Santa Rosa, CA Accessory Structures: ADU Rental Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum rental term
- 30 days, ADU and JADU alike
- ADU rule cite
- § 20-42.130(B)(4)
- JADU rule cite
- § 20-42.130(F)(1)(c)
- Related ban
- Cannot be sold separate from home
- Permit type
- Ministerial, not discretionary
Summary
An accessory dwelling unit built under Santa Rosa's ADU ordinance cannot be rented out for stays shorter than 30 days. The identical 30-day minimum applies to junior accessory dwelling units, closing off vacation-rental and short-term-rental use of both unit types citywide, regardless of zoning district or lot size.
B. General requirements. An accessory dwelling unit: 1. May be located on any lot that allows a single-family or multifamily residential use and includes a proposed or existing dwelling. 2. Is not subject to the density requirements of the General Plan, but shall otherwise be consistent with the General Plan text and diagrams. [...] 4. Shall not be used for rentals with terms of less than 30 days. 5. Shall not be sold or otherwise conveyed separate from the primary residence.
Full Breakdown
130(F)(1)(c), so both a full ADU and a JADU carry the same 30-day minimum lease floor. 2. Together these provisions keep an ADU functioning as long-term housing stock tied to the primary parcel rather than as a separately marketable short-term rental unit. The 30-day floor applies whether the ADU is a new detached structure, an internal conversion, or a converted garage, and it attaches from the date a certificate of occupancy is issued, since the permit itself is issued ministerially once the unit meets the development standards in Subsection E.
Violations & Fines
Because the 30-day minimum sits inside the general requirements an ADU permit must satisfy, renting a unit short-term breaks the conditions of the ministerial approval itself and exposes the owner to code enforcement for violating Section 20-42.130(B)(4), separate from any citywide hosted or unhosted short-term rental permitting rules that otherwise govern the primary residence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I list my Santa Rosa ADU on Airbnb?
Does the 30-day rental minimum apply to junior accessory dwelling units too?
Can I sell my ADU separately from my house to get around the rental limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Rosa
California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Rosa to another location·View the California accessory structures overview
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ADU Rental Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sonoma County handle adu rental restrictions.