Short-term rentals are completely banned in Santa Ana. The city council voted unanimously to prohibit all STR operations, so insurance requirements are moot. No permits are issued and no grandfathering provisions exist.
The Santa Ana City Council enacted a complete prohibition on short-term residential rentals to preserve neighborhood character, address negative impacts such as trash, noise, and parking problems, and maintain housing supply during California's housing crisis. Because short-term rentals are entirely prohibited, there are no insurance requirements for STR operators — the activity itself is illegal. Platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com listings for Santa Ana properties violate the city's code. The city actively enforces the ban through its Code Enforcement Division and has issued cease-and-desist notices to operators.
Operating a short-term rental in Santa Ana is a code violation subject to fines, cease-and-desist orders, and potential misdemeanor charges. Each day of operation constitutes a separate violation.
Santa Ana, CA
Santa Ana does not regulate decorative lawn ornaments, statuary, or year-round yard decorations on private property. Property maintenance standards in SAMC C...
Santa Ana, CA
Santa Ana does not specifically regulate residential inflatable holiday displays. There is no size cap, lighting curfew, or fan-noise limit specific to infla...
Santa Ana, CA
Santa Ana does not have a specific ordinance regulating residential holiday light displays. Display dates, brightness, and decorative content are not regulat...
Santa Ana, CA
Built-in outdoor kitchens in Santa Ana require building, electrical, plumbing, and gas permits under SAMC Chapter 8 (Building and Construction Standards), wh...
Santa Ana, CA
Santa Ana does not have a specific ordinance regulating backyard smokers or wood-fired ovens by time of day. Use is governed by the general nuisance provisio...
Santa Ana, CA
Santa Ana enforces the California Fire Code (CFC) through SAMC Chapter 14 (Fire Prevention) and OCFA (Orange County Fire Authority) under contract. Under CFC...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Orange County.
See how other cities in Orange County handle insurance requirements.
See how Santa Ana's insurance requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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