5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Napa County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Short-term rentals are flatly prohibited in unincorporated Napa County. Napa County Code Section 18.104.410 bans transient commercial occupancies (rentals under 30 consecutive days) of dwelling units in every residential and agricultural zoning district, and the County does not issue STR or vacation-rental permits.
Napa County Code Sec. 18.104.410 (added by Ord. 1332, Dec. 15, 2009)
Transient commercial occupancies of dwelling units are prohibited in all residential and agricultural zoning districts within the county. This prohibition does not apply to occupancies associated with farm labor camps, residential care facilities, family day care homes, or legally permitted bed and breakfast establishments, hotels or motels.
Because Napa County Code Section 18.104.410 prohibits short-term vacation rentals of dwelling units in unincorporated areas, the county has no STR-specific quiet-hours or decibel schedule for hosts to follow. Any commercial transient occupancy is itself a zoning violation, and conventional residential noise, nuisance, and disturbing-the-peace provisions apply to occupants regardless of how the property is being rented. Complaints route to Napa County Code Compliance and the Sheriff's Office.
Unincorporated Napa County imposes a 13% Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) on stays of 30 consecutive days or less under Napa County Code Chapter 3.32, plus a 2% Tourism Business Improvement District assessment reported concurrently. Lodging operators must register with the County Auditor-Controller, post the Certificate of Authority on the premises, and remit quarterly. Although STRs of dwelling units are themselves prohibited under Section 18.104.410, the county may still collect back TOT, penalty, and interest under Section 3.32.080 from anyone who operates an unpermitted STR.
Napa County does not publish guest-count, bedroom, or night caps for short-term rentals because the underlying use is prohibited. Any rental of a dwelling unit for less than 30 consecutive days in the unincorporated county is itself a violation regardless of the number of guests.
Napa County Code Sec. 18.08.260 (Dwelling unit)
'Dwelling unit' means a room or connected rooms constituting a separate, independent housekeeping establishment for owner occupancy or rental or lease for a period of thirty days or longer, physically separated from other rooms or dwelling units in the same structure, and containing independent cooking and sleeping facilities.
Napa County does not operate a short-term rental registration or licensing program for unincorporated areas because Section 18.104.410 prohibits the underlying use. There is no platform-host registry, no permit number to display on listings, and no annual renewal pathway. Operators who collect a Transient Occupancy Tax certificate under Code Chapter 3.32 are not thereby authorized to operate an STR; the TOT certificate and the zoning prohibition operate independently.
1 cities in Napa County have their own short-term rentals rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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