Short-Term Rentals in Pomona, CA

Every city handles short-term rentals a little differently. In Pomona, California, there are 8 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Host Platform Liability

A hosting platform can be held directly liable in Pomona: Sec. 30-592(f) orders any person, hosting platform, or STR operator convicted or found liable for violating the STR division to reimburse the city's full investigative and enforcement costs, repay unpaid transient occupancy tax, and remit any illegally obtained rental revenue to the city.

Key details: Liable parties: Hosting platform, operator, and responsible party. Reimbursement owed: Full city investigative and enforcement costs. Tax exposure: Must repay unpaid transient occupancy tax. Nuisance remedy: Repeated violations enjoinable under Code Civ. Proc. § 731. Appeal path: Sec. 2-1188 appeal of director's decision.

A hosting platform that completes a booking for an unpermitted or suspended STR, or that fails to remove an advertisement for one, is subject to an administrative citation under Sec. 2-1184 with a council-set fine, and on conviction or an adverse civil or administrative finding must reimburse the city's full investigative and enforcement costs, repay unpaid TOT, and remit illegally obtained rental revenue under Sec. 30-592(f). Repeated platform violations can also be enjoined as a public nuisance under Sec. 30-592(e).

Short-Term Rental Permits

No one may advertise, list, or operate a short-term rental in Pomona without a city-issued STR permit under Sec. 30-591(a). Only the property's fee owner can hold that permit and run the STR: owners cannot delegate operation to a property manager, and tenants are barred from holding a permit or subletting as an STR.

Key details: Permit holder: Only the fee owner; no agents or subletting tenants. Application prerequisites: Zoning clearance letter + 60-day residency proof. Permit term: One year, non-transferable, does not run with land. Renewal deadline: At least 30 days before expiration. Also required: TOT registration and current business license.

Sec. 30-592(a) makes it unlawful to violate the division, listing examples such as completing a booking without a valid city-issued permit number, advertising an unpermitted property for short-term rental, and providing false information on the application. The city may issue an administrative citation under Sec. 2-1184 against the responsible party, any occupant, or the property owner, with fines set by council resolution, and a criminal or civil conviction requires the operator to reimburse the city's full investigative and enforcement costs and repay any unpaid transient occupancy tax.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Pomona actively enforces its short-term rental permits requirements.

Taxes & Fees

Every Pomona short-term rental must collect the city's 10 percent transient occupancy tax on top of the standard business license tax, and both must stay current to renew the annual STR permit. City Code Sec. 30-591(q)-(r) makes TOT and business license tax mandatory conditions of STR operation; Sec. 50-82 fixes the 10 percent rate.

Key details: TOT rate: 10% of rent charged (Sec. 50-82). Business license tax: Also required (Sec. 30-591(r)). TOT filing: Quarterly, due month after quarter-end (Sec. 50-86). Late penalty: 10% plus 10% more after 30 days (Sec. 50-87). Fraud penalty: Additional 25% (Sec. 50-87(c)).

Late TOT payments draw a 10 percent penalty under Sec. 50-87(a), a second 10 percent penalty if still unpaid 30 days later under Sec. 50-87(b), a 25 percent fraud penalty under Sec. 50-87(c), and 0.5 percent monthly interest under Sec. 50-87(d). Separately, Sec. 30-592 lets the city cite the operator and, after three violations in 12 months, revoke or suspend the STR permit for up to 24 months.

Host Presence Rule

Pomona allows only hosted short-term rentals: Sec. 30-591(c) states plainly that only hosted stays are permitted and un-hosted stays are prohibited. A hosted stay means the host remains on-site and resides in a habitable part of the dwelling throughout the guest's stay, except during daytime or work hours, as defined in Sec. 30-590.

Key details: Hosted stays only: Un-hosted stays are prohibited citywide. On-site requirement: Host present except during daytime/work hours. Emergency contact: 24-hour contact, 30-minute on-site response. Enforcement: Counts toward three-strikes permit revocation.

Operating or advertising an un-hosted stay violates Sec. 30-591(c) and exposes the operator to an administrative citation under Sec. 30-592 and Sec. 2-1184, with fines set by council resolution. Because un-hosted operation also breaks the host-presence condition tied to permit eligibility, it counts toward the three-violation threshold in Sec. 30-592(d) that triggers permit revocation or suspension, and a criminal or civil conviction requires the operator to reimburse the city's full investigative and enforcement costs and remit any illegally obtained rental revenue.

Compared to other cities, Pomona takes a harder line on host presence rule. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Primary-Residence-Only Rule

Every Pomona short-term rental must be occupied by a qualifying Host as defined in Sec. 30-590, and Sec. 30-591(e) requires that host to have lived there at least 60 days before applying for the permit. The host must also sign a notarized affidavit confirming the STR is their primary residence, under Sec. 30-591(h).

Key details: Occupancy requirement: STR must be occupied by an owner-Host. Residency before applying: 60 days minimum in the unit. Sworn confirmation: Notarized affidavit of primary residence. ADUs/JADUs: Barred entirely from STR use. Multi-unit exception: Only if owner lives year-round on-site.

An owner who obtains an STR permit without genuinely occupying the property as a primary residence, or whose affidavit under Sec. 30-591(h) is false, is subject to denial or revocation of the permit under Sec. 30-591(u) and Sec. 30-592, plus an administrative citation with fines set by council resolution. A criminal or civil conviction for violating the primary-residence condition requires the operator to reimburse the city's full investigative and enforcement costs and remit any illegally obtained rental revenue.

This is one of the stricter rules in Pomona's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Repeat Violator Strikes

Three violations against a Pomona STR operator within 12 months trigger revocation, suspension, or added conditions on the permit under Sec. 30-592(d). Once revoked, the property cannot be re-registered as an STR for 24 months, regardless of who applies to operate it, and the operator gets only a 14-day window to respond before the director decides.

Key details: Strike threshold: 3 violations within a 12-month period. Response window: 14 calendar days after written notice. Re-registration bar: 24 months, tied to the property. Applicant bar: Any past permit revocation disqualifies re-applying.

Each qualifying violation under Sec. 30-592(a) can draw its own administrative citation with a council-set fine under Sec. 2-1184; once three accumulate within 12 months, Sec. 30-592(d) authorizes revocation, suspension, or added restrictions after the 14-day response period, and a revoked property is barred from STR re-registration for 24 months under both Sec. 30-592(d) and the denial standard in Sec. 30-591(u)(2).

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Pomona actively enforces its repeat violator strikes requirements.

Occupancy Limits

Pomona STR ordinance limits occupancy and prohibits events or assemblies unrelated to lodging. Pool-only rentals and commercial functions are explicitly banned.

Key details: Use Restriction: Overnight lodging only. Prohibited: Pool-only rentals, events, conferences. Tenants/Renters: Cannot operate or sublet as STR. Code: Ordinance No. 4342.

Short-Term Rental Parking Rules

STR guests may only use designated legal on-site parking spaces. The number of vehicles cannot exceed the number of designated parking spaces at the property.

Key details: Parking: On-site designated spaces only. Vehicle Limit: Cannot exceed number of spaces. Street Parking: Not permitted for STR guests. Enforcement: Code Compliance 909-620-2374.

Parking violations by STR guests are enforceable by both Pomona Parking Enforcement (909-622-1241) and Code Compliance (909-620-2374). Repeated parking violations may affect STR permit status.

The rules around short-term rental parking rules in Pomona lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

The Bottom Line

Pomona is tougher than many cities when it comes to short-term rentals. Out of the 8 rules covered here, 4 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Pomona, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

Keep in mind that Pomona can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.