Mountain View, CA Accessory Structures: ADU Rental Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Independent long-term rental
- Allowed for ADUs/JADUs, Sec. 36.12.100
- Separate sale
- Prohibited, must stay with primary dwelling
- Short-term rental ban
- 30 days or less, Sec. 36.12.105
- Units covered by STR ban
- All JADUs and ADUs 800 sq ft or smaller
- Exception path used
- Detached units under 36.12.95(b)(1) still banned
Summary
Mountain View lets owners rent an accessory dwelling unit or junior ADU independently of the main house under City Code Sec. 36.12.100, but forbids selling either unit separately from the primary dwelling. Section 36.12.105 then bars short-term rentals of 30 days or less in most of those same units, including every JADU and every ADU of 800 square feet or smaller.
SEC. 36.12.100. - Sale of units. Accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units may be rented independently of the primary single-family dwelling or multi-family dwelling structure but may not be sold or conveyed separately from the primary dwelling(s) on the lot except as provided in Government Code Section 65852.26. SEC. 36.12.105. - Short-term rentals. Short-term rentals with a term thirty (30) days or shorter are prohibited in: all junior accessory dwelling units; all accessory dwelling units of eight hundred (800) square feet or less; single-family interior units; detached units created under subsection 36.12.95 b.1.; multi-family interior units; and detached units on multi-family residential sites.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 34 Update 4).
Full Breakdown
26 (which governs limited ADU condominium sales). Long-term renting is therefore fully permitted, but the lot must stay under single ownership as a package. 95(b)(1); multi-family interior units; and detached units on multi-family residential sites. 95(b)(1) is the most commonly used path to build a detached unit without triggering standard development limits. A larger, free-standing detached ADU built to full development standards outside that exception is the main unit type left outside the short-term rental ban. 120.
Violations & Fines
Renting a covered unit for stays of 30 days or less, or attempting to sell an ADU or JADU apart from the primary dwelling, is a violation of this code enforceable under Section 1.7: prosecutable as an infraction with fines of $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second within a year, and $500 for each additional violation, or as a misdemeanor if a fourth violation occurs within twelve months. Each day the violation continues is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rent out my Mountain View ADU as a separate long-term rental?
Can I list my Mountain View ADU on Airbnb for short stays?
What happens if I run an illegal short-term rental in my ADU?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mountain View
California rules heatmap·Compare Mountain View to another location·View the California accessory structures overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
ADU Rental Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle adu rental restrictions.