Rancho Cucamonga, CA Short-Term Rentals: Host Presence Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- Hosted stay
- Host on-site throughout the stay (§8.34.010)
- Un-hosted stay
- Host off-site during some/all of the stay
- Un-hosted annual cap
- 90 days per calendar year (§8.34.090.K)
- Vacation rentals
- Prohibited outright (§8.34.020)
- Enforcing office
- City Finance Director
Summary
Rancho Cucamonga does not require a host to stay on site during every short-term rental. Municipal Code Section 8.34.010 defines a 'hosted stay,' where the host remains at the primary residence throughout the guest's stay, and an 'un-hosted stay,' where the host is off-site, and Section 8.34.020 authorizes both.
"Hosted stay" means short-term rental activity whereby the host remains on the site of his or her primary residence throughout the duration of the guest's stay, expect during daytime and/or workhours. ... "Un-hosted stay" means a short-term rental activity whereby the host remains off the site of his or her primary residence-site for some or all of the duration of the guest's stay. ... A short-term rental permit shall only be issued to authorize hosted stays and un-hosted stays. Vacation rentals are prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4999536; v21 updated 2026-07-15).
Full Breakdown
34, adopted by Ordinance No. 969 in 2020, splits short-term rentals into two operating models rather than forcing a host to be present for every booking. 010 defines a hosted stay as rental activity in which the host remains on the site of his or her primary residence throughout the duration of the guest's stay, except during daytime hours or work hours, and an un-hosted stay as activity in which the host remains off the site of his or her primary residence for some or all of the duration of the guest's stay.
020 confirms that a city-issued short-term rental permit can authorize either arrangement, hosted or un-hosted, but flatly prohibits a third category: a 'vacation rental,' meaning a unit that isn't the operator's primary residence at all, is barred outright. 090(K) caps un-hosted stays at 90 days total per calendar year at the same dwelling, while hosted stays carry no such day limit. 090.
Violations & Fines
There's no separate penalty just for choosing an un-hosted stay over a hosted one; exposure comes from exceeding the rules attached to that choice. Renting past the 90-day annual un-hosted limit, or operating a bare vacation rental with no host residence at all, is enforceable as a Chapter 8.34 violation, and a third violation lets the finance director revoke the host's permit under Section 8.34.060.
Frequently Asked Questions
Must a Rancho Cucamonga host be home during a short-term rental?
Is there a limit on how often a host can be absent?
Can someone rent out a home they don't live in at all?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rancho Cucamonga
California rules heatmap·Compare Rancho Cucamonga to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
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