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Summer 6-month licences expire Oct 31, 2026Kawartha Lakes short-term rental licence: fees, insurance and expiry dates
Kawartha Lakes requires a Short Term Rental Accommodation Business Licence if you rent all or part of a property for less than 28 consecutive days. Licences are issued for fixed terms (summer, winter or a full year), and you need proof of at least $2,000,000 general liability insurance. Summer licences expire October 31.
Key rules at a glance
| What it's called | Short Term Rental Accommodation Business Licence (By-law 2023-111) [source] |
|---|---|
| Who needs it | Anyone renting all or part of a property for less than 28 consecutive days. [source] |
| 2026 fees (from the 2026 application form) | Hosted: $200 for 6 months, $400 for 1 year. Un-hosted: $875 for 6 months, $1,750 for 1 year. Appeal: $409. Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. "Hosted" means you live at the property full-time and stay in an owner's suite while guests are there. [source] |
| Licence terms / expiry | Summer 6-month: May 1 to October 31. Winter 6-month: October 31 to April 30. Annual: April 1 to March 31 (By-law s.3.01). [source] |
| Insurance | General liability of at least $2,000,000 per occurrence. The policy must identify that an STR operates on the premises, and must be endorsed to give the City 10 days' written notice of cancellation (By-law s.3.09(e)). [source] |
| Processing time | The City says roughly 2–4 weeks from submission to approval if no department raises concerns. The "4–6 weeks" figure in our earlier notes is NOT what the official page says now. [source] |
| Ads | Every listing or advertisement must include the City-issued licence number (s.3.013). [source] |
| Documents | Ownership proof, driver's licence, insurance certificate, scaled site diagram and floor plan (new for 2026: smoke and CO alarm locations must be shown), and a responsible person who can respond within 30 minutes and attend within 60 minutes. [source] |
| Penalties | On conviction, a maximum fine of $100,000 (s.11.04). Occurrence inspection fees charged to the owner: $121, $245, $490, $975, then doubled. [source] |
| Where to apply | Online, or by printed form to the Municipal Law and Licensing Clerk, 37 Lindsay St S, Lindsay. Contact: str@kawarthalakes.ca, 705-324-9411 ext. 1328. [source] |
Deadlines
- 2026-10-31: Kawartha Lakes summer 6-month licences expire; winter 6-month term starts
- 2027-03-31: Kawartha Lakes annual licences expire (Apr 1 to Mar 31 term)
- 2027-04-30: Kawartha Lakes winter 6-month licences expire
Watch out
The fees here come from the 2026 application form. Some third-party sites and search snippets still quote older amounts ($150/$300/$750/$1,500). Check the current fees by-law before you pay.
Tax angle (federal)
Since 2024, the Income Tax Act (s.67.7) has denied deductions for expenses tied to a non-compliant short-term rental. That means a rental of under 90 consecutive days in a place that doesn't permit it, or that doesn't meet all provincial and municipal registration, licence or permit requirements. The denial is prorated by non-compliant days, and the normal reassessment time limits don't apply.
Sources: CRA: Changes to rules for eligible deductions from short-term rental income · Income Tax Act s.67.7 (Justice Laws). Talk to an accountant about your situation.