Mountain View, CA Short-Term Rentals: Host Presence Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- Hosted definition
- Host present throughout stay, Sec. 44.2.e
- Whole-unit rentals
- Can never be 'hosted'
- ADU exception
- Hosted if owner/tenant on property
- Consequence of hosted status
- No annual day cap, Sec. 44.4.b.1
- Consequence of unhosted status
- 60-day/year cap, Sec. 44.4.b.2
Summary
A Mountain View short-term rental only counts as 'hosted', and escapes the 60-day annual cap, if the host physically remains in the dwelling unit for the entirety of the renter's stay under City Code Sec. 44.2.e. Renting out an entire dwelling unit can never be classified as hosted, no matter how often the owner visits.
e.Hosted short-term rental. A short-term rental where the host remains in the dwelling unit throughout the short-term renter's stay. A host may rent out a private portion of a residential dwelling unit; however, the rental of an entire dwelling unit may not be classified as a "hosted short-term rental."
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 34 Update 4).
Full Breakdown
e defines 'hosted short-term rental' precisely: it is a rental where the host remains in the dwelling unit throughout the short-term renter's stay, and a host may rent out only a private portion of the residence and keep hosted status. The definition draws a hard line by stating that the rental of an entire dwelling unit may not be classified as a hosted short-term rental, so a full-house rental is always treated as unhosted under Chapter 44 even if the host lives next door or checks in periodically.
This distinction matters because Sec. b ties the annual duration limit directly to host presence: hosted rentals face no day cap, while unhosted rentals (any rental of a whole unit, or any rental where the host is absent) are capped at 60 days per calendar year. The one exception carved out of this presence test is for accessory dwelling units under Sec. 3, which are deemed hosted whenever the owner or tenant is present anywhere on the property, not necessarily inside the rented ADU itself. 11.
Violations & Fines
Advertising or operating a whole-unit rental as 'hosted' to avoid the 60-day cap misapplies Sec. 44.2.e's definition and violates the operating standards of Sec. 44.4, exposing the host to an administrative citation, compliance order, or denial/revocation of the registration under Sec. 44.6 and Sec. 44.12.a for misrepresentation. A revoked or denied registration in the prior 12 months blocks re-registration of the property for another 12 months under Sec. 44.6.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a Mountain View short-term rental 'hosted'?
Can I rent out my whole house and still call it hosted?
Does the host have to be inside the exact unit being rented?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mountain View
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Host Presence Rule in Nearby Cities
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