Airbnb and short-term rental rules in the District of Barrington, Nova Scotia
Written by Casa Scotia, a Nova Scotia short-term rental manager. Not affiliated with any municipality or the Province. How we keep our interest out of it →
At a glance
It depends on the zone, and the zone is only the first test. The by-law counts short-term rentals as tourist accommodation, permitted as of right in the Commercial General, Rural Development and Mixed Use zones, with no residency condition.
Can I?
The home you live in (as District of Barrington’s by-law defines it)In some zones
The Municipality of the District of Barrington, Nova Scotia, names short-term rentals in its Land Use By-law: its definition of tourist accommodation includes "short term rentals ("Airbnb")". Whether one is permitted therefore turns on the zone of the lot.
Cape Sable Island is split between the District and the Town of Clark's Harbour, a separate municipality with its own by-laws. Where this guide applies →
Where this guide applies
Community
What to check
Cape Sable Island
Straddles Town of Clark's Harbour
Which municipality a property is in depends on where its parcel (PID) sits, not on the community name or the mailing address. The property tax bill shows it; either office can confirm it.
The home you live in (as District of Barrington’s by-law defines it)In some zonesAs of right in the Commercial General and Rural Development zones, which list tourist accommodation, and in the Mixed Use zone, which permits the Commercial General zone's commercial uses. The Residential General zone also permits a guest home, where the proprietor supplies rooms to travellers.
A home you don’t live inIn some zonesAs of right in the Commercial General, Rural Development and Mixed Use zones; the by-law sets no condition that the operator live there. The Residential General, Residential Restricted and Residential Island zones don't list tourist accommodation.
“Part 19: "Tourist Accommodation means a building or buildings, structures or use of land which is used to accommodate the travelling public for gain or profit by supplying them with sleeping accommodation (rental units or sites) with or without meals and shall include hotels, motels, guest homes, short term rentals ("Airbnb"), resorts, tourist cabins and hostels." s.6.1 (Commercial General) and s.11.1 (Rural Development), Permitted Developments: "Tourist accommodations". s.9.1 (Mixed Use): "All Commercial uses permitted in the CG Zone". s.4.1: "if a use is not listed as a permitted use in a zone, or if it is not accessory to a permitted use within the zone it shall be deemed to be a prohibited use in that zone".”
Where a zone lists tourist accommodation, a short-term rental is permitted as of right: the development officer applies the zone's standards, with no council hearing. Where a zone doesn't list a use, the by-law prohibits it there.
The Municipal Planning Strategy designates the rural areas outside the Barrington–Barrington Passage and Woods Harbour centres as Rural Development, except wetlands, marine-industrial and business-park land and some Cape Sable Island subdivisions. Ask the Development Office how it reads the Residential General zone's commercial uses and guest homes. What we haven't confirmed yet →
Municipal step
Municipal step · Permit
Development Permit (change of use)
Issued by
the Development Officer, Municipality of the District of Barrington
Conditions
The use must be one the lot's zone permits
Off-street parking on the same lot, as the by-law's parking schedule sets for a change of use
Fee
$20 development permit fee (one time)
Applies to
Both the home you live in and a home you don’t
Term
Lapses if the development hasn't started within one year of issue
The District's only licensing by-law covers trades such as auctioneers, peddlers and canvassers, and amusement rides. The Land Use By-law bars any change of use without a development permit; the development officer decides whether starting a rental in an existing home is such a change.
Steps and costs
Check the zone of the lot and confirm the use with Municipality of the District of Barrington, Development Office (Building Inspection and Development), (902) 637-2015, contact page.
Development Permit (change of use), from the Development Officer, Municipality of the District of Barrington. Details
Renew the Development Permit (change of use) (Lapses if the development hasn't started within one year of issue).
Then register each unit with the Province and show the number on every listing. The provincial checklist →
What it costs an owner
Cost
The home you live in
Commercial short-term rental (a home you don’t live in)
Development Permit (change of use)
$20 development permit fee (one time)
$20 development permit fee (one time)
Provincial registration
$50 a year
$500 per unit a year
First year, municipal and provincial
$70
$520
On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see both columns.
A personal vacation home (a home you don’t live in, kept mainly for your own use; 150 rental days per registration year; an applicant may register only one personal vacation home) registers as a traditional tourist accommodation instead: $50, or $150 with five or more bedrooms a year (Regulations s.2(1), s.14).
The levy and HST are charged to guests, not owners; they are in Marketing levy.
Marketing levy
None found
We found no marketing levy in District of Barrington’s by-laws or council notices (checked 28 Sep 2026).
Provincial registration
Register each unit with the Province before advertising it. The first application includes District of Barrington’s land-use document; a renewal doesn’t need it again unless the Province asks.
Fee here: $50 a year for the home you live in; $500 per unit a year for a commercial short-term rental (a home you don’t live in); a personal vacation home pays the traditional rate, $50 or $150.
Show the registration number on every listing, and renew by April 1 each year.
The Municipality of the District of Barrington is in tier 2 of the Province's Schedule A. A commercial short-term rental (a home you don't live in) pays the tier 2 fee per unit each year. A personal vacation home, kept mainly for its owner's use, pays the lower traditional rate, and a primary residence the primary-residence fee.
Source · checked 28 Sep 2026 · Confirmed in source
What we haven't confirmed yet
Whether a short-term rental counts as one of the commercial uses that some zones permit without naming tourist accommodation: the Residential General zone's new commercial uses in an existing building, the Business Park zone's commercial uses, and the Industrial Marine zone at Woods Harbour. The by-law doesn't define a commercial use. Ask the Development Office how it reads these zones before relying on them. (checked 28 Sep 2026 · source)
Whether a whole home rented with no one living in it can be a guest home, which the Residential General zone permits. The by-law defines a guest home as a dwelling where the proprietor supplies rooms to the travelling public. Ask the Development Office before relying on it. (checked 28 Sep 2026 · source)
Whether starting a short-term rental in an existing home is a change of use that needs a development permit, and which document the Municipality issues as proof of land-use compliance for a provincial registration. Ask the Development Office before applying to the Province. (checked 28 Sep 2026 · source)
Email me when District of Barrington’s rules change
Frequently asked questions
Does the District of Barrington require a permit for a short-term rental?
The District has no short-term rental licence, but its Land Use By-law requires a development permit for any change in the use of a building or lot. Ask Municipality of the District of Barrington, Development Office (Building Inspection and Development), (902) 637-2015, contact page whether starting a rental in an existing home is such a change, and which document it issues for provincial registration. Municipal step →
How do I find which zone a Barrington lot is in?
The Municipality's zoning map shows zones for general reference only, and the Municipality says only its Development Office can confirm a lot's zone: Municipality of the District of Barrington, Development Office (Building Inspection and Development), (902) 637-2015, contact page. Is a short-term rental allowed here? →
Which provincial fee tier is the District of Barrington in?
Tier 2 of the Province's fee schedule. The tier sets only the fee for a commercial short-term rental; the home you live in and a personal vacation home pay the same fee in every tier. The Town of Clark's Harbour, on Cape Sable Island, is in a lower-fee tier, so on the island a commercial rental's fee depends on which municipality the parcel is in. Provincial registration →
Who to contact
Municipality of the District of Barrington, Municipal Office (general inquiries), (902) 637-2015, contact page
Municipality of the District of Barrington, Development Office (Building Inspection and Development), (902) 637-2015, contact page
Offices only; this page carries no personal names or e-mail addresses.