Hawthorne, CA Short-Term Rentals: Host Platform Liability (2026)
Key Facts
- Disclosure trigger
- Upon request by the city
- Data disclosed
- Listing address, responsible person, stay length, price
- Preemption clause
- Yields to state/federal law
- Applicant must disclose platform
- Yes, at application under § 17.74.020(A)(5)
Summary
Hawthorne requires hosting platforms like Airbnb to disclose each Hawthorne listing, the responsible person, the address and the length and price of stays to the city on request, subject to preemption by state or federal law.
Subject to applicable laws, the owner/operator of any hosting platform shall disclose to the city, upon request, each short-term rental listing located in the city, the names of persons responsible for each listing, the address of each listing, and the length of stays for each listing and the price paid for each stay. The provisions of this chapter shall be interpreted in accordance with otherwise applicable state and federal law(s) and will not apply if determined by the city to be in violation of, or preempted by, any such law(s).
Full Breakdown
070 governs hosting-platform obligations rather than host obligations. 010 as any marketplace, in whatever form, that facilitates short-term rental activity through advertising, match-making or similar means and derives revenue such as booking fees or advertising fees from operating that marketplace. 020(D). The chapter does not impose direct fines on platforms; its disclosure duty is the platform's only obligation, and it is expressly conditioned on the request coming from the city and on the disclosure not conflicting with state or federal law.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 17.74 does not spell out a platform-specific penalty for refusing the Section 17.74.070(A) disclosure; the chapter's general Section 17.74.090 enforcement, misdemeanor fines up to one thousand dollars, up to six months in jail, or an administrative citation under Chapter 1.23B, applies to violations of the chapter but is written primarily to reach hosts and owners, not the platform itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Hawthorne require Airbnb or similar platforms to report listings to the city?
Can Hawthorne enforce its short-term rental chapter against a platform if it conflicts with state law?
Does a Hawthorne host have to name their hosting platform on the permit application?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hawthorne
California rules heatmap·Compare Hawthorne to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
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