Registration Rules: Petaluma vs Sonoma

What do I need to register a vacation rental in unincorporated Sonoma County?

Five things: a county-Certified Property Manager, a Sec. 26-88-120 Zoning Permit (TVR), a TOT certificate from the ACTTC, an annual Article VIII Vacation Rental License, and annual license renewal. All must be in place before listing the property.

Does the vacation rental permit transfer when I sell my house?

No. Sec. 26-88-120 states that the zoning permit runs with the landowner and automatically expires upon sale or transfer of the property. A new owner must reapply — and because of the cap-zone density limits, that reapplication may be denied in many parts of the county.

How often do I have to renew my Sonoma County vacation rental license?

The Article VIII license expires 365 days from the approval date. Renewal is filed online through Permit Sonoma and includes payment of the annual monitoring fee (code 1163), noticing fee (code 1162), and the 1.3% Technology Surcharge.

Do platforms like Airbnb collect Sonoma TOT for me?

Airbnb has a voluntary collection agreement with many California jurisdictions, but operators are ultimately responsible under SMC Ch. 3.16 for ensuring the full 13% TOT plus 2% TID is remitted. Check your platform settings and reconcile against the City's HdL portal at sonoma.hdlgov.com.

What goes in the 'license number' field on my Airbnb listing?

Per SMC § 19.50.110(A)(6) you must display either your City of Sonoma Business License number OR your TOT Certificate number, along with the property's maximum occupancy. Listings without one of these numbers are the City's primary code-enforcement target.

What if I missed the November 3, 1999 grandfather date?

Then no amount of registration can legalize the use. The only path forward is adaptive re-use of a historic structure under SMC § 19.50.110, which requires a separate planning entitlement.