Short-Term Rentals in Sonoma, CA (2026)
6 verified short-term rentals rules for Sonoma, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Short-Term Rental Permits
The City of Sonoma caps every vacation rental at two complete residential units and 29 consecutive days per stay. Municipal Code § 19.50.110(A) requires a business license, a transient occupancy tax registration, and fire and life-safety compliance before a short-term rental can legally operate.
Vacation Rental Permit Rules, City of Sonoma
Some RestrictionsSonoma Municipal Code § 19.50.110(A)
A. Permit and Operational Requirements. ... The approval and operation of a vacation rental shall be subject to the following requirements and restrictions: 1. Maximum Number of Units. A vacation rental shall consist of no more than two complete residential units. 2. Maximum Length of Stay. Visitor occupancy per unit shall be limited to a maximum of 29 consecutive days. ... ... 7. Business Lice...
Noise Rules
Vacation rentals in the City of Sonoma must follow the citywide noise ordinance and face an extra rule of their own: Municipal Code § 19.50.110(A)(4) bans outdoor amplified sound outright at every short-term rental, regardless of time of day.
Vacation Rental Noise Rules, City of Sonoma
Significant RestrictionsSonoma Municipal Code § 19.50.110(A)(4)
4. Noise Limits. Vacation rentals shall be operated in conformance with the noise ordinance (Chapter 9.56 SMC). Outdoor amplified sound shall be prohibited.
Taxes & Fees
Every vacation rental in the City of Sonoma must register for and pay the transient occupancy tax under Municipal Code § 19.50.110(A)(8), a tax set at 12 percent of rent under Chapter 3.16 SMC, on top of the business license required by § 19.50.110(A)(7).
Vacation Rental Tax & Fees, City of Sonoma
Some RestrictionsSonoma Municipal Code § 19.50.110(A)(8)
8. Transient Occupancy Tax. A transient occupancy tax registration form shall be completed, and the owner or manager shall pay transient occupancy tax and all other required fees.
Short-Term Rental Parking Rules
A licensed vacation rental in the City of Sonoma must provide one off-street parking space per bedroom, set in the Table 4-4 parking schedule at SMC 19.48.040. The requirement applies alongside Sonoma's broader vacation-rental operating standards at SMC 19.50.110, which caps stays, occupancy, and unit counts.
City of Sonoma Vacation Rental Parking Rule
Some RestrictionsSonoma Municipal Code § 19.48.040, Table 4-4
| Vacation rental | One space per bedroom. |
Occupancy Limits
Sonoma Municipal Code § 19.50.110(A)(3) limits every vacation rental's overnight guest count to two people per sleeping or guest room, plus two additional people per unit, a cap the City of Sonoma enforces alongside its 29-day maximum stay and licensing rules.
Vacation Rental Occupancy Cap, City of Sonoma
Some RestrictionsSonoma Municipal Code § 19.50.110(A)(3)
3. Occupancy Limits: Maximum Overnight Occupancy. Maximum overnight occupancy for vacation rentals shall be limited to up to a maximum of two persons per sleeping room or guest room, plus two additional persons per unit.
Host Presence Rule
The City of Sonoma does not require an on-site host. Instead, Municipal Code § 19.50.110(A)(5) requires every vacation rental to have a property manager reachable 24 hours a day, seven days a week whenever the unit is rented, with contact information filed at city hall.
Vacation Rental Manager Requirement, City of Sonoma
Some RestrictionsSonoma Municipal Code § 19.50.110(A)(5)
5. Property Manager. All vacation rentals shall have a property manager who is available 24 hours per day, seven days per week during all times that the property is rented or used on a transient basis. The name and contact information of the property manager shall be provided to the city planning department and shall be provided to any interested person upon request.
Looking for Sonoma County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Sonoma city rules.
Short-Term Rentals in Sonoma County →