ImmoMulti — a direct buyer of multiplex income properties on the North Shore — increasingly sees plex owners tempted to convert a unit into a short-term tourist rental (Airbnb-style). It is legal, but tightly regulated: under the new provisions of Québec's Act respecting tourist accommodation, any owner renting for 31 days or less for remuneration must hold a CITQ registration number, display it in every listing, and respect municipal zoning. Non-compliance exposes a natural person to fines of $2,500 to $50,000. This guide is for the owner who wants to comply — not the tenant who breaks the rules.
Do you need a CITQ registration number to rent your plex on Airbnb in Québec?
Yes. Any short-term rental offer of 31 days or less for remuneration requires a valid CITQ registration number and certificate, regardless of the medium — and regardless of whether it is a principal residence, secondary residence, room or a unit of your plex.
The base rule is simple and broad. According to the Corporation de l'industrie touristique du Québec (CITQ), as soon as you offer accommodation for periods of 31 consecutive days or less for remuneration, you operate a tourist accommodation establishment under the law — and you must hold a valid registration number and certificate.
This obligation makes no distinction by property type: principal residence, secondary residence, cottage, condo, room or a unit of a plex are all covered. For the owner of a duplex or triplex on the North Shore who wants to rent a unit to tourists rather than to a year-round tenant, CITQ registration is therefore the very first step — before publishing any listing.
The certificate issued contains the registration number, the establishment's address and category, the number of units offered, and the issuance and expiry dates. This is the document you will have to transmit to transactional platforms.
Source: CITQ — Registration certificate and CITQ — Registration of cottages, condos and houses for rent.
Where and how must you display the registration number in your listings?
The registration number (and the establishment name where applicable) must be displayed distinctly in all advertising, on all social media and all websites used in connection with the operation — notably in your listings on Airbnb, VRBO or Booking.com. The digital certificate (PDF) must be transmitted to transactional platforms.
Obtaining the number is not enough: you must also display it correctly. The CITQ specifies that you must distinctly display the registration number, and the establishment name where applicable, on all advertising promoting your establishment, on all social media, and on all websites — transactional or not — used in connection with the operation.
In practice, for a plex owner, the number must appear:
- in the listing itself on the platform (Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, etc.);
- on any social media post promoting the unit;
- on a personal website or direct booking page, where applicable.
In addition, it is mandatory to transmit the digital registration certificate (PDF) to the transactional platforms on which you wish to display your offer. Without this transmission, the platform is in principle not permitted to publish the listing.
Compliant display checklist for your short-term rental
- CITQ registration number visible in the text of every listing
- Digital certificate (PDF) transmitted to each transactional platform
- Number displayed on social media and any direct booking site
- Certificate valid (not expired, suspended or cancelled)
Source: CITQ — Registration number display guide.
Can municipal zoning prohibit short-term rental of your plex?
Yes. No CITQ registration is possible without the authorization of the municipality concerned. The city determines, through its zoning by-laws, which uses and which types of tourist accommodation establishments it authorizes, limits or regulates on its territory.
This is probably the most underestimated trap for plex owners. Even if you are ready to pay for registration, the CITQ is clear: no registration is possible without the authorization of the municipality concerned. The municipality determines, through its zoning by-laws, which uses and which types of tourist accommodation it authorizes, limits or regulates.
On the North Shore of Montréal — Terrebonne, Mascouche, Blainville, Boisbriand, Saint-Jérôme, Saint-Eustache, Deux-Montagnes — approaches vary from city to city and even neighbourhood to neighbourhood. A residential zone may prohibit short-term rental outright, while a commercial or mixed-use zone might allow it. Before any project, the reflex is to verify your building's zoning with your municipal planning department.
No municipal authorization = no registration possible
If your plex's zoning prohibits tourist accommodation use, the CITQ cannot issue you a number — and any rental would automatically place you in a situation of unregistered operation, subject to a fine. Compliance therefore begins at city hall, not on the platform.
Source: CITQ — Frequently asked questions (role of municipal zoning).
What fines does a non-compliant owner risk?
According to Québec.ca, operating without registration exposes a natural person to a fine of $2,500 to $25,000; posting an offer without a registration number, to $5,000 to $50,000; listing a false, inaccurate or expired number, to $2,500 to $25,000. For a corporation, the amounts are higher.
The penalties are substantial and well documented. According to the Government of Québec, the main fines for a natural person are as follows:
| Infraction | Fine (natural person) |
|---|---|
| Operating without registration | $2,500 to $25,000 |
| Operating despite a refused, suspended or cancelled registration | $5,000 to $50,000 |
| Posting an offer without a registration number | $5,000 to $50,000 |
| Listing a false, inaccurate or expired number | $2,500 to $25,000 |
For a legal person (corporation), these amounts are generally doubled: for example, posting an offer without a registration number exposes a corporation to a fine of $10,000 to $100,000. Enforcement of the law and the issuance of notices fall to Revenu Québec, not the CITQ, which is limited to registration.
These are not theoretical threats. According to Québec.ca, between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024, 1,658 infraction notices were issued, 1,184 convictions handed down and $4,997,321 in fines imposed under the Act respecting tourist accommodation.
Source: Québec.ca — results of the application of the Act respecting tourist accommodation.
What obligations do platforms like Airbnb have?
According to Québec.ca, transactional digital platforms cannot post an offer that does not contain the establishment's registration number, and must verify the accuracy of the numbers in their offers. Fines can reach $100,000 for platforms in breach.
The law does not place all responsibility on the owner alone. Transactional digital platforms — Airbnb chief among them — also have strict obligations. According to the Government of Québec, a platform cannot post an offer that does not contain the registration number of the establishment, and it must verify the accuracy of the numbers in its listings — notably that the number actually corresponds to the right address.
In case of breach, fines can reach $100,000 for the platform. This verification is not perfect, however: in 2026, La Presse reported cases of compliant registration numbers being usurped, where listings displayed a valid number that did not match their real address — a sign that fraud exists and that controls are tightening.
"Transactional digital platforms must verify the accuracy of the registration numbers in their accommodation offers and cannot post an offer that does not contain one."
— Summary of the obligations of the Act respecting tourist accommodation, Government of QuébecFor the compliant owner, this is good news: a valid, well-displayed number immediately sets you apart from the illegal listings that platforms now have an obligation to remove.
Source: La Presse — "A compliant number usurped in 13 listings" (June 2, 2026).
Owner who complies vs tenant who cheats: two situations not to confuse
This article addresses the owner who wants to operate the short-term rental and comply (CITQ, zoning, Revenu Québec). That is different from a tenant who sublets your unit on Airbnb without your consent — there, it is the tenant in breach of the lease, and you are not the operator.
It is essential not to mix two very different legal realities for a multiplex owner:
- The owner who wants to do short-term rental (the subject of this article): you decide to take a unit out of the residential rental market to offer it to tourists. You must comply yourself — CITQ registration, municipal zoning, declarations to Revenu Québec.
- The tenant who sublets on Airbnb without permission: your tenant, without your consent, puts your unit up as a tourist rental. Here, you are not the operator: your tenant is committing a breach of the lease and potentially of the law. As the wronged owner, you have recourse.
This second case — illegal Airbnb subletting by a tenant — is covered in a separate article: Illegal Airbnb in your plex: the owner's recourse. If you are instead the owner-operator, the present guide covers your compliance obligations.
And if you would rather sell than manage compliance?
Short-term rental of a plex unit can generate attractive income, but it adds a layer of management, regulatory risk and taxation. For many North Shore owners, the question becomes: is it better to operate, or to sell the income property as-is? A prudent buyer will verify CITQ compliance and zoning anyway before buying a plex where a unit is in short-term rental.
ImmoMulti: direct buyer of multiplex properties on the North Shore
If managing a short-term rental seems too heavy, we can make you a direct offer for your plex — no broker, no commission, fully confidential. Get a proposal within 48 hours.
Before any decision on the use of your building, have your situation reviewed by a notary and, for the tax side, by an accountant or tax specialist: changing a unit's use can affect GST/QST and the capital gains calculation on sale. Our multiplex yield calculation guide also helps you compare the return of a classic residential rental to that of a tourist operation.
Informational content only. Does not constitute legal or tax advice. Registration thresholds, fines and obligations are subject to change by the Government of Québec, the CITQ and Revenu Québec. Consult a notary, accountant or your municipality for advice specific to your property.
