Sonoma County, CA Short-Term Rentals: Host Presence Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- On-site host required?
- No, but 24/7 manager required
- Manager availability
- 24 hours, 7 days during rentals
- Manager location
- Within 30-mile radius
- Complaint response
- 60 min (30 min in quiet hours)
- Reporting
- To Permit Sonoma within 24 hours
- Owner-on-site path
- Hosted rental, Sec. 26-88-118
Summary
Whole-house vacation rentals do not require an on-site host, but Sec. 26-88-120(f)(8) requires a certified 24-hour property manager available 24/7 during rentals and located within 30 miles. By contrast, owner-occupied 'hosted rentals' under Sec. 26-88-118 require the primary owner to reside on the property.
The provisions of the section shall apply to all vacation rentals except where there is a primary owner in residence. This section does not apply to legally established hosted rentals or bed and breakfast inns, which are regulated by Section 26-88-118. As used in this section, "primary owner" does not include residences or condominiums owned as a timeshare, limited liability partnership or corporation, or fractional ownership of six (6) or more interests.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Sonoma County does not require a host to sleep on-site at a whole-house vacation rental, but it imposes a strict manager-availability standard in lieu of host presence. Under Sec. 26-88-120(f)(8), every vacation rental must have a certified property manager available 24 hours a day, seven days a week during all times the property is rented. The manager may be a professional manager, realtor, the owner, or another designated person who has completed a county training course and passed a county certification test; certification is granted and may be revoked by the County.
Certified managers must be located within a 30-mile radius of the vacation rental and available to respond at all times during the rental. Under the enforcement provisions in Sec. 26-88-120(g)(1), upon a complaint the manager must contact the tenant to correct the problem within 60 minutes, or within 30 minutes during quiet hours, visiting the site if necessary, and must report the complaint and resolution to Permit Sonoma within 24 hours. A vacation rental may not operate without a current certified property manager. The separate hosted-rental use under Sec. 26-88-118 is the path for owner-on-site operation, where the primary owner must reside in the property.
Violations & Fines
Operating a vacation rental without a certified property manager is an enumerated infraction under Sec. 26-88-120(g)(3) and a violation of the section. Failure by the manager to respond to complaints or report them to Permit Sonoma is cause for revocation of certification status.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to be present when I rent out my Sonoma County vacation rental?
How fast must the property manager respond to a problem?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sonoma County
California rules heatmap·Compare Sonoma County to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
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