Pasadena, CA Short-Term Rentals: Host Presence Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- Hosted stay
- Host remains on-site throughout guest's stay
- Un-hosted stay
- Host is off-site the entire stay
- Contact requirement
- 24-hour local contact required regardless of presence
- Primary residence rule
- Host must live there 9+ months a year
- Governing section
- PMC Section 17.50.296(B)(3) and (B)(6)
Summary
Pasadena's short-term rental ordinance splits stays into two categories based on whether the host is on-site: a 'hosted stay' requires the host to remain on the property throughout the guest's visit, while an 'un-hosted stay' means the host is off-site, a status that triggers a separate annual limit.
3.Hosted stay. A home-sharing activity whereby the host remains on-site throughout the guest's stay (except during daytime and/or work hours). ... 6.Un-hosted stay. A home-sharing activity whereby the host remains off-site during the guest's stay. ... 2.Eligibility requirements. The following requirements must be met for approval of a short-term rental permit:...b.The host shall sign a notarized affidavit confirming that:i.The short-term rental unit is his/her primary residence and that the local responsible contact person or property management company will be available 24 hours per day.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 79 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
296(B)(3) defines a 'hosted stay' as home-sharing where the host remains on-site throughout the guest's stay, except during the host's own daytime or work hours away from the property. 296(B)(6) defines the opposite: an 'un-hosted stay' is one where the host remains off-site for the entire guest visit. The distinction matters because Pasadena treats the two very differently for annual limits. 296(E)(2)(b)(i) requires every host, as part of the notarized affidavit filed with the permit application, to confirm that a local responsible contact person or property management company will be reachable 24 hours a day during the rental.
296(B)(5) as the host's permanent home, documented by at least two of: vehicle registration, driver's license, voter registration, tax records, or a utility bill, and the host must actually live there at least nine months of the year. 296(D), a host cannot designate a second, unoccupied property for un-hosted stays; the host-presence framework applies only within a unit that remains the host's own home, whether or not the host happens to be there during a given booking.
Violations & Fines
Renting out a unit that fails to meet the primary-residence and host-availability requirements described in the notarized affidavit is a permit violation enforceable under Chapters 1.24 and 1.25 of the Municipal Code; three violations at one property trigger automatic suspension, and a revocation hearing before the city manager can follow, barring the host from reapplying for one year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the host have to be home during a Pasadena short-term rental?
Who does the city contact if there's a problem during an un-hosted Pasadena rental?
Can I use a second Pasadena property I don't live in for un-hosted rentals?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pasadena
California rules heatmap·Compare Pasadena to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
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