Los Angeles County, CA Building Safety: Carbon Monoxide Detectors (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- LACC § 7.96.070.F (Host Requirements)
- Enforcing agency
- LA County Treasurer and Tax Collector
- Max fine
- $2,000/violation/day or 2x nightly rate
- Noncompliance fee
- $285 per notice
- Cure period
- 10 days to fix and avoid fine
- Scope
- Unincorporated LA County STR units only
- Adopting ordinance
- Ord. 2024-0015 (2024)
Summary
Hosts operating a Short-Term Rental in unincorporated Los Angeles County must provide and maintain working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors on the premises under County Code § 7.96.070.F. The rule applies only to registered STR units outside incorporated cities; the Tax Collector enforces it and can fine hosts up to $2,000 per violation per day for noncompliance.
F.The Host must provide and maintain in working condition smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and flashlights on the premises of the Short-Term Rentals unit. G.The Host must provide and maintain adequate and readily accessible fire extinguishers maintained in proper working order. Each fire extinguisher must carry a suitable tag showing the date of the most recent inspection.
Full Breakdown
070 of the Los Angeles County Code, part of the Short-Term Rentals Registration Ordinance adopted by Ord. 2024-0015 in 2024, sets Host Requirements for any Short-Term Rental operating in the county's unincorporated areas. Subsection F states the Host must provide and maintain in working condition smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and flashlights on the premises of the Short-Term Rentals unit. Subsection G adds a parallel duty to provide and maintain adequate and readily accessible fire extinguishers, each carrying a tag showing the date of its most recent inspection.
Subsection A separately obligates the Host to immediately remediate any violation of the Chapter, so a missing or dead detector is not a passive finding, it must be fixed without delay. H, which requires evacuation routes and fire-extinguisher locations to be posted where guests can see them. B. 100, can draw an administrative fine of up to $2,000 per violation per day, or twice the average nightly rate charged, whichever is greater. N. 120. This detector mandate is specific to registered STR units; it does not apply to hotels, long-term rentals, or dwellings in the 88 incorporated cities within the county, each of which enforces its own municipal code.
Violations & Fines
Failing to maintain working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors is a Host violation under § 7.96.070.F, enforced by the Tax Collector. Under § 7.96.110.L.2, the County may impose an administrative fine of up to $2,000 per violation per day, or twice the average nightly rate, whichever is greater, plus a $285 noncompliance fee under § 7.96.110.N. The Tax Collector may also suspend or revoke the Registration Certificate under § 7.96.110.B, and a fine is waived only if the violation is cured within ten days under § 7.96.110.M.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Los Angeles County require carbon monoxide detectors in short-term rentals?
What happens if a short-term rental host doesn't have working detectors?
Does this detector rule apply inside the City of Los Angeles?
Who enforces the smoke and CO detector requirement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Los Angeles County
California rules heatmap·Compare Los Angeles County to another location·View the California building safety overview
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