How Redding Handles Short-Term Rentals: A Practical Guide
Redding maintains 100 local ordinances across all categories, and 6 of those deal specifically with short-term rentals. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Redding falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.
Permit Requirements
Redding regulates short-term rentals under Redding Municipal Code (RMC) Section 18.43.180. The ordinance recognizes two categories: a Hosted Homestay (owner-occupied dwelling renting individual rooms, processed by a Hosted Homestay Affidavit) and a Vacation Rental (an entire single-family dwelling rented for under 30 days, processed by a Site Development Permit). New vacation rentals cannot be located within 600 feet of an existing approved vacation rental.
Key details: Code Section: RMC 18.43.180 (updated 6/17/2025). Hosted Homestay: Affidavit (owner-occupied). Vacation Rental: Site Development Permit. Buffer Distance: 600 ft between vacation rentals. Annual Cap: 180 rental-days per year.
Operating without a Site Development Permit or Hosted Homestay Affidavit is a zoning violation enforceable by Redding Code Enforcement under Title 1 RMC, with administrative citations escalating from $100 to $500/$1,000 per occurrence. The Director can revoke a Site Development Permit for repeated violations. Complaints can be filed through the city's Deckard portal at complaints-str.deckard.com/redding-ca-str-complaints. Continued unpermitted operation can be abated by injunction in Shasta County Superior Court.
Noise Rules
Redding short-term rental hosts are responsible for guest noise under Redding Municipal Code Chapter 9.32 (the citywide noise ordinance) and the operating standards of RMC 18.43.180. The STR ordinance requires every Hosted Homestay or Vacation Rental to designate a local site manager who can respond to a complaint within 45 minutes; documented disturbances are grounds for Site Development Permit revocation.
Key details: Noise Authority: RMC Ch. 9.32 + RMC 18.43.180. Quiet Hours: 10 p.m. - 7 a.m.. Manager Response: 45 minutes maximum. Complaint Portal: Deckard STR complaints dashboard. License Risk: Permit revocation for repeat violations.
Citations under RMC Chapter 9.32 begin at $100 and escalate for repeat violations within a year. Documented violations are recorded against the STR permit and form the evidentiary record for nonrenewal or revocation under RMC 18.43.180. Penal Code §415 carries up to $400 fine and 90 days county jail for the guest individually. Civil nuisance abatement is available through Shasta County Superior Court for chronic offenders.
Parking Rules
Redding Municipal Code 18.43.180 requires every short-term rental listing to disclose the number of permitted on-site parking spaces in the advertisement. Off-street parking must satisfy the underlying single-family or multi-family parking standard in RMC Chapter 18.41 (typically two spaces per single-family dwelling). The June 17, 2025 amendment exempts legally nonconforming apartment conversions in the Downtown Mixed Use District from adding new off-street parking.
Key details: Advertised Spaces: Required in every listing. SFR Minimum: 2 off-street spaces (RMC 18.41). DMUD Exception: Legal nonconforming apts exempt. On-Street: Free, 72-hour CVC limit. Manager Authority: Director may add conditions.
False advertisement of parking spaces is a violation of RMC 18.43.180 and grounds for Site Development Permit revocation. Off-street parking shortfalls under RMC Chapter 18.41 are zoning violations cited by Code Enforcement, with administrative penalties escalating from $100 to $500/$1,000. Vehicles blocking sidewalks or fire hydrants are towed under California Vehicle Code §22651. Front-yard parking on unpermitted surfaces violates RMC Title 18 and triggers a stop-work order.
Taxes & Fees
Redding short-term rentals collect a 10% Transient Occupancy Tax under Redding Municipal Code Chapter 4.12 plus a 2% Tourism Marketing Business Improvement District assessment (Resolution 2015-066) for a combined 12% on every stay under 30 days. RMC 18.43.180 requires every host to open a TOT account with the Redding Finance Department before listing. Returns are filed periodically with the Finance Department; Airbnb has a city collection agreement but the host remains liable for accuracy.
Key details: TOT Rate: 10% (RMC Ch. 4.12). TMBID Assessment: 2% (Res. 2015-066). Combined Rate: 12% on Redding stays. 30-Day Exemption: Stays 30+ days exempt. Airbnb Collection: City agreement in place.
Late payment of TOT under RMC 4.12 carries a 10% penalty plus 0.5% interest per month under the city's standard Finance Department schedule. Willful failure to collect or remit can be charged as a misdemeanor under RMC 4.12 with fines up to $1,000 and/or 6 months county jail. Operating without a TOT account is a separate violation of RMC 18.43.180 and grounds for Site Development Permit denial or revocation. The Finance Director can audit records and assess back taxes for up to three prior years.
Compared to other cities, Redding takes a harder line on taxes & fees. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.
Insurance Requirements
Redding Municipal Code 18.43.180 does not mandate a specific minimum liability insurance policy for short-term rental operators, and California has no statewide STR insurance minimum. Hosts rely on platform-provided coverage (Airbnb AirCover up to $1,000,000 liability; VRBO Liability Insurance up to $1,000,000) plus their own homeowner's or commercial dwelling policy. Standard California HO-3 homeowner's policies exclude business pursuits.
Key details: City Mandate: None (not in RMC 18.43.180). State Mandate: None (CA). Airbnb AirCover: Up to $1M liability. VRBO Liability: Up to $1M (booking-tied). HO-3 Exclusion: Business pursuits typically excluded.
Operating without insurance is not a code violation in Redding, but a guest injury without coverage exposes the host's personal assets. California Insurance Code §1758.99 and the McCarran-Ferguson framework do not protect a host whose carrier denies a claim based on a clear 'business pursuits' exclusion. Misrepresenting insurance status to a platform may breach the platform terms of service and void platform coverage; misrepresenting it to a guest can support consumer-protection claims under Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §17200.
The rules around insurance requirements in Redding lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.
Occupancy Limits
Redding caps short-term rental occupancy at two persons per rented bedroom under RMC 18.43.180. A vacation rental cannot be rented to multiple separate parties at the same time. The ordinance also limits vacation rentals to 180 rental-days per calendar year. Children typically count toward the per-bedroom cap, with infants commonly excluded.
Key details: Per-Bedroom Cap: 2 persons per rented bedroom. Concurrent Parties: Prohibited (one party at a time). Annual Rental Limit: 180 days per calendar year. State Floor: CBC §1004 / 70 sq ft minimum. Infants: Under 1 typically not counted.
Exceeding the two-per-bedroom cap is a violation of RMC 18.43.180 and grounds for Site Development Permit revocation by the Development Services Director. Code Enforcement may issue administrative citations starting at $100 per occurrence and escalating to $500/$1,000 for repeat violations within one year. Renting to multiple parties concurrently is a separate violation and can trigger immediate permit suspension. Persistent overcrowding can be referred to Shasta County Health under Health & Safety Code §17920.3 for substandard-housing enforcement.
The Bottom Line
Redding's short-term rentals rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Redding is broadly strict or permissive.
All of the above reflects Redding's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.