ADU Rental Restrictions: El Cajon vs San Diego
How do adu rental restrictions rules compare between El Cajon, CA and San Diego, CA?
El Cajon has fewer restrictions than San Diego.
El Cajon, CA
San Diego County
El Cajon ADUs may only be rented for terms of 30 days or more under California Government Code §65852.2(a)(7). Short-term rentals under 30 days are not authorized for ADUs created after January 1, 2020. El Cajon has no broad citywide short-term rental permit program in the municipal code; long-term rental of an ADU is permitted without separate city licensing, subject to standard landlord-tenant law.
View full El Cajon rules →San Diego, CA
San Diego County
San Diego ADUs may be rented long-term (30+ days) without restriction. Short-term rentals are governed by SDMC § 510.0101 et seq. (the four-tier STRO program). ADUs cannot operate as Tier 3 or Tier 4 STRs in most cases because those tiers require the host's primary residence. Junior ADUs are restricted to 30-day minimum rentals by SDMC § 141.0302(c)(2).
View full San Diego rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | El Cajon | San Diego |
|---|---|---|
| Long-Term (30+ days) | Permitted, no separate license | Permitted, no separate license |
| Short-Term (<30 days) | Prohibited for ADUs | - |
| State Law | Gov. Code §65852.2(a)(7) | - |
| Citywide STR Program | No comprehensive ordinance | - |
| TOT | Required for any lodging under ECMC Title 3 | - |
| STR Tiers | - | 1-4 under SDMC § 510 |
| ADU as Tier 3/4 | - | Generally not eligible |
| JADU STR | - | Banned (30-day minimum) |
| STRO Code | - | SDMC § 510.0101 et seq. |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
El Cajon FAQ
Can I rent my El Cajon ADU on Airbnb?
No. California Gov. Code §65852.2(a)(7) and ECMC Title 17 require ADU rentals to be 30 days or longer. Short-term rental of an ADU is not permitted, and the El Cajon Code Compliance Division can cite ADU short-term listings.
Does my El Cajon long-term ADU rental need a city permit?
No separate permit is required for rentals of 30 days or more. Standard California landlord-tenant law applies, including the Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482) where the property qualifies. Rent should be reported as income.
San Diego FAQ
Can I rent my ADU on Airbnb in San Diego?
Generally no for Tiers 3 and 4 because those require the host's primary residence. An ADU can serve as a Tier 1 STR (≤20 nights/year). Long-term rental (30+ days) is always allowed without an STR license.
Can I short-term rent a junior ADU in San Diego?
No. SDMC § 141.0302(c)(2) requires JADU rentals to be 30 days or longer. JADUs cannot be short-term rented under any STRO tier.
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