To get a hotel room in Canada, you generally have to be 18 or 19, depending on the province or territory where the hotel sits. That’s the age of majority, the point at which you can sign a binding contract like a reservation. Individual hotels can set the bar higher, and some require guests to be 21.
Age of Majority by Province and Territory
Canada has no single national age of adulthood. Each province and territory sets its own, producing a two-tier system.
The age of majority is 18 in:
- Alberta1CanLII. Age of Majority Act, RSA 2000, c A-6
- Manitoba
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Quebec
- Saskatchewan
It’s 19 in:
- British Columbia2BC Laws. Age of Majority Act
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Nova Scotia
- Northwest Territories
- Nunavut
- Yukon
The rule that applies is the one where the hotel is located, not where you live. An 18-year-old from Ontario who books a room in British Columbia is a minor at that front desk and may not be able to check in alone.
When Hotels Set the Bar Higher Than the Law
Reaching the age of majority clears the legal hurdle. It doesn’t guarantee a room. Some hotels require guests to be 21 to check in, especially resorts, party-adjacent properties, and places that have dealt with damage or noise complaints from younger guests.
Chain policies aren’t as uniform as travelers expect. Marriott states that the minimum check-in age is set by each individual property rather than by corporate headquarters.3Marriott Bonvoy. What is the Minimum Age Required to Check-In One Marriott location may check you in at 18 while another in the same city requires 21. The same pattern holds across most major brands.
Call the specific hotel before you book. Ask their minimum check-in age directly. Age policies listed on third-party booking sites don’t always match what the individual property enforces.
If a Hotel Refuses You After You’ve Reached the Age of Majority
If you’ve hit the legal age and a hotel still turns you away because you “look too young” or because of a blanket 21-and-up policy, provincial human rights law may work in your favor.
Ontario’s Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination in accommodation based on age, and it defines “age” as 18 years or older.4Ontario.ca. Human Rights Code, RSO 1990, c H19 The Ontario Human Rights Commission has confirmed that this protection extends to services and facilities, which covers hotel rooms.5Ontario Human Rights Commission. Policy on Discrimination Against Older People Because of Age An Ontario hotel that refuses a legal adult solely for being 18 or 19 rather than 21 could be engaging in age discrimination.
British Columbia’s Human Rights Code offers similar protections, with the threshold matching the province’s higher age of majority. It protects people 19 and older from age discrimination, and the protection explicitly covers short-term accommodation like hotel rooms.6Government of British Columbia. Age Discrimination Fact Sheet – Human Rights in BC Other provinces have comparable provisions in their own human rights legislation.
A hotel can still refuse you for other reasons: a maxed-out card, disruptive behavior, a fully booked property. But a policy that categorically excludes adults who have reached the age of majority based on age alone may not survive a human rights complaint. Whether a complaint is worth filing over one stay is a separate call, but the right itself gives you something to raise at the front desk.
The Credit Card Problem
Even when your age checks out, the payment method often doesn’t. Most Canadian hotels place an authorization hold on a credit card at check-in to cover incidentals and damages. Holds of $100 to $200 per night are typical. Many hotels won’t accept a debit card or prepaid card for that hold, and getting approved for a traditional Canadian credit card generally requires reaching the age of majority.
Prepaid cards are the most likely to be rejected. The hold needs to block funds beyond the room cost, and most prepaid cards don’t support that. Visa- or Mastercard-branded debit cards are sometimes accepted, but this varies by property. If you’re 18 or 19 and only have a debit card, confirm in advance the hotel will accept it. Otherwise you can arrive with a valid reservation and still fail to check in.
One workaround is having a parent or another adult call the hotel and provide their credit card for the hold. Not every hotel allows this, but many will if the cardholder authorizes the charge over the phone or in writing. A few budget chains and independent properties will take cash deposits, though that’s increasingly rare.
ID at Check-In
Every Canadian hotel will ask for government-issued photo identification, and the name on the ID has to match the name on the reservation. A passport, driver’s license, or provincial or territorial photo ID card is normally accepted. If someone else made the booking for you, bring the confirmation in their name and, ideally, a note from the cardholder.
U.S. citizens traveling to Canada should carry a valid passport, passport card, or NEXUS card.7U.S. Department of State. Canada Travel Advisory A U.S. driver’s license alone won’t get you across the border.
Options If You’re Below the Age of Majority
If you’re 17 in Alberta or 18 in British Columbia, you’re under the legal threshold and most hotels won’t check you in. You still have a few paths.
The simplest is having a parent or guardian book and pay for the room and either accompany you or authorize your stay in writing. Some hotels will let a minor occupy a room reserved by an adult if they have written authorization on file. There’s no standard form. Call the property and ask what they need.
If you’re crossing the border without both parents, the Government of Canada recommends anyone under 19 carry a signed consent letter from the absent parent or guardian. It should include the child’s name, the parents’ contact information, the accompanying adult’s details, and the travel dates. A notarized signature carries more weight than a photocopy or unsigned letter at the border.8Government of Canada. Consent Letter for Children Travelling Outside Canada
Quebec is a special case. A minor there who has been granted simple emancipation by a court can sign contracts independently, including leases of up to three years. Full emancipation gives a minor the same legal capacity as an adult. Other provinces don’t have a comparable formal process.
Short-Term Rentals and Hostels
Airbnb requires users to be at least 18 to create an account and book a listing, regardless of province.9Airbnb. Age Guidelines for Airbnb Services and Experiences An 18-year-old in a province where the age of majority is 19 can technically sign up but still lacks the legal capacity to enter a binding contract under provincial law. The legal risk of a dispute falls on the minor.
Hostels tend to be more flexible than hotels. Many Canadian hostels accept guests aged 16 or 17 with parental consent, though policies vary. For a younger traveler on a budget, calling hostels directly is often the fastest way to a confirmed bed.