Primary-Residence-Only Rule: Tulare vs Visalia
How do primary-residence-only rule rules compare between Tulare, CA and Visalia, CA?
Tulare, CA
Tulare County
Tulare Municipal Code does not impose a primary-residence requirement on short-term rental operators. Because the city has no STR-specific ordinance, non-owner-occupied (whole-home, investor-owned) STRs are not categorically banned. The rejected Tulare County draft STR ordinance would have allowed both hosted and unhosted rentals so long as the dwelling was a 'permitted dwelling' with 'habitable interior spaces' — but that countywide ordinance was voted down 3-2 in 2024 and never took effect. California has no statewide primary-residence rule for STRs.
View full Tulare rules →Visalia, CA
Tulare County
No data available yet for Visalia.
Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Tulare | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Primary-residence rule | None in Tulare Municipal Code | - |
| Whole-home STRs | Permitted, subject to business license and zoning | - |
| Owner occupancy required | No | - |
| Annual night cap | None | - |
| State preemption | California has no statewide primary-residence STR rule | - |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Tulare FAQ
Can I run an investor-owned (non-owner-occupied) STR in Tulare?
Yes. Tulare has no primary-residence requirement and no cap on whole-home STRs. You must obtain a city business license under Title 5 and comply with Title 10 zoning.
Is there a night-cap for unhosted rentals?
No. Unlike San Francisco or Santa Monica, Tulare imposes no annual night limit on unhosted short-term rentals.
Could that change?
Yes — the City Council could adopt an STR ordinance at any time, and Tulare County could revisit its draft ordinance. After California SB 346 (effective Jan 1, 2026) gives local governments better data on STR activity, more jurisdictions are expected to enact restrictions.
Visalia FAQ
No FAQs available.
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