Short-Term Rentals in Sonora, CA (2026)
8 verified short-term rentals rules for Sonora, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Permit Requirements
Sonora requires a transient use permit and business license for all short-term rentals operating for less than 30 days. New STR permits must be for the owner's primary residence. Permits must be renewed annually and operators must collect and remit the 12% transient occupancy tax.
Sonora Short-Term Rental Permit Rules
Heavy RestrictionsNoise Rules
Sonora STR operators must maintain properties consistent with neighborhood character under Chapter 17.64. General city noise standards apply, and the local contact person must respond to noise complaints within 30 minutes.
Sonora Short-Term Rental Noise Rules
Some RestrictionsTaxes & Fees
Sonora imposes a 12 percent Transient Occupancy Tax on all short-term rental stays under 30 days. The rate was increased from 10 percent by Ordinance 871. Operators must collect and remit TOT under Chapter 3.20 and maintain a city business license.
Sonora Transient Occupancy Tax for Short-Term Rentals
Heavy RestrictionsParking Rules
Sonora STR properties must not disrupt neighborhood character, which includes parking impacts. General city parking rules apply: 72-hour street parking limit, trailers limited to 12 hours, and vehicles over 6 feet tall prohibited within 100 feet of intersections.
Sonora Short-Term Rental Parking Rules
Some RestrictionsCal. Veh. Code § 22651 (Authority to Remove 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
Sonora's short-term rental ordinance establishes occupancy limits for transient use rentals. Properties rented for less than 30 days must comply with posted maximum occupancy based on bedroom count and may not host special events or commercial functions.
Sonora Short-Term Rental Occupancy Limits
Some RestrictionsCal. Health & Safety Code § 17920.3 (Substandard Building Conditions)
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
Sonora requires short-term rental operators to maintain adequate liability insurance and comply with the city's transient use permit conditions. Operators must carry commercial general liability coverage and provide proof of insurance during annual permit renewal.
Sonora Short-Term Rental Insurance Rules
Some RestrictionsNight Caps
Sonora Ordinance No. 898 (effective July 2024), codified at Chapter 17.64 of the Municipal Code, limits transient use rentals to the operator's primary residence and prohibits short-term rentals in accessory dwelling units. A separate Transient Use Permit is required and must be renewed annually, and the un-hosted rental of a primary residence is capped so that whole-home rentals cannot operate as full-time vacation rentals.
STR Night Caps in Sonora
Heavy RestrictionsRegistration Rules
Sonora requires a Transient Use Permit under Municipal Code Chapter 17.64 for all short-term rentals. Permits are only issued for primary residences, must be renewed annually, and operators must obtain a business license. ADUs cannot be used as STRs.
Sonora Short-Term Rental Registration & Compliance
Heavy RestrictionsLooking for Tuolumne County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Sonora city rules.
Short-Term Rentals in Tuolumne County →