10 verified short-term rentals rules for Hawthorne, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
The City of Hawthorne allows short-term rentals but requires a Short-Term Rental Permit from the Planning Department under Municipal Code Chapter 17.74. A rental must be tied to a primary or qualifying secondary residence, and the permit is renewed annually on a showing of continued compliance.
Hawthorne short-term rentals are subject to nighttime noise restrictions, with quiet hours running roughly 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Operators must designate a 24-hour local contact who can respond to noise complaints, and excessive noise can jeopardize the permit.
Hawthorne short-term rental hosts must collect and remit the city's Transient Occupancy Tax under Chapter 3.40 (a 12% base rate) on stays of 30 days or less, hold a Chapter 5.02 business license, and pay a non-refundable permit application/renewal fee set by city council resolution.
Chapter 17.74 requires each Hawthorne short-term rental to provide at least one off-street parking space for the host and one for the guest, on-premises. The dwelling's driveway is used to satisfy this requirement, keeping guest vehicles off neighborhood streets.
Under Chapter 17.74, a Hawthorne short-term rental may not be occupied by more than two guests per bedroom plus two additional guests at any one time. Eligible dwellings are limited to residential buildings of four units or fewer.
Hawthorne requires short-term rental operators to carry and maintain general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 covering the rental operation for the full term of the permit. Proof of coverage is part of the permit application under Chapter 17.74.
Hawthorne limits short-term rentals to no more than 90 days total during a calendar year under Chapter 17.74. The cap, combined with the residency requirement, is designed to keep rentals from displacing long-term housing.
Hawthorne short-term rental operators must register the property by obtaining a Planning Department permit, a current business license under Chapter 5.02, and a transient occupancy tax registration certificate under Chapter 3.40. Applications are filed and paid online through the city's Citizen Self-Service portal.
Hawthorne allows both hosted stays (host on-site at a primary residence) and a limited un-hosted option (a secondary residence owned by a Hawthorne primary resident). In all cases a 24-hour local contact must be available to respond to issues at the rental.
Hawthorne ties short-term rentals to residency: a rental must be either a primary residence with the host living on-site, or a secondary residence owned by someone whose primary residence is in Hawthorne. Investor-owned units with no Hawthorne residency link do not qualify.
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Hawthorne city rules.
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