Lakewood vs Santa Monica
How do night caps rules compare between Lakewood, CA and Santa Monica, CA?
Lakewood and Santa Monica have similar restriction levels.
Lakewood, CA
Los Angeles County
LA County's STR Ordinance (adopted April 2024, effective October 2024) caps un-hosted short-term rental stays at 90 nights per calendar year in unincorporated areas. Hosted stays have no annual night cap.
View full Lakewood 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 | Lakewood | Santa Monica |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinance | STR Ordinance (April 2024) | - |
| Un-hosted Cap | 90 nights/year | - |
| Hosted Cap | No limit | - |
| Residency | 9 months/year minimum | - |
| First Offense | $1,000 fine | - |
| 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.
Lakewood FAQ
How many nights can I rent my home on Airbnb in unincorporated LA County?
If you are not present during the stay (un-hosted), you are limited to 90 nights per calendar year. If you are present (hosted), there is no annual cap on nights.
When did LA County's STR rules take effect?
The Board of Supervisors adopted the ordinance on April 9, 2024. All STR hosts were required to comply by October 7, 2024.
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
See how Lakewood and Santa Monica compare on other ordinance categories.
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