Airbnb, Vrbo, and any STR platform operating in San Francisco must verify each listing has a valid OSTR registration number before processing bookings. Platforms face direct fines for hosting unregistered listings, shifting enforcement burden from individual hosts.
Police Code 41A.5(g)(4), strengthened by Ordinance 178-16 after the 2016 Airbnb settlement, requires platforms to integrate with the OSTR registration database in real time. Platforms cannot collect booking fees or release payouts unless the listing carries a current registration number that matches the address on file. Platforms must also submit monthly host activity reports identifying nights booked, hosted vs. unhosted status, and total revenue. The 2018 federal court settlement forced Airbnb to purge thousands of unregistered listings overnight, and ongoing data sharing keeps SF's listing count near 3,000.
Platforms face $1,000 per booking penalties, civil injunctions from the City Attorney, and potential operating bans for failing verification or reporting duties.
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