Renting out a Big White property

The rules in plain language

• Exempt from the principal-residence rule. B.C.’s Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act limits nightly rentals to a host’s own home in many communities, but land inside mountain resort boundaries, including Big White, is exempt. The regional district can’t opt resort areas back in.
• Registration still applies. Every short-term rental needs a provincial registration number shown on its listings. The annual fee is $450 for a secondary property or strata-hotel unit, or $100 if it’s your principal residence.
• No RDKB business licence. The regional district treats short-term rentals as a residential use and doesn’t require a business licence, with a review planned.
• Strata bylaws still rule. A strata can restrict rentals or require a particular manager. Read the bylaws before you buy.
• Taxes. Rental income is taxable, and hosts must deal with PST and the Municipal and Regional District Tax (MRDT) where they apply. Ask your accountant or your manager.

Managing the rental

Many owners use Big White Central Reservations, the resort’s own manager, which advertises help with registration compliance and MRDT filing. Other managers listed in the resort’s accommodation directory include alluraDirect, Okanagan Premier, Locations Mountain Management and several independent operators. Some owners self-manage with a local cleaner. Compare fees, minimum stays and owner-use rules.

Rental income estimator

Enter your own expected occupancy and nightly rates (ask managers for real figures on the unit you’re considering). The estimator totals revenue and subtracts fees and costs.

Then add the carrying costs in the cost-of-ownership calculator. The 2025–26 season was Big White’s strongest for occupancy since the pandemic, but every unit performs differently and past results don’t guarantee future income.

Common questions

Do I need a business licence to rent at Big White?

The RDKB does not currently require a business licence for short-term rentals, but you do need a provincial short-term rental registration number.

Does the principal-residence rule apply at Big White?

No. Big White is inside a mountain resort area that is exempt from the rule, so a second home can be rented nightly, subject to strata bylaws and registration.

Sources: B.C. mountain resorts and short-term rental legislation; host registration; RDKB short-term rentals; Big White vacation property management; accommodation directory; 2025–26 season recap.