Sunnyvale, CA Accessory Structures: ADU Rental Restrictions (2026)

California Government Code 65852.2(a)(6) requires that any ADU rental be for a term of 30 days or more - this is state preemption, not a local choice. Sunnyvale implements the rule through Title 19 of the Sunnyvale Municipal Code. ADUs therefore cannot be listed on Airbnb, Vrbo, or any short-term rental platform for stays shorter than 30 days. Sunnyvale does not have a citywide short-term rental program permitting any STRs, so even the primary dwelling cannot be rented as an STR without separate licensing. Long-term ADU rentals (30+ days) are NOT subject to local rent control - Sunnyvale has not enacted a rent stabilization ordinance, unlike neighboring Mountain View (which has Measure V rent control) or San Jose (with the Apartment Rent Ordinance). Statewide tenant protections still apply: California's AB 1482 (Civil Code 1947.12) caps rent increases at 5% plus CPI (max 10%) annually and requires just-cause eviction for tenancies of 12+ months on most rental housing. However, AB 1482 exempts single-family homes including their ADUs when owned by an individual (not a corporate or REIT owner) IF the landlord delivers the proper notice of exemption. Sunnyvale's Rental Housing Inspection Program (SMC Title 9) does not currently cover detached ADUs - it focuses on multifamily complexes. Transient Occupancy Tax (Sunnyvale TOT is 12.5% under SMC Title 3) applies only to stays under 30 days, which ADUs are not allowed to host.