you are away, and roughly how many nights a year.
- Your City of Toronto registration, or your plan to register, and confirmation that the unit is your principal residence.
- Written confirmation from your insurer that you are covered while hosting.
- Any condo rules, and your house rules for guests on noise, smoking and building access.
- An offer to put the agreement in writing as an additional term, signed by both of you.
If the landlord says no, accept it and do not list. A normal roommate on a regular tenancy, or ordinary unpaid guests, are different matters. My post on whether a landlord can limit guests or occupants covers those rules.
My honest view is that, for most tenants, Airbnb hosting is not worth the risk without a clear yes from the landlord, the condo and the insurer. The upside is some extra income. The downside can be an LTB application, a condo fine passed on to you, or a damage claim with no insurance behind it. If you still want to do it, get every approval in writing first, register with the City, and keep your hosting well inside the rules.
What to do next
- Read your lease, especially the assignment and subletting section and any additional terms.
- If you rent in a condo, ask your landlord for the current declaration, by-laws and rules.
- Call your insurer and get written confirmation of coverage for paying guests.
- Send your landlord a written request and wait for a written answer before you list.
- If approved, register with the City of Toronto, follow the 180-night limit for entire-unit stays, and remit the 6% Municipal Accommodation Tax.
Need help with this? Talk to me.
I’m Jatin Dua, Broker of Record at RE/MAX Quantum Realty, and I’m the best agent to do this kind of work for you in Toronto and across the GTA. Over $100 million in GTA sales and 100+ families helped sell. Feel free to contact me any time: call or text 833-330-1925 or email [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
Can a tenant Airbnb their apartment in Ontario?
Only if the city, the landlord and any condo rules all allow it. In Toronto, a tenant can register a short-term rental only in their principal residence, and the City recommends written landlord consent. Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act requires landlord consent to sublet and bars a tenant from subletting for more than the lawful rent. Without permission, the landlord can apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board.
Do I need my landlord’s permission to register an Airbnb in Toronto?
Not for the City’s registration. The City of Toronto says it does not require renters to get landlord consent to register a short-term rental. It does recommend that renters check their lease or get written consent first, and it says landlords with concerns can apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board. Registration costs $390 a year as of November 2026.
Can my landlord evict me for Airbnb in Ontario?
Possibly, but only through the Landlord and Tenant Board. Depending on the facts, a landlord may apply over an unauthorized occupant within 60 days of discovering it, serve an N5 for substantial interference, or serve an N6 for an illegal act. The Board decides each case. Only the sheriff can enforce an eviction order in Ontario, and a landlord cannot lock you out.
Is subletting on Airbnb legal in Ontario?
It can be legal if the landlord consents and local rules are met, but there are limits. Section 134(3) of Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act bars a tenant from subletting for more than the rent the landlord lawfully charges or collecting fees for subletting. In Toronto, short-term hosting is also limited to your principal residence and must be registered with the City.
How many nights can a tenant Airbnb in Toronto?
Up to 180 nights per calendar year for an entire home, as of November 2026. If you stay living there and rent out rooms only, Toronto allows up to three bedrooms with no nightly cap, as long as you advertise one fewer than the bedrooms you have. Roommates cannot each register the same unit, because only one registration is allowed per dwelling unit.
Can I Airbnb my rented basement apartment in Toronto?
Only if the basement apartment is your own principal residence and your landlord agrees. Toronto lets a secondary suite be short-term rented only by the person who lives there as their principal residence. A person living in the main house cannot separately short-term rent the basement suite. The suite must also meet zoning, Building Code and Fire Code rules.
Does tenant insurance cover Airbnb guests in Ontario?
Not unless your insurer agrees. The Insurance Bureau of Canada warns that renting out a property for a short or long term without telling your insurer first can void your coverage. The City of Toronto also tells hosts to ask their insurer about the right product. Get written confirmation of coverage for paying guests before your first booking in Ontario.
Can a landlord take a cut of my Airbnb income in Ontario?
Generally no. Section 134 of Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act bans landlords from collecting fees, premiums or similar amounts beyond lawful rent. If the arrangement is a sublet, section 97(3) limits the landlord’s charge for consenting to reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. A profit-sharing deal could breach the Act, so get legal advice before agreeing to one.
Can I Airbnb a rented condo in Ontario?
Only if the condo corporation’s rules allow short-term rentals and your landlord agrees. The City of Toronto says some condo corporations limit or ban short-term rentals, and hosts must follow those rules. Ontario’s standard lease also commits a condo tenant to follow the declaration, by-laws and rules the landlord provides, so check them before you list.
Sources
- City of Toronto: Short-Term Rental Operators/Hosts
- City of Toronto: Short-Term Rentals
- Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, c. 17 (e-Laws, current consolidation)
- Landlord and Tenant Board: How a Landlord Can End a Tenancy (updated 21 September 2026)
- Ontario: Guide to Ontario’s standard lease
- Insurance Bureau of Canada: Types of home insurance coverage (short-term rentals)
- Tribunals Ontario: LTB forms, filing and fees
Related reading
- Can My Landlord Enter Without Notice in Ontario?
- Can a Landlord Evict You Without Going to the LTB in Ontario?
- Can My Landlord Raise the Rent Every Year in Ontario? 2027 Rules
- Can a Landlord Put Security Cameras in or Outside a Rental in Ontario?
About the author — Jatin Dua, Toronto and GTA real estate broker
I am Jatin Dua, Broker of Record and co-founder of RE/MAX Quantum Realty Inc., Brokerage, Unit 101, 799 The Queensway, Toronto. I work with buyers and sellers across Toronto and the GTA and have helped more than 100 families sell. Four-plus years of active GTA transactions and over $100 million in sales volume.
Reach me at [email protected] or 833-330-1925, or book a call.