San Diego, CA Short-Term Rentals: Extended Home Share (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger
- Over 20 days per calendar year
- Property requirement
- Host's primary residence only
- License term
- Expires after two years
- Renewal
- Governed by SDMC §510.0106(d)
Summary
Home-sharing more than 20 days a year in San Diego requires a Tier Two License, which must still be in the host's primary residence and carries its own two-year renewal cycle.
(c) Tier Two License: Home Share for More than 20 Days Per Calendar Year.
(1) A Tier Two License is required for home share short-term residential occupancy for an aggregate total of more than 20 days per calendar year.
(2) Home share with a Tier Two License is only allowed in the host's primary residence.
(3) The host shall occupy the host's primary residence for no less than 275 days of the calendar year in which the primary residence is rented as a home share. If the host has not rented or owned the dwelling unit for the full preceding calendar year, the host shall occupy the host's primary residence for no less than 75 percent of the days the host has owned or rented the dwelling unit.
(4) A Tier Two License shall expire two years from the date of issuance and may be renewed in accordance with Municipal Code section 510.0106(d).
(d) Tier Three License: Whole Home Short-Term Residential Occupancy Outside of Mission Beach Community Planning Area.
(1) A Tier Three License is required for whole home short-term residential occupancy outside the Mission Beach Community Planning Area as described in section 510.0104(e) for an aggregate
Full Breakdown
SDMC §510.0104(c) creates the Tier Two License for hosts who home-share for an aggregate total of more than 20 days per calendar year, the threshold that moves a host past the lighter Tier One category. A Tier Two License is still restricted to the host's primary residence, expires two years from issuance, and is renewable under §510.0106(d). Tier Two also carries a minimum-occupancy condition requiring the host to actually live in the home most of the year, which separates extended home sharing from a full-time rental operation.
Violations & Fines
Home-sharing beyond 20 days a year without a Tier Two License, or failing its primary-residence and occupancy conditions, exposes the host to regulatory action and potential license revocation under SDMC §510.0109.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do I need a Tier Two license instead of Tier One?
Does Tier Two allow renting out a whole second home?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Diego
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Extended Home Share in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Diego County handle extended home share.