Santa Clara County, CA Short-Term Rentals: Parking Rules (2026)

Unincorporated Santa Clara County does not impose a short-term-rental-specific parking mandate, because it has no dedicated STR ordinance. Parking for a dwelling used as a short-term rental is governed by the general off-street parking and loading provisions of the County Zoning Ordinance (Article 4, Section 4.30, Off-Street Parking and Loading), which set the number of required off-street spaces by use type for residential and other uses. There is no County rule requiring a host to provide a dedicated parking space per guest room or to prohibit on-street guest parking that applies only to short-term rentals. If a property is approved under a use or special permit (for example, a 'Bed and Breakfast Inn' tied to a winery), the approval can attach parking and circulation conditions on a case-by-case basis. Practically, hosts should ensure guests use the dwelling's existing legal off-street parking and avoid creating obstructions or safety hazards on rural roads and driveways, since the County can act on nuisance or zoning-condition grounds. Hosts should verify any parking conditions specific to their parcel with the County Department of Planning and Development, and should be aware that several incorporated cities in the county do require dedicated STR guest parking - rules that do not apply to unincorporated land.