10 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 4 cities in San Mateo County, California.
Verified from official government sources
In unincorporated San Mateo County, short-term rentals are only allowed in the Coastal Zone and require a Short-Term Rental Permit issued under Zoning Regulations Section 6401.3. STRs are permitted in legal R-1 and R-3 residences; accessory/second units are excluded.
Section 6401.3(6)(f) requires every Coastal Zone STR to comply with the County Noise Ordinance (Ordinance Code Chapter 4.88), post a copy of that chapter inside the unit, and avoid activities producing noise, dust, odor, or vibration detrimental to neighbors.
STR operators in unincorporated San Mateo County must collect and remit Transient Occupancy Tax of 10% of rent under Ordinance Code Chapter 5.136 (Section 5.136.020) and pay the Planning Department's STR permit fee. The County permit page lists an approximate permit fee of $500.
Section 6401.3(6)(b) requires each single-family STR to provide at least one on-site parking space (garage, driveway, or other on-site area), or at least two spaces if maximum occupancy exceeds eight tenants. Multifamily STR units need at least one on-site space.
Cal. Vehicle Code Sec. 22651 (Authority to Remove Parked or Abandoned Vehicles)
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...
Under Zoning Regulations Section 6401.3(6)(a), the maximum number of short-term tenants is two persons per bedroom rented plus two additional persons. Children under 12 are not counted. Renting one bedroom allows up to four tenants.
Cal. Health & Safety Code Sec. 17920.3 (Substandard Buildings - Occupancy and Habitability)
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...
Section 6401.3(6)(k) requires each Coastal Zone STR owner to maintain at least $500,000 in liability insurance on the short-term rental while it is occupied by short-term tenants. Proof of liability insurance must be submitted with the permit application.
Under Section 6401.3(2)(c), a Coastal Zone STR cannot be rented for more than 180 nights per calendar year. Any night the property owner is present at the address does not count against the 180-night limit.
Registration is handled through a Short-Term Rental Permit application to the Planning and Building Department plus a Transient Occupancy Registration Certificate from the Tax Collector. Owners must designate a local contact, post performance standards, and meet fire-safety standards before a permit issues.
Owner presence is not required, but Section 6401.3(6)(c) requires a designated local contact person within a 20-mile radius, available at all times during occupancy, able to physically respond within one hour in emergencies. Owner-present nights are exempt from the 180-night cap.
San Mateo County's Coastal Zone STR ordinance does not require the rental to be the owner's primary residence. Non-owner-occupied (whole-home) short-term rentals are allowed, subject to the permit, a 180-night cap, and all performance standards under Section 6401.3.
4 cities in San Mateo County have their own short-term rentals rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
8 verified rules • Insurance Requirements, Night Caps
11 verified rules • Extended Home Share, Host Presence Rule
6 verified rules • Insurance Requirements, Noise Rules
6 verified rules • Insurance Requirements, Noise Rules
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