Murrieta, CA Short-Term Rentals: Host Presence Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- Hosted definition
- Owner/resident 21+ stays on-site
- Hosted zones allowed
- 9 residential designations
- Non-hosted zones allowed
- Only RR, ER-1, ER-2
- Non-hosted spacing
- 300 feet from another non-hosted unit
- Occupancy perk
- Hosted residents exempt from max count
Summary
Murrieta's code splits short-term rentals into 'hosted' and 'non-hosted' units. A hosted unit only qualifies if the owner, or a designated permanent resident 21 or older, remains on-site during the rental period, and that status controls which zones the rental can legally operate in.
"Hosted rental unit." A short-term vacation rental where bedroom(s), or a habitable detached structure (non-accessory dwelling unit, as that term is defined in Government Code Section 65852.2, which may be amended from time-to-time) on the property of a primary residence is rented, while a property owner, or their designated permanent resident, who is at least twenty-one (21) years of age or older, remains on-site and resides on the property during the short-term vacation rental period (except during daytime and/or working hours).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-23: A Codification of the General Ordinances of the City of Murrieta, California through Ord. 634-26, passed 7-7-2026).
Full Breakdown
020 defines a 'hosted rental unit' as a short-term vacation rental where bedrooms, or a habitable detached structure that is not an accessory dwelling unit, are rented while the property owner, or their designated permanent resident who is at least 21 years old, remains on-site and resides on the property during the rental period, except during daytime or working hours. A 'non-hosted rental unit' is the same setup rented without the owner concurrently occupying the property. 260 permits hosted units in nine residential zoning designations (RR, ER-1, ER-2, ER-3, SF-1, SF-2, MF-1, MF-2 and MF-3) but confines non-hosted units to only three zones (RR, ER-1 and ER-2), where they must additionally sit at least 300 feet from another non-hosted unit measured from all property lines. 060, residents of a hosted rental unit do not count toward the transient occupancy maximum, a carve-out that does not apply to non-hosted units.
Violations & Fines
Misrepresenting a unit as hosted when the owner or designated resident does not actually remain on-site is a violation of Chapter 5.27's operating requirements and can support permit denial, suspension or revocation under Section 5.27.110, plus enforcement under Chapters 1.32, 1.26 and 8.20 for operating outside the zoning designation the permit was approved for.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a Murrieta rental 'hosted' under the code?
Does hosted vs. non-hosted status affect where I can operate in Murrieta?
Do guests in a hosted unit count toward my occupancy limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Murrieta
California rules heatmap·Compare Murrieta to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
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