12 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 5 cities in Santa Clara County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Short-term rentals in unincorporated Santa Clara County require TOT registration with the County Department of Tax and Collections. No separate STR permit system like incorporated cities.
Short-term rentals in Santa Clara County must follow the noise ordinance: 45 dBA nighttime (10pm-7am), 55 dBA daytime at property lines. Excessive guest noise is enforced as a nuisance.
Santa Clara County STR operators must collect and remit TOT on stays 30 days or less. City rates vary (San Jose 10 percent, Sunnyvale 12.5 percent). Hosts remain liable even if platform collects.
STR hosts in Santa Clara County must provide on-site parking matching residential zoning (typically 2 spaces) and cannot rely on street parking in residential permit districts.
Cal. Veh. Code § 22651
A peace officer ... may remove a vehicle located within the territorial limits in which the officer or employee may act, under the following circumstances: (a) If a vehicle is left unattended upon a bridge, viaduct, or causeway or in a tube or tunnel where the vehicle constitutes an obstruction to traffic. (b) If a vehicle is parked or left standing upon a highway in a position so as to obstruc...
Santa Clara County STRs follow a two-per-bedroom-plus-two overnight occupancy formula. San Jose caps non-hosted STRs at 10 overnight guests. Events and large gatherings are often prohibited.
Santa Clara County STR hosts typically need at least 500,000 dollars liability insurance, either via a dedicated policy or equivalent platform coverage. Standard HO-3 policies usually exclude STRs.
Santa Clara County cities cap non-hosted STRs: San Jose at 180 days per year, Palo Alto at 90 nights. Hosted rentals where the owner is present are typically uncapped.
Santa Clara County does not impose a uniform host-presence rule on short-term rentals. Some unincorporated zoning districts limit STRs to hosted home-share arrangements, while others permit unhosted whole-home rentals subject to permit, tax, and noise rules.
Santa Clara County has no countywide primary-residence rule for short-term rentals. San Jose, Mountain View, and Palo Alto require hosts to use the property as their primary home, while Saratoga and Los Gatos restrict STRs more broadly through zoning.
Santa Clara County zoning enforcement under Title A escalates penalties for repeated STR violations. Cities use formal strike systems suspending or revoking permits after multiple substantiated complaints.
California state law and city ordinances impose joint liability on STR hosts and platforms like Airbnb. Platforms must collect TOT, verify permits, and remove unpermitted listings on jurisdiction request.
5 cities in Santa Clara County have their own short-term rentals rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
12 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
8 verified rules • Insurance Requirements, Night Caps
See every category we cover for Santa Clara County — parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Santa Clara County Ordinance Hub →