California law requires hosting platforms to verify or disclose liability insurance for short-term rental listings, applying uniformly across all California cities.
Civil Code Section 1864, enacted via AB 537 (2021), requires online hosting platforms that book short-term lodging in California to verify that hosts maintain liability insurance of at least $1 million or to disclose to guests that no coverage is in place. The law also requires platforms to disclose total reservation prices upfront, including cleaning fees and taxes. While cities may add their own STR licensing requirements, the platform-level insurance verification and price disclosure rules apply statewide and cannot be overridden by local ordinance.
Civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation enforceable by the Attorney General, district attorneys, or city attorneys against hosting platforms.
See how Sonoma's insurance requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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