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This tutorial is for new accommodation operators. Existing accommodation operators looking for information on how to RENEW their license, check the “How to Renew an Accommodation License” in the Help Centre.

New Applicant to Licensed Accommodation Operator Journey

1.   Pre-Application
2.   Apply for Accommodation License Through Self-Serve Portal
3.   Pay Invoice for Initial Inspection
4.   Quality Tourism Services (QTS) Inspection
5.   Pay Invoice for Accommodation License
6.   Print Copy of License

This guide will walk you through the process of becoming a licensed accommodation in PEI’s Tourism Industry. It will provide information at each step of the application journey to help you better understand what you need to do and what happens next.

Pre-Application

1.   Pre-Application
2.   Apply for Accommodation License Through Self-Serve Portal
3.   Pay Invoice for Initial Inspection
4.   Quality Tourism Services (QTS) Inspection
5.   Pay Invoice for Accommodation License
6.   Print Copy of License

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

BEFORE applying for an accommodation license, there are a few tasks and requirements to have completed first.

1. You Must be the Accommodation Owner or Have Signing Authority
Many accommodations hire property managers to help manage their accommodation business. However, accommodation license applications must be completed by the owner of the business. In the case of a corporation, the person applying needs to have signing authority.

2. Register your Business with the PEI Business/Corporate Registry
You can acquire your PEI Business Registry Number at the Province of Prince Edward Island Business/Corporate Registry. If you don't have a PEI Business Registry number, you can register a new business here. This will ensure no one else but you can use your unique business name.

3. Letter of Municipal Approval
If your property is located within a municipality with planning authority, you must have their approval first. The following links can help with this step:

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING MUNICIPAL APPROVAL - if your accommodation falls outside the boundaries of these municipalities then you won’t need to complete this pre-step. However, it is your responsibility to ensure proper building permits are acquired as well as land use laws are abided by. Contact the Department of Housing, Land and Communities for information on land use regulation and approval.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Once you have the above items complete, you are ready to officially apply for your accommodation license.

Apply for Accommodation License Through Self-Serve Portal

1.   Pre-Application
2.   Apply for Accommodation License Through Self-Serve Portal
3.   Pay Invoice for Initial Inspection
4.   Quality Tourism Services (QTS) Inspection
5.   Pay Invoice for Accommodation License
6.   Print Copy of License

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO

Sign into the self-serve portal at www.tourismpeidynamics.com with your email and password. If you are reading this Help Centre article, then there’s a good chance you’ve already done this.

From the home screen, click on MY ESTABLISHMENTS.

Under the "My Accommodations" section, click on APPLY FOR ACCOMMODATION LICENSE

Review the New Accommodation License Application Background Information and select the acknowledgement option that applies to you and your business. Click NEXT.

Fill out the New Accommodation License Application. It is made up of the following sections:

Operator Information (Legal Entity) – this is where you enter the legal information for your business. In the case of Sole Proprietorships/Partnerships, this would be the property owner(s) information. This was one of the requirements to have complete prior to applying. (See above for additional information).
Business Address – this is where you would enter the address for a head office or mailing address for the business (not necessarily the physical address of the rental property). You will be able to enter the physical address for the accommodation on the next page. For all address sections simply type in the first box to activate the auto lookup feature. Then click on the appropriate address to auto populate the rest of the fields. This feature can be disabled by clicking the check box to manually enter an address.
Establishment Information – enter the Establishment Name, Property Identification Number (PID), as well as the Touring Region and Community. If you are having trouble locating your PID, try checking your tax assessment documents or PEI's Civic Address Locator.
Property/Marketing Manager Information – if you have a designated property or marketing manager, enter their contact information here. Tourism PEI staff can invite them into the Self-Serve Portal (or they can sign up on their own) and link them to your Accommodation. Selecting “Yes” under “Property Manager Same as Operator” will auto populate your contact information here. This is set to “No” by default.
Primary Accommodation – in this section you can select your primary accommodation type from the drop-down list. Enter the number of units/suites that will be guest-ready prior to inspection. A Quality Tourism Services Inspector will verify this on site.
Email, Phone Numbers & Dates – this section is for contact info that the public would have access to. This information will also be displayed on www.tourismpei.com unless you choose to opt out of this advertising. Lastly, enter your dates of operation for the business. This can be changed at any time through a Service Request.
Amenities and Accreditations – check off the amenities your accommodation offers as well as the accreditation programs you are currently enrolled in. These will be verified by a Quality Tourism Services Officer during initial inspection.
Upload Municipal Letter/License – this was the other requirement to have completed prior to starting the application process. CHOOSE FILE and select your municipal approval file (if applicable).

Click NEXT.

On this page, enter the physical address where the accommodation is located.

Click NEXT.

With your accommodation license, you will receive a Basic Free Web Listing that will be advertised on www.tourismpei.com. This includes a 500-character description, one photo, the contact information supplied on the previous page, a link to the accommodation’s website as well as your booking link.

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING WEB LISTINGS - you do not need to set up this listing at this time. You will be able to set up this Basic Free Web Listing through the self-serve portal at any time. You will also be able to purchase advanced and package listings as well. Listings will not show up on the industry site until license is issued.

After you've filled out your Basic Free Web Listing, or if you've decided you will do this later, click NEXT.

Confirm acknowledgements by checking the appropriate box. Once all acknowledgements are confirmed, click NEXT.

WHAT’S NEXT?

With that step completed, you are ready to pay the first of two invoices required for a new accommodation license.

Pay Invoice for Initial Inspection

1.   Pre-Application
2.   Apply for Accommodation License Through Self-Serve Portal
3.   Pay Invoice for Initial Inspection
4.   Quality Tourism Services (QTS) Inspection
5.   Pay Invoice for Accommodation License
6.   Print Copy of License

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO

This invoice is for your initial inspection fee. A Quality Tourism Standards officer will inspect your accommodation to help with industry standards and regulation compliance. Although accommodations are routinely inspected on an annual basis, this invoice is a one-time payment that all new properties pay for their first inspection.

Click PAY NOW.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Once this invoice is paid, your application will now be officially submitted to Tourism PEI where it will be completely reviewed.

If your application is filled out completely and meet all requirements, you will immediately move on to the next step. QTS will be notified by Tourism PEI staff that your application review is complete, and they can proceed with contacting you to book your inspection.

If your application is missing information and/or doesn’t meet all requirements, Tourism PEI will notify you via email. The application will not move past the review stage until all missing information is clarified and all requirements are met.

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS. The three items from the “Pre-Application” section are by far the most common reasons applications are incomplete. Operators who apply without these items complete end up facing significant delays in acquiring their license. The Initial Inspection Fee is also non-refundable.

Quality Tourism Services (QTS) Inspection

1.   Pre-Application
2.   Apply for Accommodation License Through Self-Serve Portal
3.   Pay Invoice for Initial Inspection
4.   Quality Tourism Services (QTS) Inspection
5.   Pay Invoice for Accommodation License
6.   Print Copy of License

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

New operators will be contacted by Quality Tourism Services shortly after the Initial Inspection Invoice is paid. During this call, they will book a date and time to complete the initial inspection. They can also provide information to you on what is required to pass this inspection. All requirements can also be found in the Tourism Industry Act & Regulations.

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING QTS INSPECTION – be sure to have a clear bacterial water sample result prior to your inspection appointment (if you are on private water supply). This is a step you can have completed well in advance. Besides meeting all requirements in the regulations, you will want to have the accommodation “guest-ready” when the inspector arrives so they can offer the best guidance on industry standards.

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING RENEWING AN APPLICATION – Tourism Accommodation Licenses expire after one year (all expire on March 31^st). This means renewing operators are required to have a yearly reinspection. The difference between this inspection is that it is not required to take place before accepting guest. QTS will reach out to book this inspection as well.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Once you pass inspection you will be able to pay your license invoice and become a licensed accommodation.

Pay Invoice for Accommodation License

1.   Pre-Application
2.   Apply for Accommodation License Through Self-Serve Portal
3.   Pay Invoice for Initial Inspection
4.   Quality Tourism Services (QTS) Inspection
5.   Pay Invoice for Accommodation License
6.   Print Copy of License

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

The invoice amount will be determined by the type of accommodation and number of units you have. The good news is both items will be confirmed during the previous step by the QTS inspector. The fee structure is below:

Rental Unit/Travel Trailer/RV Rental

1 to 4 Units - $155
5 Units and Over - $250 + $6.50/per Unit

Campground or RV Park

1 to 100 Sites - $210
101 to 250 Sites - $300
251 to 500 Sites - $325
501 Sites and Over - $415
Camping cabins pay base campground fee only; cabins counted as additional sites.

While logged into your Operator Self-Serve profile, click on MY ESTABLISHMENTS, and then select your accommodation.