California Airbnb & Short-Term Rental Laws 2026
LawfulStay tracks short-term rental (STR / Airbnb / Vrbo / holiday let / vacation rental) regulations for 98 jurisdictions across California. Select a city below for current permit requirements, tax rates, and compliance details.
California at a glance
- Places tracked
- 98 places: 16 active, 6 conditional, 63 restricted, 13 banned
- License or registration
- Required in 84 of 97 local places
- Tax on stays
- Applies in 90 of 97 local places
- State law
- No statewide STR license required. Statewide rules ›
California short-term rental questions
Are short-term rentals legal in California?
In 85 of the 98 places we track in California, short-term rentals are allowed, 69 of them with permit conditions or limits. They are banned in Oakland, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Irvine, Monterey, Beverly Hills.
Do I need a license for a short-term rental in California?
84 of 97 local places we track in California require a license, permit or registration. Check your city's page for its rules.
Is there a statewide short-term rental law in California?
No statewide STR license required.
Which places in California have the strictest rules?
On our records: Oakland, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Irvine, Monterey, Beverly Hills, Napa County.
Counties in California
Compare every California market
Status, licensing, fees, taxes, night caps and penalties for all 98 places in one table, with CSV export and full audits.
State Access →California Airbnb & Vacation Rental Regulation Overview
The short-term rental regulatory landscape in California encompasses 98 tracked jurisdictions: 16 with active regulations, 6 where rentals are allowed with conditions, 63 with restrictions, 13 where STRs are banned. Hosts operating on platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com should verify local requirements before listing, as rules vary significantly between cities and regions.
84 of 98 tracked jurisdictions in California require some form of permit, license, or registration for short-term rental operations. Requirements range from simple online registration to comprehensive permit applications with inspections.
Tax obligations apply in 93 of 98 jurisdictions. Common taxes include occupancy taxes, tourist levies, and sales taxes. Many jurisdictions require hosts to register for tax collection, and some platforms like Airbnb collect and remit taxes automatically in select locations.
Notable jurisdictions where short-term rentals are currently banned or heavily restricted include Oakland, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Irvine. Hosts should check these listings for details on specific prohibitions and any exceptions that may apply.
LawfulStay monitors California STR regulations daily and updates this page as rules change. Each city page includes detailed permit requirements, fee schedules, tax rates, zoning rules, and penalty information sourced from official government websites.
Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills has implemented a ban on short-term and vacation rentals
Calistoga
Calistoga prohibits renting homes for less than 30 days in all residential zones, and the City actively enforces the ban, including by monitoring rental websites
Capitola
Capitola allows short-term (vacation) rentals only inside its small -VRU overlay around Capitola Village and bans them, including ADUs, everywhere else
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Short-term rentals under 30 days are prohibited in Carmel-by-the-Sea's single-family R-1 district, which covers its residential neighborhoods
Concord
Short-term rentals (fewer than 30 days) are banned citywide in Concord, California, including renting a room and listing on Airbnb or VRBO
Corona
Corona allowed permitted STRs from 2017 but banned them from October 18, 2023
Coronado
Coronado prohibits renting any dwelling in a residential zone for 25 consecutive days or less, so the minimum stay is 26 days
Irvine
Irvine prohibits all short-term rentals (fewer than 31 consecutive days) in every residential zone, and advertising one is also a violation
Monterey
Short-term rentals are banned in the City of Monterey: any house rental of less than 30 days is illegal, and advertising one is prohibited under MCC 22-19.5
Napa County
Short-term vacation rentals (under 30 days) are banned in unincorporated Napa County
Oakland
Oakland, California prohibits renting homes, apartments, condos, rooms and ADUs for under 30 days
Rancho Mirage
Rancho Mirage has banned all short-term rentals of 27 days or less in every zone since July 1, 2022, including room rentals and home sharing
West Hollywood
West Hollywood bans renting any dwelling unit, whole or in part, for 30 days or less, except licensed home sharing of a room while the host lives there
Alhambra
Alhambra allows short-term rentals only with an annual City STR permit and business license, capped at 500 permits citywide
Anaheim
Anaheim bans new short-term rentals
Berkeley
Berkeley, California requires a Short-Term Rental Zoning Certificate, the host's primary residence, $1,000,000 liability insurance and a 90-night yearly limit on unhosted stays
Big Bear Lake
A City of Big Bear Lake Vacation Rental License is required for rentals of 28 or fewer consecutive days and must be renewed every year
Carlsbad
Carlsbad allows short-term vacation rentals only on residentially zoned property in the Coastal Zone or the La Costa Resort and Spa Master Plan area; they are prohibited in the rest of the city
Cathedral City
Cathedral City phased out whole-home short-term rentals on January 1, 2023
Claremont
Homesharing is a one-year pilot program; vacation rentals (not the owner's primary residence) are prohibited and get no permit
Dana Point
Dana Point requires an annual city STR Permit with an inspection, $1 million liability insurance and a city TOT certificate
Del Mar
Ordinance in effect since February 5, 2026 with a 129-unit cap that is already full; new owners are waitlisted
Desert Hot Springs
Desert Hot Springs limits the total number of vacation rentals in the city to no more than 4% of all housing parcels with completed developed housing units
El Dorado County
Unincorporated El Dorado County requires a VHR or HHR permit for stays of 30 days or less, with a 900-permit cap in the Tahoe Basin and a 500-foot spacing buffer countywide
Encinitas
Encinitas allows short-term rentals of 30 days or less only in single-family and two-family homes with a city permit; multi-family units and accessory dwelling units are excluded
Fairfax
Registration with town required
Goleta
Goleta adopted amendments to its short-term vacation rental rules on May 19, 2026, in effect June 19, 2026
Half Moon Bay
Half Moon Bay, California requires City registration of every short-term rental, the operator's primary residence (with a narrow continuation for STRs operating before October 14, 2022), a 60-night yearly limit on…
Healdsburg
Whole-unit vacation rentals allowed only in the downtown CD zone with a Conditional Use Permit; not allowed in residential zones
Huntington Beach
Hosted (owner on site) rentals only, except grandfathered unhosted permits in Sunset Beach; one permit per host; 10% TOT plus TBID
Indian Wells
New Indian Wells short-term rental licenses carry a 29-night minimum stay all year, except a 7-night minimum around the annual tennis tournament
La Quinta
La Quinta has not issued new whole-home vacation rental permits since May 20, 2021, except in resort, tourist commercial, village commercial and similar exempt areas, and the freeze takes a four-fifths council vote to…
Laguna Beach
Capped at 300 units (plus 165 home-share) and limited to commercial/mixed-use zones; a separate unit license has been required since July 1, 2025 (enforced from October 1, 2025)
Long Beach
Long Beach requires an annual City STR registration for stays of 30 nights or less
Los Angeles
Only the host's primary residence may be rented short-term in the City of Los Angeles, for up to 120 days a year or year-round with Extended Home-Sharing
Los Angeles County
Unincorporated LA County allows STRs only in the host's primary residence, where the host must live at least 275 days a year
Mammoth Lakes
Mammoth Lakes allows nightly rentals only in its Commercial, RMF-2, Resort and Specific Plan zones
Manhattan Beach
Banned in residential zones outside the Coastal Zone; allowed inside the Coastal Zone with a business license and TOT since the 2022 Court of Appeal ruling
Marin County (unincorporated)
Unincorporated Marin requires a two-year County STR license, caps licenses at 1,200 countywide and by township in West Marin (wait lists apply), allows one license per owner and bars new STRs in ADUs, condos and…
Marina
Marina allows short-term rentals only in the owner's primary residence, for up to 180 nights a year, with no more than 50 permits issued per fiscal year and a 55-foot spacing rule
Monterey County
Unincorporated Monterey County licenses three kinds of vacation rental: homestays (a resident on site), limited rentals (three stays per 12 months) and commercial rentals, which need a discretionary permit, are capped…
Morro Bay
Morro Bay requires an annual short-term rental permit, a business license and a TOT account
Murrieta
Murrieta caps short-term vacation rentals at 300 permits
Napa
The City of Napa caps vacation rentals at 41 whole-house (non-hosted) and 60 hosted permits
National City
National City licenses short-term rentals through an online portal
Newport Beach
Permits are capped at 1,550 and no new permits are issued until the count drops below that, so new owners join a waitlist
Oakley
Oakley, California allows only hosted short-term rentals in the owner's primary residence, with an annual City permit, a business license, TOT registration, a two-night minimum and two overnight guests per bedroom
Oceanside
New non-hosted STRs banned outside the Coastal Zone since February 2024; a 480-permit coastal cap is adopted but not yet certified by the Coastal Commission
Pacific Grove
Pacific Grove allows whole-home short-term rentals only in its Coastal and Commercial areas, after voters banned them in residential districts outside the coastal zone with Measure M in 2018
Pacifica
Pacifica requires an STR permit and caps permits at 150 citywide
Palm Desert
Palm Desert requires a yearly City permit for any rental of 27 nights or less
Palm Springs
One vacation rental per owner, a 20% cap on certificated homes in each neighborhood, and an annual cap of 26 contracts (36 for certificates from before October 2022, 6 for Junior certificates)
Paso Robles
Paso Robles requires a short-term rental permit for both homeshares and non-hosted rentals
Pismo Beach
Pismo Beach stopped issuing new short-term rental licenses on November 7, 2023 (Ordinance O-2023-006)
Placer County
Governs the unincorporated North Lake Tahoe region (Kings Beach, Tahoe City, Olympic Valley)
Sacramento
The City of Sacramento requires an STR permit, a $50 hotel business tax account and 12% TOT for every stay of 30 days or less
Sacramento County
Unincorporated Sacramento County allows STRs only as an accessory use in the primary residence of the owner or a long-term tenant, who must live there at least 6 months a year
San Clemente
San Clemente permits short-term lodging (29 nights or less) only in mapped mixed-use and multi-family areas, where less than 20% of units may be short-term rentals; most single-family neighborhoods are excluded
San Diego
Four license tiers
San Francisco
Host must live in the unit at least 275 nights a year; 90-night yearly limit when the host is away; $925 application fee every two years; registration number on every listing; 14% hotel tax plus a 2% to 2.25% tourism…
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo allows only homestays, short-term rentals of an owner-occupied home, with a Homestay Permit and business license
San Mateo
Citywide registration for every STR at $250 a year
Santa Barbara
On October 27, 2026 the Santa Barbara City Council adopted two ordinances that create a Short-Term Rental/Homeshare License for any rental of 30 consecutive days or less
Santa Barbara County
In the unincorporated parts of Santa Barbara County outside the Coastal Zone (the Inland Area), it is illegal to advertise or rent a home for 30 days or less without first getting a county short-term rental or homestay…
Santa Cruz
The City of Santa Cruz allows owner-occupied (hosted) short-term rentals with a permit, up to 250 citywide, and issues no new non-hosted or ADU-property permits; existing grandfathered non-hosted rentals may continue
Santa Monica
Santa Monica allows only hosted home-sharing: the host rents rooms in their own primary residence and stays on site for the whole visit, with a City permit and business license
Solano County
Applies to unincorporated Solano County only; the cities (Vallejo, Vacaville, Fairfield, Benicia and others) have their own rules
Solvang
Solvang requires a city permit for every rental of 30 days or less
Sonoma
The City of Sonoma does not allow new vacation rentals
Sonoma County
Unincorporated Sonoma County requires a zoning permit and an annual license for every whole-home vacation rental, managed by a county-certified property manager
South Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe requires a VHR permit for whole-home rentals under 30 days and a Hosted Rental Permit when the owner stays on site
St. Helena
St. Helena caps short-term rentals at 25 permits citywide and keeps a waiting list; the April 2026 list shows 23 issued
Truckee
Truckee caps whole-home short-term rentals at 1,255 certificates and the cap is full, so new operators join a waitlist (about 19.6 months as of October 2026)
Twentynine Palms
Twentynine Palms requires a yearly City vacation home rental license and business license, caps licenses at 500 detached single-family homes and five per owner, and requires $1 million liability insurance, a septic…
Ventura
Ventura regulates STVRs and homestays citywide, which the Coastal Commission certified with modifications on March 11, 2026 (LCP-4-SBV-25-0043-1)
Yucca Valley
Yucca Valley requires a Town short-term vacation rental permit, business registration and TOT certificate, caps permits at 10% of detached single-family homes (791 in 2026) with a waiting list, and charges 12% TOT
Bakersfield
Allowed, but an authority can refuse the permit.
Joshua Tree
County STR permit required. $1,144 new permit ($600 application + $285 permit + $259 notification). $550 renewal. 7% TOT; no TBID applies
Lake Arrowhead
Lake Arrowhead is unincorporated, so the San Bernardino County STR permit applies, not a city ordinance
Mendocino County (unincorporated)
Unincorporated Mendocino County has no stand-alone STR ordinance
San Bernardino County (unincorporated)
County STR permit required in the unincorporated Mountain and Desert Regions only. $1,144 new permit; $550 renewal with no changes. 7% TOT (Measure K increase to 11% failed in 2024)
Visalia
Citywide STR permit from the Planning Division, plus a business tax certificate and the 10% TOT
Alameda
Alameda, California has no short-term rental permit rule in force: renting is legal without City approval, subject to the 14% transient occupancy tax and TOT registration
Eureka
Eureka allows short-term rentals with city permits: inland Vacation Rentals (whole homes or rooms) and coastal Vacation Dwelling Units (entire units)
Fresno
Fresno requires a $50 annual STR permit, a prior zone clearance and 14% lodging tax (12% TOT plus 2% TBID)
La Mesa
La Mesa has no short-term rental permit, business license requirement or city hotel tax for short-term vacation rentals
La Puente
La Puente's interim moratorium on short-term rentals expired by its own terms in March 2026
Malibu
Malibu allows short-term rentals (30 days or less) only with an annual City STR Permit
Nevada City
Nevada City allows short-term rentals of single-family homes through an annual registration created by a 2015 voter initiative (NC Hosts)
Orange County
Orange County requires property owners to obtain a short-term rental permit from the Director before renting any dwelling unit or part thereof on a short-term basis
Port Hueneme
Allowed. The only duty is a notice or registration that nobody has to approve.
Riverside
The City of Riverside allows short-term rentals in legally permitted homes with a Business Tax Certificate and 13% TOT
Riverside County (Unincorporated)
Allowed. The only duty is a notice or registration that nobody has to approve.
San Bernardino
This record covers the City of San Bernardino only
San Jose
San Jose uses the term 'Incidental Transient Occupancy' rather than 'short-term rental.' No separate standalone STR permit beyond business tax certificate, but all operators must register with city and obtain a Business…
California (statewide)
No statewide STR license required
The Sea Ranch
The Sea Ranch is in unincorporated Sonoma County's Coastal Zone, where whole-home vacation rentals are allowed with a county zoning permit, a certified property manager, TOT registration and an annual license
Thousand Palms
Allowed. The only duty is a notice or registration that nobody has to approve.