Contra Costa County, CA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)

Per Contra Costa County Ordinance Code Section 88-32.402, 'No person shall establish or operate a short-term rental in the unincorporated area of the County without first obtaining a permit as provided in this chapter.' Applications under Section 88-32.406 must include owner and host identification, primary residence documentation (driver's license, voter registration, tax return, etc.), assessor's parcel number, a site plan showing required off-street parking, a floor plan of the dwelling, the property owner's consent, a statement that no restrictive covenant prohibits the rental, and the name of a responsible party 18 or older who lives within a 30-mile radius and is reachable by phone during the entire rental period.

Section 88-32.408 makes the permit ministerial when all standards in Section 88-32.602 are met. Section 88-32.410 sets the permit term at one year, with renewal applications due at least 30 days before expiration. Permits are not transferable (Section 88-32.414). Section 88-32.614 requires a valid business license issued under Chapter 64-14 before renting, and Section 88-32.616 requires a valid transient occupancy registration certificate issued under Chapter 64-4. Permits are denied if the dwelling is a deed-restricted below-market-rate unit, located in a building with five or more units, on a Williamson Act parcel, or the applicant is delinquent on County taxes.