All townships › Muskoka Lakes › Summer rules and ads

Annual licence; renewal notice 60 days before expiry

Muskoka Lakes short-term rental summer rules: 7 nights off and 1 group per 6 nights

Muskoka Lakes licenses short-term rental accommodations (STRAs) of 28 consecutive days or less under By-law 2025-049. Waterfront, R4 and Waterbody Open Space properties have two extra summer rules, a higher fee, and the same ad rule as everyone: your licence number goes on every online listing. [By-law 2025-049]

Does the summer rule apply to your property?

Zone	Annual fee	Summer Monthly Break	Summer Rental Frequency	Occupancy
Waterfront Residential (WR), Community Residential (R4), Waterbody Open Space (WOS)	$1,000	Yes	Yes	2 per bedroom unless the septic design supports more
All other zones	$500	No	No	2 per bedroom unless the septic design supports more

Fees from the Township's operators page and 2025 information session slides. Zone list for the summer rules from By-law s.5.6. Check your zoning on Muskoka GeoHub or with the Planning Department. [operators page] [slides] [by-law]

Rule 1: the Summer Monthly Break

Stop all rentals for at least 7 consecutive nights in each of June, July and August (s.5.6(a)). [source] Per the Township: [source]

The 7 nights can start on any day, for example Tuesday to Tuesday.
A break can't straddle two months. A June 27 to July 3 break doesn't count for either month.
You, your family and friends can use the cottage during the break, as long as it isn't rented.
Having the owner on site doesn't change the rules, and they apply whether you use Airbnb, a property manager, or nobody.

Rule 2: the Summer Rental Frequency

From the Friday before Victoria Day to the Tuesday after Labour Day, no more than one primary renter (one rental group) per 6 consecutive nights (s.5.6(b)). [source] There's no minimum or maximum stay, and no gap is needed between groups when a stay is longer than 6 nights, as long as you still take the monthly breaks. [source]

2027 season marker	Date
Friday before Victoria Day (frequency rule starts)	Friday, May 21, 2027
Victoria Day	Monday, May 24, 2027
Labour Day	Monday, September 6, 2027
Tuesday after Labour Day (frequency rule ends)	Tuesday, September 7, 2027

These calendar dates are worked out from the by-law's wording. Schedule C of the by-law has the Township's own booking examples.

A sample July that fits both rules

Nights (check-in to check-out)	Use	Check
Jul 1–8 (7 nights)	Group A	Longer than 6 nights, so the next group can arrive on changeover day
Jul 8–15 (7 nights)	Group B	Longer than 6 nights
Jul 15–22 (7 nights)	Family use, not rented	Summer Monthly Break for July (all 7 nights inside July)
Jul 22–29 (7 nights)	Group C	Longer than 6 nights
Jul 29–Aug 5	Group D	August still needs its own 7-night break inside August

An illustration only. With weekly stays, the Township says no gap is needed between groups. Shorter stays are where owners get caught: two 3-night weekend groups inside the same 6-night window break the frequency rule. Check the booking examples in Schedule C of the by-law before you accept short stays in summer.

Licence number in every ad: step by step

Every person who owns, markets or operates an STRA must display the licence number on each online advertising method (s.5.7(d)). Under the by-law, "market" includes offering, promoting, soliciting, advertising or facilitating. [source] The Township also tells new licensees to add the number to all advertisements. [source]

List every place the cottage appears: Airbnb, Vrbo, your own website, Facebook posts and groups, Kijiji or Marketplace, and any property manager's site.
Add the Township licence number to each one. Use the platform's licence or registration field if it has one, and also put it in the description so it shows in screenshots.
Make the advertised guest count match the maximum occupancy on your licence. Operating above that number is a 10-point offence. [source]
After each renewal, check whether the number changed and update every listing.
Display the issued licence in a prominent place inside the cottage, and leave the Renter Information Package where guests can find it. [source]
Screenshot each listing once a season showing the number. These are useful records if a complaint comes in, and for your taxes.

How ad rules compare in nearby townships

Township	Licence or registration number in ads	Other required ad content
Muskoka Lakes	Yes, on each online advertising method (s.5.7(d)) [source]	Advertised use must stay within licence occupancy and summer rules
Kawartha Lakes	Yes, on any listing or ad (s.3.013) [source]	The approved occupancy from the licence
Trent Lakes	Yes, on any listing or ad (Schedule B, item 21) [source]	Approved maximum occupancy, plus a delayed-emergency-response warning for remote or seasonal-road access

Demerit points that hit summer operators

Infraction (Schedule B)	Points
Operate during the Summer Monthly Break (s.5.6(a))	5
Market or operate beyond the Summer Rental Frequency (s.5.6(b))	5
Fail to display licence number on an ad (s.5.7(d))	5
Exceed maximum permitted occupancy (s.5.7(b))	10
Own, market or operate without a licence (s.5.3(a))	10
Operate while suspended or revoked (s.5.3(c))	15

At 10 points the owner must submit a written plan to prevent more. At 15 points the Township issues a notice of suspension. Points last 3 years (s.9.3–9.5). [source] The Township's FAQ says advertising or operating without a required licence could mean a monetary penalty of $5,000 per day. [source]

Renewing your Muskoka Lakes licence

A licence expires one year after the date it was issued, or earlier on sale of the property (s.7.1), so there's no single township-wide date. The Township emails a Notice of Renewal 60 days before expiry. [source] [source]

Open the link in the renewal email, click your blue licence number, then OPTIONS → Renew Licence (top right) [source]
Upload fresh copies, not last year's files, of the Licensee Acknowledgement Form, Renter's Code of Conduct, Responsible Person Declaration Form and current proof of insurance. These are required even if nothing changed. [source]
Insurance: at least $2,000,000 liability per occurrence that identifies the STRA (s.4.1(k)). If the policy lapses, the licence is automatically suspended until coverage is reinstated (s.8.1). [source]
Responsible person able to be physically at the cottage within 1 hour of the Township's contact (s.5.7(e)) [source]
Answer any change requests, then pay the invoice. The renewal is issued once documents are accepted and payment is received. [source]

If a licence is refused, suspended or revoked, you have 30 days to request an appeal. The appeal fee is $500. [source]

Questions owners ask

What is the Summer Monthly Break in Muskoka Lakes?

For short-term rentals in Waterfront, R4 (Community Residential) or Waterbody Open Space zones, all rentals must stop for at least 7 consecutive nights in each of June, July and August (By-law 2025-049 s.5.6(a)). The break can start on any day but can't straddle two months.

What is the Summer Rental Frequency rule?

In the same zones, from the Friday before Victoria Day to the Tuesday after Labour Day, a short-term rental can host no more than one primary renter every 6 consecutive nights (s.5.6(b)). Stays longer than 6 nights don't need a gap between groups.

How much is a Muskoka Lakes STRA licence?

$1,000 a year for Waterfront, R4 and Waterbody Open Space zones, and $500 a year for all other zones, per the Township's operators page and 2025 information session slides.

Do I have to put my licence number on Airbnb and Vrbo?

Yes. By-law 2025-049 s.5.7(d) requires the licence number on each online advertising method used. Failing to display it is a 5 demerit point offence.

When does a Muskoka Lakes STRA licence expire?

One year after the date of issue (s.7.1). The Township emails a renewal notice 60 days before expiry.

Related guides

Official sources (checked October 10, 2026)

Licensing Officer, Township of Muskoka Lakes: 705-765-3156 ext. 357.