Redwood City, CA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Parking Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Zoning Code Sec. 31.3(D)(5)
- Additional parking required
- none
- Existing spaces
- must be made available to renters
- Related standard
- special-event ban covers parking impacts too
- Enforcement path
- complaint to local contact, then revocation
Summary
Redwood City does not require a short-term rental to add any parking beyond what already exists on the lot. Zoning Code Section 31.3(D)(5) simply requires that existing on-site parking spaces be made available to short-term renters, and the rule leaves the number of spaces required for the dwelling unchanged.
5. Parking. No additional parking shall be required for short-term rentals. Existing on-site parking spaces shall be made available to short-term renters.
6. Special Event. Weddings, corporate events, commercial functions, and any other similar events which have the potential to cause traffic, parking, noise or other problems in the neighborhood are prohibited from occurring at the short-term rental property, as a component of short-term rental activities.
E. Registration and Annual Renewal.
1. Application. Prior to advertising or making available the primary residence for renting, hosts shall register their primary residence as a short-term rental with the City. This registration shall be submitted on a form prepared by the City and shall include the name and contact information of the host, the address of the primary residence being used for short-term rental, the contact information for the local contact person, an acknowledgement of compliance with the requirements of the City's Zoning Ordinance, Municipal Codes, applicable health and safety standards, and other information as requested.
2. Fee. The registration form shall be accompanied by a filing fee in an amount established by resolution of the City Council and updated from time to time.
3. Application Completeness. The submitted information shall be used to determine whether to register the short-term rental. The host will be notified if an application is incomplete. If the host fails
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Zoning Code: Supplement 29 | City Code: Supplement 61 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
3(D), the parking standard is deliberately minimal. It does not set a minimum number of spaces per bedroom or per listing, does not require a host to build new parking, and does not reduce the parking a neighboring property can expect a guest to use responsibly. The rule has two parts: no additional parking is required for a short-term rental beyond what the dwelling already has, and any on-site parking spaces that already exist must be made available to short-term renters rather than reserved exclusively for the host or blocked off.
In practice this means a host cannot charge extra to let a guest park on-site if a driveway or garage exists, and cannot rent the unit while withholding existing spaces from renters. 3(A): reducing potential parking and traffic impacts on adjacent neighbors from short-term rental activity.
Violations & Fines
Because Section 31.3(D)(5) is written as a floor, not a permit condition with a fixed space count, the main enforcement risk is indirect: a host who lets guest parking spill into the street or onto neighboring properties can trigger complaints handled through the section's twenty-four-hour local contact person requirement, and a pattern of parking complaints can be cited by the Zoning Administrator as grounds to revoke the short-term rental registration under Section 31.3(G) after notice and a hearing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need extra parking spaces to run a short-term rental in Redwood City?
Can I keep my driveway for myself and still rent my home short-term?
What happens if my short-term rental guests cause parking problems for neighbors?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Redwood City
California rules heatmap·Compare Redwood City to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Short-Term Rental Parking Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Mateo County handle short-term rental parking rules.