5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Sonoma County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Unincorporated Sonoma County requires TWO approvals before operating a non-hosted vacation rental: (1) a Vacation Rental Zoning Permit under Sonoma County Code Sec. 26-88-120, and (2) an annual Vacation Rental License under Code Chapter 4, Article VIII (Ord. 6386, as amended by Ord. 6427 in May 2023). Operators must also obtain a separate Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) certificate and use a Certified Vacation Rental Property Manager available 24/7. Operating without all three approvals is a violation.
Vacation rentals in unincorporated Sonoma County must observe quiet hours from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. under Code Sec. 26-88-120. A certified property manager must respond to noise complaints within 1 hour during the day and within 30 minutes during quiet hours. The county operates a 24/7 Vacation Rental Complaint Hotline at (707) 565-1212; persistent noise violations are grounds for permit revocation under Code Article 92.
Unincorporated Sonoma County levies a 12% Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) on the gross rents collected for stays of 30 days or less, under Sonoma County Code Chapter 12. Every vacation rental operator must register with the Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector (ACTTC) and obtain a TOT certificate BEFORE applying for the Article VIII annual rental license. TOT returns are filed quarterly. Incorporated cities set their own rates (e.g., City of Sonoma 13% + 2% TID; Santa Rosa 11%).
Sonoma County Code Sec. 26-88-120 sets a strict maximum overnight occupancy formula for vacation rentals: 2 persons per sleeping room or guestroom, plus 2 additional persons per property, up to an absolute maximum of 12 persons, excluding children under 3 years of age. Vacation rentals are also limited to a maximum of 5 guestrooms unless a use permit is approved on a showing of adequate sewage capacity and neighborhood compatibility.
California Health & Safety Code § 17920.3
(l) All buildings or portions thereof not provided with adequate exit facilities as required by this code, except those buildings or portions thereof whose exit facilities conformed with all applicable laws at the time of their construction and that have been adequately maintained and increased in relation to any increase in occupant load, alteration or addition, or any change in occupancy.
Registering a vacation rental in unincorporated Sonoma County is a five-step process under Permit Sonoma rules combined with Code Sec. 26-88-120 (zoning) and Chapter 4, Article VIII (license, Ord. 6386/6427): (1) become or hire a county-Certified Vacation Rental Property Manager, (2) obtain the TVR Zoning Permit, (3) register for a Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) certificate, (4) apply for the annual Article VIII license, and (5) renew the license every 365 days. All advertising must include accurate permit info and conform to the permitted occupancy.
1 cities in Sonoma County have their own short-term rentals rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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