Airbnb · Saint-Donat · 2026 rules
Can you rent out your principal residence on Airbnb in Saint-Donat, 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.
We found no municipal restriction on renting out a principal residence in Saint-Donat; buying a unit to rent it on Airbnb year-round (tourist residence) is possible only in specific zones. To buy, count on $556,000 for a house at the 2026 median price (Centris). Rules checked on October 19, 2026.
The short answer
We found no municipal restriction on renting out a principal residence in Saint-Donat; buying a unit to rent it on Airbnb year-round (tourist residence) is possible only in specific zones. To buy, count on $556,000 for a house at the 2026 median price (Centris).
Renting out your principal residence in Saint-Donat: no municipal restriction found
We found no restriction adopted by the city on renting out a principal residence. No rule in force confirmed. Draft by-laws 23-1170 and then 24-1190 (second draft adopted May 6, 2024) planned to authorize principal residence establishments throughout the territory, in accordance with the Tourist Accommodation Act, with conditions (rental in the main building, no recreational vehicle, yurt or tent on the lot, capacity tied to the septic system); final adoption was not found.
By default, Quebec law prevents a municipal by-law from prohibiting the rental of a principal residence unless it was adopted under the adapted referendum procedure (s. 23). Before counting on it, have the zone of the address confirmed by the planning department: it issues the zoning compliance document required for registration.
Buying to rent year-round in Saint-Donat: 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.
According to the Municipality, short-term rental (tourist residence) is permitted only in designated areas: zones UR-C1, UR-C10, UR-H6, UR-H13, UR-H14, UR-H15, UR-P4, UR-P9 and RECI-6 (articles 4.2.2.4 and 14.3 of zoning by-law 15-924). In a residential zone, only in a detached single-family building. The 2024 expansion proposal (conditional use in other zones) was withdrawn.
The by-law in Saint-Donat
- By-law: Zoning By-law 15-924 (in force January 9, 2017), articles 4.2.2.4 and 14.3; by-law on permits and certificates 15-925
- Municipal permit or certificate: Certificate of change of use: $50; municipal compliance attestation for the CITQ: $50 (45-day processing time for the Municipality).
- Recent change: By-laws 24-1187-1, 24-1187-2 and 24-1189-1 (adopted October 21, 2024), which would have permitted tourist residences as a conditional use in other zones, were withdrawn on December 10, 2024, after the number of signatures required for a referendum was reached during the registers of October 27, 2024. The previous rules therefore remain in place.
What buying costs in Saint-Donat
- House (single-family): $556,000 at the 2026 median, from 96 sales, +114% since 2019.
- Condo: too few sales in 2026 (11) for a reliable median price.
| Year | House, median price | Sales | Condo, median price | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | $240,000 | 121 | n/a | 2 |
| 2017 | $237,000 | 118 | n/a | 3 |
| 2018 | $244,000 | 134 | n/a | 4 |
| 2019 | $260,000 | 153 | $325,000 | 12 |
| 2020 | $302,500 | 207 | n/a | 8 |
| 2021 | $372,000 | 124 | n/a | 7 |
| 2022 | $475,000 | 105 | n/a | 9 |
| 2023 | $443,000 | 90 | n/a | 9 |
| 2024 | $560,000 | 129 | $510,000 | 13 |
| 2025 | $575,750 | 143 | $490,000 | 16 |
| 2026 (since January) | $556,000 | 96 | $440,000 | 11 |
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 Saint-Donat
- The zone of the address, not the city. In Saint-Donat 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.
Our other pages in Saint-Donat:
Each page is built from actual Centris sales and listings, aggregates only.
Property taxes in Saint-Donat:
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 Saint-Donat?
We found no municipal restriction for your principal residence, and Quebec law protects it by default. 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 Saint-Donat?
Certificate of change of use: $50; municipal compliance attestation for the CITQ: $50 (45-day processing time for the Municipality). 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 Saint-Donat?
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 Saint-Donat in 2026?
House (single-family): $556,000 at the 2026 median, from 96 sales, +114% since 2019. Condo: too few sales in 2026 (11) for a reliable median price.
All cities side by side: Airbnb in Quebec, the rules of 74 cities.
Sources
Municipal rules in Saint-Donat checked on October 19, 2026:
- Demande de permis, Municipalité de Saint-Donat (official source, in French, 2026)
- Avis public, retrait des règlements sur les résidences de tourisme (official source, in French, 2024-12-19)
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 Saint-Donat, 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.