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.
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.
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.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Petaluma, CA
Persistent dog barking in Petaluma is enforced under the noise ordinance and animal provisions as a disturbance; chronic barking that disturbs neighbors can ...
Petaluma, CA
Construction noise in Petaluma is limited to daytime hours under the noise ordinance — generally 7 a.m.–7 p.m. weekdays with more limited weekend hours and n...
Petaluma, CA
Driveway approaches in Petaluma require an encroachment permit and must meet city standards; vehicles generally must be parked on an approved paved surface, ...
Petaluma, CA
RV, trailer and boat storage on residential lots in Petaluma is regulated by zoning, which restricts placement (typically a paved area) and prohibits living ...
Petaluma, CA
Petaluma Code §11.44.120 prohibits parking commercial vehicles in residential districts except while actively loading/unloading or performing services on pro...
Petaluma, CA
A building/zoning permit is generally required in Petaluma for fences over 6 feet or for masonry/retaining walls; pool barrier fences must meet the Californi...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Sonoma County.
See how Petaluma's host presence rule rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.