Short-Term Rentals in Mountain View, CA (2026)
8 verified short-term rentals rules for Mountain View, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Short-Term Rental Permits
Every Mountain View short-term rental host must register the dwelling unit and hold a city business license before advertising, under City Code Sec. 44.5. The application needs host contact information, the property address, anticipated rental frequency, a local contact person, and a city-set registration fee.
Mountain View STR Registration Requirements
Significant RestrictionsMountain View, CA, City Code Sec. 44.5 (Registration Application Requirements)
a.Initial application. Prior to advertising or use of a short-term rental, the host shall register the dwelling unit as a short-term rental with the City of Mountain View and obtain a valid City of Mountain View business license. All short-term rental hosts must register the short-term rental on or before July 1, 2019.b.Requirements for application. The registration shall be submitted on a city...
Noise Rules
Mountain View bans weddings, corporate events, commercial functions, large parties and similar gatherings at any short-term rental property under City Code Sec. 44.4.f. The rule targets events with the potential to cause traffic, parking, noise or other neighborhood impacts, not routine overnight stays.
Mountain View STR Special-Event Ban
Significant RestrictionsMountain View, CA, City Code Sec. 44.4.f (Operating Standards of a Short-Term Rental)
f.Special events. Weddings, corporate events, commercial functions, large parties and other similar events which have the potential to cause traffic, parking, noise, or other impacts to the neighborhood are prohibited on the property during short-term rentals.
Taxes & Fees
Mountain View requires every short-term rental host to collect and remit the city's Transient Occupancy Tax under Chapter 33, with STR TOT liability running from January 1, 2019. A hosting platform can only pay it directly for the host if the city has a voluntary collection agreement in place.
Mountain View STR Occupancy Tax Duty
Some RestrictionsMountain View, CA, City Code Sec. 44.11 (Transient Occupancy Tax)
SEC. 44.11. - Transient occupancy tax (TOT). Transient occupancy taxes shall be collected for short-term rentals and paid to the City of Mountain View, pursuant to Chapter 33 of the Mountain View City Code. Collection is the responsibility of the host. If a hosting platform is used, and the city has a voluntary collection agreement, or equivalent, with that hosting platform, TOT may be collecte...
Short-Term Rental Parking Rules
Short-term rental guests in Mountain View must follow the same residential parking rules as any resident, including no overnight RV parking, permit zones, and street sweeping restrictions.
Mountain View STR Parking Rules
Some RestrictionsCal. Veh. Code § 22651
22651. A peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, or a regularly employed and salaried employee who is engaged in directing traffic or enforcing parking laws and regulations of a city, county, or jurisdiction of a state agency in which a vehicle is located may remove a vehicle located within the territorial limits in which ...
Night Caps
An unhosted short-term rental in Mountain View cannot operate more than 60 days per calendar year under City Code Sec. 44.4.b.2. Hosted rentals, where the owner or tenant remains on site, face no such cap, making host presence the deciding factor in how many nights a unit can be rented.
Mountain View 60-Day STR Annual Night Cap
Some RestrictionsMountain View, CA, City Code Sec. 44.4.b.2 (Operating Standards of a Short-Term Rental)
b.Annual limit.1.Where the host is present, the dwelling unit may be occupied as a short-term rental for an unlimited number of days per calendar year.2.Where a host is not present, the dwelling unit may be occupied as a short-term rental no more than sixty (60) days per calendar year.
Host Presence Rule
A Mountain View short-term rental only counts as 'hosted', and escapes the 60-day annual cap, if the host physically remains in the dwelling unit for the entirety of the renter's stay under City Code Sec. 44.2.e. Renting out an entire dwelling unit can never be classified as hosted, no matter how often the owner visits.
Mountain View Host-Presence Rule for Rentals
Some RestrictionsMountain View, CA, City Code Sec. 44.2.e (Definitions, Short-Term Rental of Residential Property)
e.Hosted short-term rental. A short-term rental where the host remains in the dwelling unit throughout the short-term renter's stay. A host may rent out a private portion of a residential dwelling unit; however, the rental of an entire dwelling unit may not be classified as a "hosted short-term rental."
Repeat Violator Strikes
A Mountain View short-term rental property gets locked out of registration for 12 months after an active citation, compliance order, or a denied or revoked application, under City Code Sec. 44.6. Fraud or misrepresentation in the application or operation separately supports outright revocation under Sec. 44.12.a.
Mountain View STR 12-Month Registration Ban
Significant RestrictionsMountain View, CA, City Code Sec. 44.6 (Citation, Compliance Order, Denial, Revocation)
For a property that is the subject of an active administrative citation or compliance order from the city, or denial or revocation of a short-term rental application in the preceding twelve (12) months, registration of the short-term rental on the property will be denied.
Looking for Santa Clara County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Mountain View city rules.
Short-Term Rentals in Santa Clara County →