Alameda, CA Short-Term Rentals: Permit Requirements (2026)

Unlike many Bay Area cities, the incorporated City of Alameda (the Alameda County island city, ~78,000 residents) does not currently have a stand-alone short-term rental permit codified in its Municipal Code. This is the city's own framework, not Alameda County's unincorporated rules. Independent industry trackers and the City's own materials describe Alameda as one of the more permissive Bay Area cities: there is no STR-specific permit, no citywide cap on the number of rentals, and no STR-specific use permit application as of the 2026 information available. What still applies is the City's general regulatory baseline. A host operating a short-term rental from a dwelling is expected to obtain a City business license from the Finance Department, submit a Zoning Clearance form to the Permit Center, and (if running the rental out of a residence) obtain a Home Occupation Permit. Stays of 30 nights or fewer are treated like hotel/transient occupancy for tax purposes, so the 14% Transient Occupancy Tax must be collected and remitted. The City's Planning Board held a public workshop on February 10, 2025 to guide staff in drafting a Short-Term Rental Ordinance covering rentals under 30 days, with staff expected to bring recommendations to the Planning Board in summer 2025 and to City Council in fall 2025. No STR ordinance had been formally adopted as of the most recent information, so the rules below could change; hosts should confirm current status with the Planning, Building and Transportation Department before relying on this.