Stockton ADUs may not be rented for terms shorter than 30 days, per California Government Code §65852.2(a)(6). The unit may be rented long-term independently of the primary residence, but Airbnb-style nightly rental is prohibited statewide.
Cal. Gov. Code §65852.2(a)(6) — incorporated into Stockton's ministerial ADU approval framework — provides that a local agency 'shall not issue a certificate of occupancy for an accessory dwelling unit before the certificate of occupancy is issued for the primary dwelling' and that ADUs 'shall not be rented for a period of less than 30 days.' This is a hard floor: cities cannot waive it and homeowners cannot lawfully list a permitted ADU on Airbnb, Vrbo, or any short-term rental platform for stays under 30 days. Long-term rental (30+ days) is permitted by-right and the ADU may be leased separately from the main house. Stockton's local STR ordinance is layered on top: even if a STR program existed, an ADU could not bypass the 30-day rule.
Renting an ADU for less than 30 days violates Gov. Code §65852.2(a)(6) and is enforceable through Stockton code enforcement under SMC Chapter 1.20. Administrative citations and platform takedown notices may be issued. Persistent violations can trigger revocation of the certificate of occupancy for the ADU.
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