Applying for a Short-Term Rental License
or Building a Legal Secondary Suite?
We provide official Septic Capacity Assessments for business licenses
and building permits across all Okanagan districts.
Does Your Septic System Meet the New STR & Legal Secondary Suite Rules?
To obtain a business license for a Short-Term Rental (Airbnb, VRBO) or a building permit for a Secondary Suite
(often referred to as a legal suite, carriage house, or basement suite) in the Okanagan, you may have to prove that your existing onsite wastewater system is legally sized to handle the increased occupancy.
Adding guests or permanent tenants significantly increases the “Daily Design Flow” of your property.
Local bylaws and planning departments may require verification from an Authorized Person (ROWP)
that your system can handle this increased load without risking failure or environmental damage.
We focus on Compliance & Capacity
Affordable Septic Systems provides the technical sizing verification that may be required by your local government.
We can analyze your system’s legal capacity against your proposed rental plans or suite addition.
Our STR Assessment Process: Simple, Transparent & Efficient
We have streamlined the process to save you time and money.
Please follow the steps below to get started:
STEP 1
Obtain Your Official Septic Record (Required)
Before we can calculate your system’s capacity, we need to verify exactly what is installed underground.
The Interior Health Authority (IH) holds these official records. You must retrieve this document first.
Please be aware that IH charges a fee for this search, which is non-refundable even if no records are found (common with older or unpermitted systems).
Visit the Interior Health Portal:
Find the Section:
Scroll down to locate the section titled “Locate an on-site sewage record”.
Follow the Instructions:
Complete the 3 steps listed there (Fill Request Form -> Submit to Email -> Pay the ~$50 IH administrative fee).
Note: This administrative fee is paid directly to Interior Health, not to us.
STEP 2
Free Pre-Assessment
Once you receive your documents from Interior Health, simply email them to us.
You don’t need to provide all the details right now. We will reply with a few specific questions regarding your house size and rental goals. We will review your IH file and assess your specific needs for FREE.
STEP 3
Free Pre-Assessment
Based on the technical review, we will propose one of two paths:
Path A:
System is Compliant
If your existing system is large enough to support your requested occupancy, we will issue the official Capacity Assessment Letter required for your license applications.
This service is provided for a standard nominal fee.
Path B:
System Needs an Upgrade
If your system is undersized for your specific requirements, we will provide a Design Proposal to expand your system to meet regulations. This ensures you can operate your rental or suite legally and safely for years to come.
Ready to list your property or build your suite?
Don’t let paperwork delay your booking season or construction project.
Once you have your Interior Health records, contact us for your
Free Pre-Assessment.