5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 3 cities in Solano County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Unincorporated Solano County regulates short-term lodging (rentals of 30 consecutive days or less) under Chapter 28 of the Solano County Code, including agricultural homestays, bed and breakfast inns, hosted rentals, and Vacation House Rentals (VHRs). Before listing on any platform, an owner must (1) apply for the appropriate land-use permit from the Department of Resource Management — Planning Services, (2) obtain a Solano County business license under Chapter 14, and (3) register for a Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) certificate. The permit type depends on location and access: VHRs on public roads typically qualify for an Administrative Permit, while VHRs on private roads require a Use Permit. VHRs are prohibited outright in Rural Residential zone districts (RR-2.5, RR-5, RR-10) and in High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Proof of commercial liability insurance is required as part of the operating permit package.
Vacation House Rental operating standards in unincorporated Solano County impose enforceable quiet hours of 9:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., during which outdoor amplified sound, large gatherings, and disruptive noise are prohibited at the rental property. These rules are conditions of the STR/VHR permit issued under Solano County Code Chapter 28 and operate alongside the countywide noise standards. The permittee is responsible for guest conduct; repeated verified noise complaints can trigger permit suspension or revocation by the Department of Resource Management. Operators must post the 24-hour local contact and quiet-hour rules conspicuously inside the unit, and guests must be given written house rules at booking. Outdoor music and parties extending past 9:00 p.m. are common complaint triggers and a basis for code-enforcement action.
All short-term rentals in unincorporated Solano County must register for and collect Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) at the current rate of 5% of the total listing price, including any cleaning fees, on stays of 30 consecutive days or less. Operators register for a TOT certificate through the Solano County Department of Resource Management before accepting bookings, file returns on the schedule set by the Treasurer-Tax Collector, and remit collected tax to the County. Platform-collected tax (where the booking platform remits on the operator's behalf) does not eliminate the registration requirement. On top of TOT, operators pay the Solano County business license fee under Chapter 14 and the land-use permit application fee — a Minor Use Permit was approximately $6,831 (2021 schedule); the Administrative Permit fee for VHRs on public roads is lower but still substantial. Failure to register or remit TOT can result in penalties, interest, and permit revocation.
Unincorporated Solano County requires Vacation House Rental (VHR) operators to provide on-site parking adequate for the maximum permitted occupancy and to identify all parking spaces on the application site plan. Parking conditions are set through the Minor Use Permit and posted in the county-approved Good Neighbor Flyer under Solano County Code Chapter 28.
Maximum overnight occupancy for Vacation House Rentals in unincorporated Solano County is set by the County as a condition of the VHR operating permit issued under Chapter 28 of the Solano County Code. Occupancy is sized to the dwelling — based on bedroom count and on-site parking, water/septic capacity, and fire-safety considerations — rather than a single fixed countywide number, and the approved maximum is printed on the permit and required to be posted inside the rental. Owners may not advertise or accept bookings exceeding the permitted maximum. The County also limits daytime guests (visitors beyond overnight occupants) by permit condition to prevent gatherings that overwhelm parking and septic systems, and a minimum stay of two consecutive nights applies. VHRs are prohibited entirely in RR-2.5, RR-5, and RR-10 districts and in High/Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, regardless of occupant count.
3 cities in Solano County have their own short-term rentals rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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