Starting a Tourism Accommodation
Tourism accommodations in Prince Edward Island range from all types of camping (tent sites to glamping) to all types of fixed roof accommodations (hostels to high-end hotels). Our operators take great pride in their establishments and share the goal of helping visitors have an amazing vacation. Search existing Licensed Tourism Accommodations.
Here you will learn about all of the steps required to start a tourism accommodation operation in Prince Edward Island.
Tourism Accommodation Licensing
On Prince Edward Island, any temporary guest accommodation that operates for a continuous period of less than one month, be it marketed via a booking site like Airbnb or any other means, must be licensed as a tourism property.
The Tourism Industry Act and regulations describe the types of properties, minimum safety, services and amenity standards and other requirements for a licence. We strongly recommend that you review the legislation in detail before completing a licence application.
You are also advised to review the property tax implications of becoming a tourism operator. Questions? Call the Provincial Taxation Office at 902-368-4070 for information about property tax assessments and limitations of the Owner-Occupied Residential Property Credit.
Required steps for licensing before operations begin
1. Connect with Your Municipality
If your property is located in a municipality with planning authority, you must have municipal approval before making an application to Tourism PEI. Visit Municipal Contacts to determine if your operation is located in a municipality with zoning bylaws or contact Tourism PEI at 1-866-213-7521.
The City of Charlottetown issues a separate short-term rental operation license. Operators with an establishment in Charlottetown must have two licenses to legally operate (a municipal license and a provincial license; both renewable annually). Apply and receive your municipal license first as it must be attached to your Tourism PEI tourism establishment license application.
2. Register Your Business with the PEI Business/Corporate Registry
You can acquire your PEI Business Registry Number at the Province of Prince Edward Island Business/Corporate Registry. If you don't have a PEI Business number, you can register a new business online. This will ensure no one else but you can use your unique business name.
3. Apply for a Tourism Establishment License
New and existing properties must apply for a Tourism Establishment License. This is easily accomplished through Operator Self-Serve.
4. Complete Water Testing
If your property is not served by a municipal water system, you must provide an initial satisfactory drinking water test from the PEI Analytical Laboratories (the only accredited lab in the province). Once operational, you must perform bacteria water testing for your tourism accommodation every three (3) months during the months that the property is open to receive guests. For detailed instructions on collecting and submitting water samples, visit Water Testing for Accommodation Operators.
5. Schedule an Initial Property Inspection
An inspection is part of the licensing process as outlined in the Tourism Industry Act Regulations; visit About Tourism Accommodation Inspections to learn more.
Once you have submitted your licensing application, Quality Tourism Services (QTS) will contact you to schedule an inspection. If you have a preferred date for inspection, please contact QTS directly at 902-566-3501.
Please have your water test completed and the results ready to provide to the tourism standards officer.
6. Complete Monthly Reporting
Once licensed, you are required to report monthly occupancy to Tourism PEI by the 10th day following the end of each month that you are operating. This report details monthly occupancy and related visitor origin information (province or state of and country of visitor).
With this data, Tourism PEI produces monthly indicator reports to inform government and industry about where our visitors come from and when they visit. You can easily report monthly occupancy through Operator Self-Serve.
Contact Tourism PEI
Tourism PEI also needs to know if you change your operational dates. These dates determine your occupancy reporting requirements, according to law. They are set during the application process but can be easily adjusted via service request through Operator Self-Serve.
