Long Beach, CA Short-Term Rentals: Host Presence Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- Hosted stay defined by
- § 5.77.020(G): host on-site throughout stay
- Un-hosted stay defined by
- § 5.77.020(V): host resides off-site
- Daytime/work exception
- Host may be absent during normal work hours
- Consequence of un-hosted status
- Subject to 90-day annual cap, § 5.77.050(C)
Summary
Long Beach Municipal Code § 5.77.020(G) and (V) draw the line the whole STR chapter turns on: a 'hosted stay' requires the host to remain on-site throughout the guest's stay except during daytime/work hours, while an 'un-hosted stay' means the host resides off-site entirely.
G."Hosted stay" means a short-term rental activity whereby the host remains on-site and resides in a habitable dwelling unit or portion thereof throughout the guest's stay (except during daytime and/or work hours).V."Un-hosted stay" means a short-term rental activity whereby the host, as that term is defined herein, resides off-site during the guest's stay.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 52 Update 1 | City Charter: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
77 does not require every short-term rental to be host-present, but it builds its entire regulatory structure on the distinction between the two. 020(G) defines a 'hosted stay' as short-term rental activity where the host, the natural person who owns or occupies the property, remains on-site and resides in a habitable dwelling unit or portion of it throughout the guest's stay, with an exception carved out for the host's normal daytime and work hours away from the property. Subsection (V) defines the opposite: an 'un-hosted stay' is one where the host resides off-site during the guest's stay.
This distinction matters because Long Beach treats un-hosted stays as the more restricted category. 080. 090(A)(9), which lists 'exceeding the maximum short-term rental limit of ninety (90) days of un-hosted stays' as chargeable conduct. Host presence is therefore the mechanism by which a primary-residence operator avoids the annual day cap and any local un-hosted prohibition adopted for their census tract block group.
Violations & Fines
Operating un-hosted beyond the permitted threshold is enforced under Section 5.77.090(A)(9) and (B): the City issues an immediate citation without a cure period once a violation is verified, at the flat $1,000 fine set by Section 5.77.090(G), and repeated exceedances count toward the three-citation threshold that can trigger non-renewal or revocation under 5.77.090(H).
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a 'hosted' stay under Long Beach's STR ordinance?
Does Long Beach require every STR host to be present during a guest's stay?
Why does the hosted/un-hosted distinction matter in Long Beach?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Long Beach
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