Santa Clara County, CA Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)

Unincorporated Santa Clara County does not operate a general rental property registration program for long-term rentals, unlike San Jose's Apartment Rent Ordinance registry or Mountain View's CSFRA registration. Landlords of long-term rentals do not need to register the unit with the county, though they must comply with state-level requirements including providing tenants written notice of AB 1482 applicability, security deposit limits (2 months for unfurnished, 3 for furnished), and habitability standards under Civil Code 1941. Short-term rentals in unincorporated areas (rentals under 30 days) are subject to the county's STR ordinance requiring a permit, transient occupancy tax (TOT) registration, and compliance with operational standards. Multi-family property owners may need a county business license depending on unit count. Landlords should keep records of rent increase notices, exemption notices, and habitability compliance. Tenants with code enforcement concerns can file complaints regarding health and safety violations through the county Planning and Development Department.