West Covina Night Caps Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

A growing number of California cities regulate short-term rentals through night-cap programs that allow hosts to rent their primary residence for a limited number of nights per year. The City of Los Angeles permits up to 120 nights annually with an Extended Home-Sharing option, Santa Monica caps hosted rentals at 90 days, and Pasadena requires a home-sharing permit with annual limits. West Covina has not adopted any variation of this approach.

Because the city's zoning code (Title 26) does not list short-term rentals as a permitted or conditionally permitted use in any residential zone, the effective night cap is zero. There is no application to host for a limited number of nights, no primary-residence exemption, no hosted-only allowance, and no special-event temporary rental period. The prohibition makes no distinction between entire-home rentals and renting a spare bedroom while the owner is present — both are equally prohibited.

West Covina's complete prohibition reflects the city's prioritization of housing stock for long-term residents in a market where the median home price and rental rates have risen significantly. The eastern San Gabriel Valley has seen growing demand for both rental housing and short-term vacation accommodations, but West Covina has opted to preserve its residential neighborhoods for permanent occupancy rather than creating a regulated STR market.

Residents who wish to generate rental income from their property must rent for periods of 30 consecutive days or longer, which is classified as standard residential leasing and is not subject to night-cap restrictions.