10 verified short-term rentals rules for Whittier, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Whittier regulates short-term rentals under Municipal Code Chapter 5.68, adopted unanimously July 8, 2025. Operators need both a City business license and a separate STR permit before renting a unit under 31 days. The ordinance bans STRs in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones; only lower-risk properties may apply.
Whittier STR guests must comply with the City noise ordinance and observe quiet time from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m., under the Good Neighbor Policy that is a condition of permit approval. Operators are responsible for guests' excessive noise, must keep a 24-hour contact available, and may not host parties. Repeated complaints can lead to revocation.
Whittier levies a 10% Transient Occupancy Tax on rent for lodging occupied 30 days or less under Municipal Code Chapter 3.20. STR operators must collect this 10% TOT on each booking and remit it to the City, plus obtain a business license and STR permit. The rate has been in effect since October 1, 1995.
Whittier's STR parking rule comes from its Good Neighbor Policy: guest parking must be on the property, not on lawns, and not in any manner blocking sidewalks or alleys. The policy must be posted inside the STR, and operators are responsible for guest conduct including blocked driveways.
Whittier ties STR occupancy to bedroom count: a studio is capped at two guests, and a unit with bedrooms is limited to two guests per bedroom plus two additional guests. STRs may not be used for weddings, receptions, parties, or other commercial functions regardless of headcount, and operators are responsible for guest conduct.
Whittier's publicly available STR materials do not specify a liability-insurance dollar amount for operators. The August 8, 2023 staff report and July 8, 2025 ordinance coverage focus on permits, the 10% TOT, residency proof, occupancy, parking, noise, and fire-zone bans, with no separate insurance mandate listed. Operators should confirm any insurance requirement directly with the City.
Whittier sets a two-night minimum per booking and limits each stay to 30 consecutive days or less (anything longer is not a short-term rental). The City's available materials do not establish an annual cap on the number of nights a property may be rented. This differs from unincorporated Los Angeles County, which proposed a 90-night-per-year cap on un-hosted stays.
STR registration runs through the business-license process: the STR permit application is filed alongside a semi-annual or annual City business license, with conditions modeled on the home-occupation form. Separately, every transient-lodging operator must register for the Transient Occupancy Tax under Municipal Code Chapter 3.20, which requires a registration certificate.
Whittier does not require the host to be on site during a stay, but it does require a designated contact available 24 hours a day, and the owner must prove residency and proximity. Operators remain responsible for all guest conduct. This is lighter than LA County's hosted/unhosted distinction, which applies only in unincorporated areas.
Whittier requires STR hosts to prove residency and proximity to the rental property, using documentation such as voter registration or utility bills showing the owner resides at or near the address. The City also bars ADUs and Junior ADUs from STR use. Combined with the fire-hazard-zone ban, these rules steer permits toward owner-connected, lower-risk homes rather than absentee investor properties.
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Whittier city rules.
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