Short-Term Rentals in Santa Monica, CA (2026)
7 verified short-term rentals rules for Santa Monica, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Short-Term Rental Permits
Santa Monica only allows home-sharing (hosted stays) and requires both a City home-sharing permit and a business license before renting any bedroom short-term. The host must prove primary residency and comply with extensive application conditions.
Short Term Rentals: Permit Requirements
Significant RestrictionsSanta Monica Municipal Code § 6.20.021
§ 6.20.021(a) Application Required. To obtain a home-sharing permit for a dwelling unit, a host shall submit an application on a form to be provided by the City and signed by the host under penalty of perjury. The application for the home-sharing permit shall include the following information: (1) Address of the proposed home-share; (2) Type of dwelling unit; (3) Whether the applicant is an own...
Noise Rules
Home-share hosts are personally responsible for ensuring guests comply with Santa Monica's noise ordinance (Chapter 4.12) and must actively prevent any nuisance activities arising from their home-share, not merely respond after the fact.
Short Term Rentals: Noise Rules
Some RestrictionsSanta Monica Municipal Code § 6.20.020(a)(4), (a)(5), (a)(11)
§ 6.20.020(a)(4) Takes responsibility for and actively prevents any nuisance activities that may take place as a result of home-sharing activities. § 6.20.020(a)(11) Complies with all applicable laws, including the noise limitations set forth in Chapter 4.12 of this Code, and all health, safety, building, fire protection, and rent control laws. § 6.20.020(a)(5) Ensures that basic health and saf...
Taxes & Fees
Home-share hosts must collect and remit the City's Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) on all guest stays. Hosting platforms such as Airbnb are designated as the host's agent for TOT collection and are directly responsible for remitting taxes to the City.
Short Term Rentals: Taxes Fees
Some RestrictionsSanta Monica Municipal Code § 6.20.020(a)(3), § 6.20.050(a), § 6.20.100(b)
§ 6.20.020(a)(3) Collects and remits Transient Occupancy Tax ("TOT"), in coordination with any hosting platform if utilized, to the City and complies with all City TOT requirements as set forth in Chapter 6.68 of this Code. § 6.20.050(a) Hosting platforms shall be responsible for collecting all applicable TOTs and remitting the same to the City. The hosting platform shall be considered an agent...
Short-Term Rental Parking Rules
STR guests in Santa Monica must comply with local parking regulations including permit parking districts and overnight restrictions. Beach-area parking is limited and metered. Operators should inform guests of parking options.
Santa Monica Short-Term Rental Parking Rules
Some RestrictionsCalifornia 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...
Occupancy Limits
Santa Monica STRs are subject to occupancy limits based on the number of bedrooms and building/fire code standards. Overcrowding is a code violation. Operators must ensure guest count complies with local regulations.
Santa Monica Short-Term Rental Occupancy Limits
Some RestrictionsCalifornia Health and Safety Code Section 17920.3 (Substandard Building Conditions - Room and Occupancy Standards)
17920.3. Any building or portion thereof, regardless of zoning designation or approved uses of the building, including any dwelling unit, guestroom or suite of rooms, or the premises on which the same is located, in which there exists any of the following listed conditions to an extent that endangers the life, limb, health, property, safety, or welfare of the occupants of the building, nearby r...
Insurance Requirements
Every home-share host must maintain a minimum of $500,000 in liability insurance covering home-sharing, or use a hosting platform that provides equivalent or greater coverage for each transaction.
Short Term Rentals: Insurance Requirements
Some RestrictionsSanta Monica Municipal Code § 6.20.020(a)(9)
§ 6.20.020(a)(9) Maintains liability insurance to cover home-sharing with minimum limits of not less than five hundred thousand dollars or conducts each home-sharing transaction through a hosting platform that provides equal or greater coverage.
Night Caps
Santa Monica prohibits all unhosted vacation rentals entirely: the host must live in the dwelling and be physically present throughout every guest's stay. There is no annual night limit, but each host may only operate one home-share and must be present on-site every single night guests are there.
Short Term Rentals: Night Caps
Heavy RestrictionsSanta Monica Municipal Code § 6.20.010(f), (n); § 6.20.030
§ 6.20.010(f) Home-sharing. Renting for a period of thirty consecutive days or less, one or more bedrooms in a dwelling unit that is the primary residence of the host, while the host lives on site, in the dwelling unit, throughout the visitors' stay. § 6.20.010(n) Vacation rental. Renting for a period of thirty consecutive days or less any dwelling unit, in whole or in part, for exclusive trans...
Looking for Los Angeles County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Santa Monica city rules.
Short-Term Rentals in Los Angeles County →