Orange, CA Short-Term Rentals: Host Platform Liability (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Orange Municipal Code § 5.94.080
- Reporting frequency
- Quarterly, due end of following month
- Penalty, days 1-10
- $200 per violation per listing per day
- Penalty, day 11+
- $500 per violation per listing per day
- Subpoena owner notice
- 10 business days
- Records production deadline
- 21 days after owner notice
Summary
Any platform that lists Orange short-term rentals, such as Airbnb or Vrbo, must require every host to display a City business license number in the listing and must report the total number of listed rentals and total rented nights to the City every calendar quarter. Orange Municipal Code Section 5.94.080 governs platform conduct and backs it with per-listing daily fines.
A. General Provisions. All platforms that display short term rental listings for properties in the City shall comply with the following: 1. Require that all owners using the platform include a City business license number in any listing for a short term rental on the platform. 2. Provide the following information in an electronic format to the City on a quarterly basis. These reports shall be due at the end of the month following the end of each calendar quarter: a. The total number of short term rentals in the City listed on the platform during the applicable reporting period; and b. The total number of nights all short term rental units were rented through the platform during the applicable reporting period. ... 3. Penalties. a. A violation of this chapter applicable to platforms that persists after notice of violation or order of the City Manager or designee shall be subject to the following penalties per violation for each listing from the date the violation occurs until compliance is achieved: i. $200.00 per day for each violation for the first 10 days; and ii. $500.00 per day for each violation for each day beyond 10 days of noncompliance until compliance is achieved.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4796775; v10 updated 2026-01-27).
Full Breakdown
080 splits platform duties into three parts. Under general provisions, platforms must build license-number display and quarterly reporting into their listing process, with reports covering the total short term rentals listed and total nights rented, due by the end of the month following each calendar quarter. 94. The subpoena must be submitted in writing, served on the platform's registered agent, tied to a specific investigation, and must identify the alleged violations. The platform then has 10 business days to notify the owner of the subpoena and 21 days after that notice to produce responsive records, unless the owner has sought relief in court.
Failure by a platform to comply with any provision of the code applicable to platforms is itself a violation of the chapter, triggering a written notice of violation that becomes final unless the platform requests review by the City Manager or designee within 10 business days and submits supporting material within 15 days of that request. 08 of the code or under state law, independent of the daily fines.
Violations & Fines
A platform that lets a notice of violation or City Manager order lapse without complying is fined $200 per day for each violation, for each listing, for the first 10 days, and $500 per day for every day beyond that until compliance is achieved. Fines run from the date the violation occurs, not from the date of the notice, and accrue separately for every noncompliant listing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a booking platform have to verify a host's license before posting a listing?
What must a platform send the City every quarter?
Can a platform challenge a City subpoena for rental records?
How large can the fines against a platform get?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Orange
California rules heatmap·Compare Orange to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
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Host Platform Liability in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle host platform liability.