Yellowknife Business Licence for Short-Term Rentals vs Long-Term Landlords

A landlord listing a Yellowknife property on Airbnb faces a different regulatory path than one renting to a year-round tenant. The distinction turns on 30 consecutive days or less — and getting it wrong means operating without the licence the City requires or paying for one you don't need.

Short-Term Rentals: By-law 5008

The City of Yellowknife regulates short-term rental accommodations under By-law No. 5008, which amended the broader Business Licence By-law No. 3451. The City defines a short-term rental accommodation as a business providing temporary accommodation for compensation in a dwelling unit for 30 consecutive days or less. Operating one requires:

• A Short-Term Rental Business Licence ($200 fee)
• Owner consent (if the operator is a tenant, strata member, or leaseholder)
• Compliance with the Tourist Accommodation Tax By-law No. 5099, which imposes a 4% tax on the purchase price of tourist accommodation

The STR licence application goes through the City's Business Licence Department. Properties must meet fire, safety, and zoning requirements, and the operator must hold a valid development permit if the unit is classified as a home-based business.

Long-Term Residential Tenancies: The RTA Path

Standard residential tenancies — leases running longer than 30 days — are governed by the NWT Residential Tenancies Act (R.S.N.W.T. 1988, c. R-5). The RTA covers rent increases (Section 47), security deposits, maintenance obligations, and dispute resolution through the Rental Office.

The City's current business licence fee schedule lists "Apartment Rentals (3 or more units per building)" at $200. Under the City's Business Licence By-law, a licence expires one year from its issue. There is no landlord registration scheme in the Northwest Territories — no territorial rent registry.

Where the Line Blurs

The 30-day threshold creates a clean boundary on paper, but some landlords straddle it. If you list a furnished suite for corporate relocations that sometimes run five weeks and sometimes run three, you need the STR licence for any booking of 30 consecutive days or less. Running both short and long-term rentals from the same property means the short-stay portion triggers By-law 5008 even if your other units are on 12-month leases.

Hay River and Inuvik have their own municipal bylaws, but neither currently requires a business licence specifically for long-term residential landlords. Properties in those communities still must comply with territorial fire and building codes.

Rent Increase Rules Apply Either Way

Whether you're a long-term landlord operating under the RTA or an STR operator who also has long-term tenants, the rent increase rules are the same for any tenancy covered by the Act: no increase until 12 months have elapsed, at least three months' written notice before the effective date, and no percentage cap. The NWT Rent Increase Compliance Guide covers the notice drafting, date calculations, and service proof requirements for landlords managing their own long-term tenancies — the segment where there is no off-the-shelf government form to follow.

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