Richmond, CA Short-Term Rentals: Insurance Requirements (2026)

Richmond Municipal Code Chapter 7.88 governs the 10% Uniform Transient Occupancy Tax on stays of 30 consecutive days or less, and Article VII Chapter 7.04.020 requires a separate Class E (Hotel/Motel) business license per rental property. The City's Short-Term Rentals program requires operators to submit an STR application with registration fees, post the registration certificate, and pass a property safety inspection prior to license issuance. A Home Occupation Authorization under RMC 15.04.810 is also required, and zoning approval from the Planning Department may apply. Richmond's published STR requirements do not set a city-mandated liability insurance dollar minimum at the code level; however, hosting platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo) impose their own host-protection coverage and most insurers require a dedicated short-term rental endorsement because standard homeowners policies typically exclude commercial rental activity. Operators should confirm coverage with their insurance carrier before listing because California Civil Code §1864 requires hosting platforms to disclose insurance information to guests, and any incident on an unlicensed STR exposes owners to uninsured claims and code enforcement under the Class E license framework.