Santa Ana Night Caps Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

Santa Ana's Home-Sharing ordinance distinguishes between hosted and unhosted short-term rentals and applies different night-cap rules to each. Hosted rentals, defined as stays during which the primary resident is physically present on the premises for the duration of the guest's visit, carry no annual night cap — the operator may rent a room or portion of the home year-round as long as they are present. Unhosted rentals, where the entire home is rented out and the primary resident is absent, are limited to 180 nights per calendar year.

The 180-night unhosted cap is designed to balance the ability of residents to earn supplemental income from their home against the city's interest in preserving long-term housing availability. In a city where approximately 60 percent of households are renters and median rents are among the highest in Orange County, the conversion of residential units to full-time vacation rentals is a significant housing policy concern. By capping unhosted nights at roughly half the year, Santa Ana ensures that the home remains primarily a residence rather than a commercial lodging operation.

Operators are responsible for accurately tracking their hosted and unhosted nights and maintaining records for at least three years. The City may request booking records, platform confirmation of stays, and calendar data at any time. Platform data-sharing agreements with Airbnb and VRBO provide the City with an additional enforcement mechanism. Operators who exceed the 180-night unhosted cap receive a notice of violation and are subject to immediate permit suspension pending review. Intentional or repeated exceedances may result in permit revocation and a prohibition on reapplication for a minimum of 12 months.