Sonoma, CA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Parking Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Parking ratio
- 1 space per bedroom
- Governing table
- SMC 19.48.040, Table 4-4
- Max units per property
- 2 complete residential units
- Max stay
- 29 consecutive days
- Business license
- Required, SMC 19.50.110(A)(7)
Summary
A licensed vacation rental in the City of Sonoma must provide one off-street parking space per bedroom, set in the Table 4-4 parking schedule at SMC 19.48.040. The requirement applies alongside Sonoma's broader vacation-rental operating standards at SMC 19.50.110, which caps stays, occupancy, and unit counts.
| Vacation rental | One space per bedroom. |
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 13-2025, passed December 3, 2025).
Full Breakdown
040, Number of parking spaces required, lists 'Vacation rental' in its Table 4-4 use-parking schedule with a required ratio of one off-street parking space per bedroom in the rental unit. 110, which the code defines as the rental of up to two complete residential units, containing bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms, for stays of less than 30 days. 060. 110(A)(6), which the city uses to cross-check enforcement against the parking and occupancy limits. 110(B), but they still must meet the parking, noise, and safety standards that apply to every other vacation rental in the city.
Violations & Fines
Renting out a vacation rental without providing the required one-space-per-bedroom parking, or exceeding the unit's approved occupancy, is a zoning violation under SMC 1.12.010: an infraction citation runs up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second violation of the same section within a year, and $500 for a third, or the city may pursue a misdemeanor carrying up to $1,000 and six months in jail; no building or zoning permit can issue until any related penalty is paid.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many parking spaces does a Sonoma vacation rental need?
Does the parking rule apply to every short-term rental in the city?
Can the city reduce the parking requirement for a vacation rental?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sonoma
California rules heatmap·Compare Sonoma to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
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Short-Term Rental Parking Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sonoma County handle short-term rental parking rules.