Santa Cruz County, CA Short-Term Rentals: Insurance Requirements (2026)

Unlike some jurisdictions that condition a short-term rental permit on proof of a set amount of liability insurance, unincorporated Santa Cruz County does not state an insurance requirement in its vacation rental ordinance, SCCC 13.10.694, or in the published hosted rental rules under SCCC 13.10.690. The County's enforceable controls are the vacation rental or hosted rental permit, transient occupancy tax registration with the Tax Collector (or proof of registry with a verified platform), the occupancy formula of two guests per legal bedroom plus two, the on-site parking minimums, compliance with the SCCC Chapter 8.30 noise standards, the 60-minute property-manager response standard, and the caps and density limits. None of these conditions a County permit on carrying short-term rental or homeowner liability insurance, and no minimum coverage figure appears in the County code. This entry therefore does not assert a coverage amount, because none is specified by the County. As a practical matter, operators should still confirm that a homeowner or landlord policy covers short-term rental activity or obtain a dedicated short-term rental policy, since standard homeowner policies frequently exclude commercial lodging use, and major booking platforms provide their own host liability programs. Operators should also verify with the Unified Permit Center whether any insurance documentation is requested during application or renewal, because program administration can evolve even when the underlying code does not name a coverage mandate; the August 2025 overhaul added enforcement tools but the County's published rules do not establish an insurance minimum.