Kingston
Airbnb management in Kingston, built on a legal unit
In Kingston, a short-term rental licence goes through planning, building and fire review, so the unit itself comes first. Tell bnbHost about your Kingston home, the space guests would use and the dates you have in mind.
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In Kingston, a short-term rental licence goes through planning, building and fire review, so the unit itself comes first. Tell bnbHost about your Kingston home, the space guests would use and the dates you have in mind. Your free property review checks the unit, the licence steps and the hosting work together.
Hosting work you can hand over
Our management service covers booking management, listing SEO management, price optimization, professional photography, welcome book, cleaning and laundry, property maintenance, key exchange management and licensing support. We confirm the cleaning, maintenance and access arrangements for your address before agreeing to take it on. Explore the management service.
Who applies, and who reviews the application
The City of Kingston requires a licence to market or operate a short-term rental of 30 consecutive days or less. Only the owner, or an agent the owner has authorized to make decisions about the property, may apply. Where it applies, the City also asks for a letter from the owners of a multiple-unit building.
The City's Licensing Agent, Planning Department, Building Services, Kingston Fire and Rescue and Property Standards Division review each application and may inspect. Their reports decide the outcome. Licences run to March 31 and are renewed each year.
The City's page does not answer every eligibility question for every property. We do not treat a rule that is missing from that page as permission: the City's review decides for each property.
Confirm the unit before you apply
Every short-term rental must be part of a dwelling unit with cooking, eating, living or sleeping, and washroom facilities; a sleeping-only space such as a bunkie does not qualify. A secondary suite needs a fire separation and door from the main home, and an additional residential unit must meet the Building Code, so you may be asked for its building permit.
If your unit has no recognized unit number, or there may be open permits on file, the City suggests contacting Building Services before you apply. From January 1, 2026, the Ontario Fire Code requires carbon monoxide alarms near sleeping areas and on every floor, alongside smoke alarms on every level.
Guests, occupancy and the welcome book
When the entire home is rented, the City allows up to two occupants per bedroom and up to ten in a single booking, not counting children aged two or under. Renting individual bedrooms has a separate limit: up to three bedrooms rented out, with sleeping space for four people in total. Every guest needs emergency contact information, the licence goes near the entrance and the licence number appears in marketing. The City applies a Municipal Accommodation Tax, so ask about its self-remittance process at your review.
Tourism Kingston lists Bellevue House National Historic Site, Canada's Penitentiary Museum and City Hall Tours among its top attractions. Your guest guide should add what the City expects guests to follow: parking, noise and waste rules at your address. In a condo, check the building's governing documents first. A nearby attraction is a reason to write a better guest guide; it does not establish what your home will earn.
Your dates, fee and agreement
Decide which dates stay for you and which can be offered to guests. The management fee is 22% per booking, with property insurance included. Your written agreement sets out the calculation, additional costs, insurance details and the work covered. See how the fee works.
Tell us about your Kingston home
Send the address, home type, who owns it, the space guests would use, any building permit for a suite and the status of any City licence. We will discuss property fit and what needs to be resolved before accepting management work. There is no income or booking guarantee.
Comparing options? Use our questions to ask a property manager before choosing your arrangement.