10 verified short-term rentals rules for Alhambra, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
The City of Alhambra allows short-term rentals but requires a Short-Term Rental Permit before renting any eligible dwelling for 30 nights or fewer. Permits became required March 1, 2025, are capped at 500 citywide, run one year, and only a natural person who owns the property may apply.
Alhambra Municipal Code § 5.92.040(1) (Ord. No. O2M24-4836)
On and after March 1, 2025, A host with an eligible dwelling unit is required to obtain a STR permit from the City prior to offering the unit for rent as a STR. A host may only obtain a total of one STR permit for one dwelling unit in the City.
Alhambra short-term rentals must observe quiet hours of 10 PM to 7 AM. During quiet hours no sound-producing device may be used outdoors or heard beyond the property line, and outdoor pools, spas, and hot tubs are closed. STRs must also comply with the City's Noise and Vibrations Control Regulations (Ch. 18.02).
Alhambra Municipal Code § 5.92.050(10) (Ord. No. O2M24-4836)
No radio receiver, musical instrument, phonograph, loudspeaker, karaoke machine, sound amplifier, or any device or equipment that produces any sound shall be used outside on the premises of the STR, or inside the premises of the STR and audible beyond the property line of the STR during the quiet hours.
Alhambra short-term rentals (30 nights or fewer) are transient occupancy subject to the City's Transient Occupancy Tax under Municipal Code Chapter 5.70, plus a residential business license and an STR permit application fee set by City Council resolution. Hosts also reimburse the City for building inspection costs.
Alhambra requires short-term rental parking to be provided on-site and to comply with Municipal Code Chapter 9.95 (Vehicular Parking). Each rental must post a guest notice stating parking capacity, the location of parking spaces, and any parking rules.
Alhambra Municipal Code § 5.92.050(11) (Ord. No. O2M24-4836)
Parking for STR use shall be provided on-site and shall comply with Alhambra Municipal Code Chapter 9.95 (Vehicular Parking).
Alhambra caps short-term rental occupancy at two guests per bedroom under Municipal Code Section 5.92.050. Only guests registered with the host may stay, and commercial events, parties, and group gatherings such as weddings, banquets, and corporate events are prohibited.
Alhambra Municipal Code § 5.92.050(2) (Ord. No. O2M24-4836)
The maximum occupancy of a STR shall be 2 guests per bedroom.
Alhambra's Chapter 5.92 does NOT require a host to carry liability insurance or name the City as additional insured. The ordinance imposes a building-inspection and life-safety standard instead, so any STR coverage is at the host's discretion or the booking platform's policy.
Alhambra's Chapter 5.92 sets NO annual night cap or maximum number of rental days for short-term rentals. A permitted STR may operate year-round, subscribing only to the 30-night definition of a single short-term stay, the 500-permit citywide cap, and the one-permit-per-host limit.
Alhambra STR hosts register through the Finance Department: complete an online residential business license, fill out the STR permit application, and submit the packet (with a third-party building inspection report) to Code Enforcement at 111 S. First Street. Applications opened March 3, 2025 on a first-come, first-served basis up to the 500-permit cap.
Alhambra does not require the host to be physically present during a stay, but the host or a designated Local Contact Person must be available 24 hours and able to respond within 30 minutes to any City complaint about nuisance, noise, or suspicious activity. The contact's name and 24-hour phone number must be posted for guests.
Alhambra Municipal Code § 5.92.050(6) (Ord. No. O2M24-4836)
During the period of the STR, the host or the local contact person shall be available 24 hours and be able to respond within 30 minutes if the city receives a complaint regarding property nuisance concerns, noise complaints, nuisances, or suspicious activity.
Alhambra does NOT require a short-term rental to be the host's primary residence. Chapter 5.92 only requires the host to be a natural-person owner (or qualifying family trust) limited to one permit citywide; non-owner-occupied and whole-home rentals are allowed, unlike cities that mandate hosted, owner-occupied stays.
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Alhambra city rules.
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