Night Caps: Carson vs Santa Monica
How do night caps rules compare between Carson, CA and Santa Monica, CA?
Carson has fewer restrictions than Santa Monica.
Carson, CA
Los Angeles County
Carson does not cap the number of nights per year that a dwelling may be used as a short-term rental. No STR-specific ordinance exists in the Carson Municipal Code (eCode360 CA4377, current through January 6, 2026), so neither a hosted-stays cap nor an unhosted-stays cap applies. California state law similarly imposes no statewide night cap.
View full Carson rules →Santa Monica, CA
Los Angeles County
Santa Monica does not impose an annual night cap on hosted home-sharing, but requires the host to be on-site for every night of every stay. Hosts may not book more than two groups of visitors for any given date. Vacation rentals (unhosted) are completely prohibited regardless of duration.
View full Santa Monica rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Carson | Santa Monica |
|---|---|---|
| Annual night cap | None in Carson | - |
| Hosted-stays cap | None | - |
| Unhosted-stays cap | None | - |
| Stay-length threshold | 30 days or fewer = transient (Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code §7280) | - |
| 31+ day stay | Becomes residential tenancy (Cal. Civ. Code §1940 et seq.) | - |
| Annual Night Cap | - | None (host must be on-site) |
| Max Groups/Night | - | 2 groups per date |
| Host Presence | - | Required at all times |
| Code | - | SMMC Ch. 6.20 |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Carson FAQ
Is there a 120-night cap in Carson like Los Angeles?
No. The 120-night LA Home-Sharing Ordinance applies only inside the City of Los Angeles. Carson, although in LA County, is an independent city and has no annual cap.
What happens if a guest stays 31+ days?
The stay converts to a residential tenancy under Cal. Civ. Code §1940 et seq., with full tenant protections (including just-cause if AB 1482 thresholds are met).
Santa Monica FAQ
Is there a limit on how many nights I can home-share in Santa Monica?
No annual night cap, but the host must be present on-site for every night. You cannot book more than two groups of visitors for any given date.
Can I leave my property while guests are staying?
No. Santa Monica requires the host to live on-site throughout the visitor's stay. Leaving converts the home-share into an illegal vacation rental subject to penalties.
Compare other topics
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