10 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 10 cities in Sacramento County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Unincorporated Sacramento County requires a Short-Term Rental Permit from Planning & Environmental Review before renting a home or room for 29 days or less. The property must be the operator's primary residence (lived in at least six months a year), the rental stays an accessory use, and a Business License plus Transient Occupancy Tax registration are also required.
Noise is one of the operational standards in Sacramento County's short-term rental ordinance (Code Chapter 4.08) for unincorporated areas, and operators must take measures so guests do not disturb the neighborhood. Short-term rentals must also comply with the County's general noise ordinance, which sets lower nighttime limits in residential zones. A 24-hour Local Contact Person must be reachable to address complaints.
Short-term rental operators in unincorporated Sacramento County must collect a 12% Transient Occupancy Tax from guests staying under 30 days and remit it to the County, under Revenue and Taxation Code Section 7280 and County Code Chapter 3.08. A 1% Tourism Infrastructure District assessment and a Tourism Marketing District assessment also apply. Permit and license fees run about $230 to $452.66.
Sacramento County's short-term rental ordinance for unincorporated areas requires operators to identify pre-approved, authorized on-site parking spaces in the permit application and to post them on the required information flyer. Parking is one of the operational standards set in Sacramento County Code Chapter 4.08, alongside noise, refuse, and guest conduct, and operators must take measures to keep guest vehicles from disturbing neighbors.
Cal. Veh. Code § 22651 (Authority to Remove Vehicles — Parking Violations)
22651. A peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, or a regularly employed and salaried employee who is engaged in directing traffic or enforcing parking laws and regulations of a city, county, or jurisdiction of a state agency in which a vehicle is located may remove a vehicle located within the territorial limits in which th...
Sacramento County limits short-term rental occupancy in unincorporated areas to no more than two adults per bedroom, and only one rental party may occupy the unit at a time. The standard is set in Sacramento County Code Chapter 4.08. Permits approved before February 2, 2023 had occupancy limits that applied only to adults over 18.
Cal. Health & Safety Code § 17920.3 (Substandard Building — Overcrowding)
17920.3. Any building or portion thereof, regardless of zoning designation or approved uses of the building, including any dwelling unit, guestroom or suite of rooms, or the premises on which the same is located, in which there exists any of the following listed conditions to an extent that endangers the life, limb, health, property, safety, or welfare of the occupants of the building, nearby r...
Sacramento County's short-term rental program for unincorporated areas requires operators to carry liability insurance covering the rental use, with published guidance describing a minimum on the order of $500,000 to $1,000,000 per occurrence. Operators should confirm the exact required coverage limit with the Office of Planning & Environmental Review, as it is set through Sacramento County Code Chapter 4.08 and permit conditions.
Sacramento County limits short-term rentals in unincorporated areas to stays of 29 consecutive days or less, and caps each rental party at no more than 29 total days per year. Stays of 30 days or more are not short-term rentals and need no STR permit. The day limits keep short-term rental an accessory use to a primary residence.
Before renting short-term in unincorporated Sacramento County, operators must register on three tracks: a Short-Term Rental Permit through Planning & Environmental Review, a General Business License, and a Transient Occupancy Tax registration with the Department of Finance. Applications must document parking, fire extinguishers, refuse areas, and a 24-hour local contact person, and a required information flyer must be posted in the unit.
Sacramento County does not require the host to be present during every unincorporated-area short-term rental stay, but the program is anchored to owner occupancy: the home must be a primary residence lived in at least six months a year. A Local Contact Person must be available 24 hours by phone and able to reach the property within 60 minutes.
Unincorporated Sacramento County allows short-term rentals only at a primary residence. The owner or a long-term renter must live at the property at least six months a year, the short-term rental must remain accessory to that full-time occupancy, and only one short-term rental permit may be held per applicant. Investor-owned, non-owner-occupied whole-home STRs are not eligible.
10 cities in Sacramento County have their own short-term rentals rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
13 verified rules • Extended Home Share, Host Platform Liability
8 verified rules • Insurance Requirements, Night Caps
8 verified rules • Insurance Requirements, Night Caps
8 verified rules • Insurance Requirements, Night Caps
6 verified rules • Noise Rules, Occupancy Limits
8 verified rules • Insurance Requirements, Night Caps
6 verified rules • Noise Rules, Occupancy Limits
5 verified rules • Noise Rules, Occupancy Limits
8 verified rules • Insurance Requirements, Night Caps
6 verified rules • Insurance Requirements, Noise Rules
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