Airbnb · La Malbaie · 2026 rules
Can you rent out your principal residence on Airbnb in La Malbaie, and where is a unit bought for short-term rental allowed? The city's rules, checked against its by-laws on October 19, 2026, the Quebec framework and the purchase price of a house or condo according to Centris.
Renting out your own principal residence short-term is allowed in La Malbaie only in some zones; buying a unit to rent it on Airbnb year-round (tourist residence) is possible only in specific zones. To buy, count on $280,000 for a house at the 2026 median price (Centris). Rules checked on October 19, 2026.
The short answer
Renting out your own principal residence short-term is allowed in La Malbaie only in some zones; buying a unit to rent it on Airbnb year-round (tourist residence) is possible only in specific zones. To buy, count on $280,000 for a house at the 2026 median price (Centris).
Renting out your principal residence in La Malbaie: allowed in some zones only
In 2023, the City prohibited principal residence establishments in 193 zones (one by-law per zone) to keep tourist rentals possible only in about thirty zones where the tourist residence was already permitted; 30 more zones were targeted in 2024 and 9 residential zones (HA/HB-1274 to 1282) were added in 2026.
Buying to rent year-round in La Malbaie: only in some zones
A unit that is not your principal residence, rented by the night or the week all year, is a "tourist residence". The law does not protect it: the city decides through its zoning where it is allowed.
The tourist residence (class C-7) is permitted only in certain zones of zoning by-law 994-14, with a maximum number of units per zone since 2024 (e.g. 14 units in zone AF-1111, a shared cap of 21 for AF-1602, M-1603 and AF-1604; 7 permits in the Éperviers sector, Pointe-au-Pic) and the use removed from certain zones.
The by-law in La Malbaie
- By-law: Zoning by-law 994-14 and its amendments: 193 by-laws prohibiting the principal residence establishment by zone (2023); by-law 1383-24 (quota on tourist residences), in force since the certificate of conformity of the RCM of Charlevoix-Est of March 26, 2024; by-laws 1455-26 to 1463-26, in force since the RCM's certificates of conformity of May 26, 2026.
- Recent change: March 2024: by-law 1383-24 comes into force, limiting the number of tourist residences per zone (the second draft also aimed to prohibit the principal residence establishment in 30 more zones); July 2024: 7 permits in the Éperviers sector; May 2026: 9 new zones where the principal residence establishment is prohibited.
What buying costs in La Malbaie
- House (single-family): $280,000 at the 2026 median, from 75 sales, +87% since 2019.
- Condo: too few sales in 2026 (2) for a reliable median price.
| Year | House, median price | Sales | Condo, median price | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | $142,250 | 62 | n/a | 3 |
| 2017 | $143,750 | 74 | n/a | 1 |
| 2018 | $149,000 | 63 | n/a | 3 |
| 2019 | $150,000 | 52 | n/a | 3 |
| 2020 | $160,000 | 112 | n/a | 0 |
| 2021 | $177,000 | 135 | n/a | 3 |
| 2022 | $208,000 | 91 | n/a | 3 |
| 2023 | $250,000 | 69 | n/a | 0 |
| 2024 | $265,000 | 69 | n/a | 6 |
| 2025 | $278,000 | 77 | n/a | 3 |
| 2026 (since January) | $280,000 | 75 | n/a | 2 |
Quebec's rules, the same everywhere
- Registration is mandatory. Renting a unit to tourists for 31 days or less requires registration with the Ministère du Tourisme and a certificate renewed every year: $54 for a principal residence establishment, $156 for a general tourist accommodation establishment (tourist residence). Since April 9, 2026, the number must appear in every listing, social media included.
- The city decides where. The registration application must include a document from the municipality confirming that the use complies with its zoning (Tourist Accommodation Act, s. 5). A notice of non-compliance prevents the application from being filed.
- The principal residence is protected, but not without limits. Since March 25, 2023, a municipal by-law can prohibit renting out a principal residence only through a zoning amendment adopted under an adapted referendum procedure (s. 23). Several cities have done it, zone by zone.
- Principal residence means where you actually live. It is the address you give to most government departments and bodies. Since September 1, 2026, two proofs of principal residence are required at registration and at renewal.
- In a condo, the syndicate signs every year. You need the declaration of co-ownership allowing the operation or the syndicate's authorization, and since September 1, 2026 that consent is required at every renewal, not only the first time.
- Registration does not transfer. A seller's Airbnb income was earned under their file. The buyer starts over, under the rules in force on the day of the application.
The detail, section by section: Quebec's 2026 short-term rental rules, what changed on September 1, 2026, Airbnb in a condo and the fines.
Before making an offer in La Malbaie
- The zone of the address, not the city. In La Malbaie as elsewhere, the rule changes from one zone to the next. Ask the planning department for the exact zone and the use grid, or for the zoning compliance notice, before the offer.
- The declaration of co-ownership. For a condo, read the clause on rentals and the building's destination: a syndicate can refuse, and must now consent at every renewal.
- The seller's certificate. If the seller already operates, ask for the registration certificate (class, expiry date, number of units), not just the number. It will not be transferred to you.
- The return without Airbnb. Price the property as if short-term rental became impossible tomorrow: it is the only assumption that does not depend on a by-law or a syndicate vote. Our five checks before buying to rent short-term set out the order.
Property taxes in La Malbaie:
The tax bill, increase and rate published by the city for 2026, the assessment roll year and the school tax, with sources.
Frequently asked questions
Can you do Airbnb in La Malbaie?
Only in some zones for your principal residence. For a unit bought to be rented year-round (tourist residence), only in specific zones.
Do you need a permit to rent on Airbnb in La Malbaie?
We found no municipal permit specific to short-term rental. In every case, provincial registration ($54 or $156 a year) and the municipal zoning compliance document are mandatory.
Can you buy a condo to rent on Airbnb in La Malbaie?
Yes, if the zone allows it and if the declaration of co-ownership or the syndicate authorizes it. For a condo that is not your principal residence, the municipal tourist-residence rule also applies: only in specific zones.
What does a property cost in La Malbaie in 2026?
House (single-family): $280,000 at the 2026 median, from 75 sales, +87% since 2019. Condo: too few sales in 2026 (2) for a reliable median price.
All cities side by side: Airbnb in Quebec, the rules of 74 cities.
Sources
Municipal rules in La Malbaie checked on October 19, 2026:
- Nouvelle règlementation à venir afin d'encadrer les établissements de résidence principale et la location touristique (official source, in French, 2023-02-13)
- Avis 20240312, second projet de règlement 1383-24 (official source, in French, 2024-03-12)
- Avis 20260608, promulgation des règlements 1455-26 à 1462-26 (official source, in French, 2026-06-08)
- La Malbaie tranche : 7 permis de résidences touristiques dans le secteur des Éperviers (press, in French, 2024-07-08)
- Avis 20240403 : Promulgation des règlements nos 1383-24, 1384-24 et 1385-24 (other source, in French, 2024-04-02)
Quebec framework:
- Tourist Accommodation Act (CQLR, c. H-1.01), ss. 5, 23 and 52 (LégisQuébec, current to August 12, 2026)
- Tourist Accommodation Regulation (H-1.01, r. 1) (LégisQuébec, current to July 1, 2026)
- Registering a tourist accommodation establishment (in French) (Québec.ca, updated September 24, 2026)
Prices: Centris (Matrix), Statistics module, query of October 19, 2026 for all of La Malbaie, Single-family and Condominium categories, median sale price and number of sales per year; 2026 since January; years with fewer than 10 sales left blank; compiled by the Loaa & Manseur team, aggregates only. This page informs: it is neither legal nor tax advice, and a by-law can change after the date it was checked.
Also available in French: version française de ce guide.
Published September 7, 2026 by the Loaa & Manseur team, the number 1 team at RE/MAX Platine in 2024 and 2025, 6th RE/MAX team in Quebec, 15th in Canada and in the global top 50 according to the official RE/MAX ranking. Tell us about your project.