Short-Term Rentals in Pasadena, CA (2026)

9 verified short-term rentals rules for Pasadena, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.

Verified from official government sources

Short-Term Rental Permits

Any Pasadena host must obtain a short-term rental permit from the planning and community development department before renting a primary residence to a paying guest for 30 days or less. The permit requires a notarized affidavit, fire and life-safety compliance, and neighbor notice, and it runs for one year subject to renewal.

Pasadena Short-Term Rental Permit Requirements

Significant Restrictions

Pasadena, CA, Municipal Code § 17.50.296(E)

E.Short-term rental permit. The host is required to obtain a short-term rental permit from the city, pursuant to the provisions of this section, before renting any primary residence to a transient occupant/guest.1.Application. To apply for a short-term rental permit, a host shall file an application with the planning and community development department on a form provided by the department, and...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Noise Rules

Pasadena requires every short-term rental to avoid noise, vibration, glare, or odors that interfere with neighbors' enjoyment of their homes, and ties that duty directly to the citywide noise ordinance in Chapter 9.36 and the litter ordinance in Chapter 8.64, alongside a hard occupancy cap and a ban on commercial events.

Pasadena Short-Term Rental Noise Restrictions

Some Restrictions

Pasadena, CA, Municipal Code § 17.50.296(F)(1), (F)(5) and (F)(6)

F.1.Short-term rentals shall not adversely affect the residential character of the neighborhood nor shall the use generate noise, vibration, glare, odors, or other effects that unreasonably interfere with any person's reasonable enjoyment of his or her residence. To this effect, the short-term rental activity shall comply with all provisions of the Pasadena Municipal Code, including Chapter 9.3...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Taxes & Fees

Pasadena hosts must collect a 7% transient occupancy tax from every short-term rental guest and remit it to the tax administrator, on top of complying with the permit process in Section 17.50.296. Registration, quarterly reporting, and three years of recordkeeping are mandatory, and late payment triggers escalating penalties.

Pasadena Short-Term Rental Occupancy Tax

Some Restrictions

Pasadena, CA, Municipal Code §§ 17.50.296(G)(3), 4.44.030 and 4.44.080

G.3.The host shall fully comply with all the requirements of PMC Chapter 4.44 (Transient Occupancy Tax) and any successor sections. ... 4.44.030 - Tax imposed. For the privilege of occupancy in any hotel, each transient is subject to and shall pay a tax in the amount of 7% of the rent charged by the operator. The tax constitutes a debt owed by the transient to the city which is extinguished onl...

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Short-Term Rental Parking Rules

STR operators in Pasadena must provide parking information to guests. Guest vehicles must comply with city parking rules including permit zones and overnight restrictions.

Pasadena STR Parking Requirements

Some Restrictions

California Vehicle Code Section 22651 (Authority to Remove Parked Vehicles)

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 th...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Occupancy Limits

Pasadena caps every short-term rental at two guests per bedroom plus two more, regardless of the unit's size. Municipal Code Section 17.50.296.F.5 sets the hard ceiling, and hosts who exceed it repeatedly risk permit suspension.

Pasadena Short-Term Rental Occupancy Limits

Some Restrictions

Pasadena, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 17.50.296.F.5 (Short-Term Rentals - Short-term rental regulations)

F.Short-term rental regulations. ... 5.Short-term rentals shall not be used by more than 2 guests per bedroom plus 2 additional guests at one time.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Night Caps

Un-hosted short-term rentals in Pasadena, where the host is off-site for the whole stay, are capped at 90 days per calendar year under Section 17.50.296(F)(4). Hosted stays, where the host remains on the property, carry no annual day limit at all.

Pasadena Short-Term Rental 90-Day Cap

Some Restrictions

Pasadena, CA, Municipal Code § 17.50.296(F)(4) and (G)(2)

F.4.Un-hosted stays shall be limited to a maximum of 90 days per year. There shall be no limit for hosted stays. ... G.2.The host shall keep and preserve, for a period of three years, all records as may be necessary to determine the amount of such tax as he/she may have been liable for the collection of and payment to the city, including the number and length of each short-term rental stay, and...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Host Presence Rule

Pasadena's short-term rental ordinance splits stays into two categories based on whether the host is on-site: a 'hosted stay' requires the host to remain on the property throughout the guest's visit, while an 'un-hosted stay' means the host is off-site, a status that triggers a separate annual limit.

Pasadena Short-Term Rental Host Presence Rule

Some Restrictions

Pasadena, CA, Municipal Code § 17.50.296(B)(3), (B)(6) and (E)(2)(b)(i)

3.Hosted stay. A home-sharing activity whereby the host remains on-site throughout the guest's stay (except during daytime and/or work hours). ... 6.Un-hosted stay. A home-sharing activity whereby the host remains off-site during the guest's stay. ... 2.Eligibility requirements. The following requirements must be met for approval of a short-term rental permit:...b.The host shall sign a notarize...

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Primary-Residence-Only Rule

Pasadena outlaws 'vacation rentals,' meaning any dwelling that isn't the operator's primary residence rented out for pay, under Section 17.50.296(D). Only a host's actual primary residence, documented by at least two official records and lived in at least nine months a year, can be permitted for short-term rental.

Pasadena Bans Non-Primary-Residence Vacation Rentals

Heavy Restrictions

Pasadena, CA, Municipal Code § 17.50.296(D), (B)(7) and (B)(5)

D.Vacation rentals prohibited. Vacation rentals, as defined in this section, are a prohibited use and shall not be operated in the city. ... 7.Vacation rental. A dwelling unit that is not a primary residence and which is available for temporary lodging, for compensation. The term "vacation rental" shall not include: single-room occupancy buildings; bed and breakfast inns; hotels; a dwelling uni...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Repeat Violator Strikes

Pasadena tracks violations against short-term rental properties, not just hosts. Rack up three violations at the same address and the city can automatically suspend the permit, with revocation possible after a hearing before the city manager's office.

Pasadena Short-Term Rental Strike Rule

Significant Restrictions

Pasadena, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 17.50.296.I.3

3.Three violations against the same property being used for short-term rental may result in the automatic suspension of the permit. After notice and a hearing before the city manager or his/her designated administrator as provided in Chapter 1.25 (Administrative Penalties—Compliance Orders), the permit may be revoked. If a short-term rental permit is revoked, the host must wait at least one yea...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Looking for Los Angeles County county-wide rules?

County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Pasadena city rules.

Short-Term Rentals in Los Angeles County →