Short-term rental permit rules in Sonoma County, CA — also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration — list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Unincorporated Sonoma County requires TWO approvals before operating a non-hosted vacation rental: (1) a Vacation Rental Zoning Permit under Sonoma County Code Sec. 26-88-120, and (2) an annual Vacation Rental License under Code Chapter 4, Article VIII (Ord. 6386, as amended by Ord. 6427 in May 2023). Operators must also obtain a separate Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) certificate and use a Certified Vacation Rental Property Manager available 24/7. Operating without all three approvals is a violation.
Sec. 26-88-120 governs the use entitlement: vacation rentals are allowed in AR, RR, LEA, DA, and RRD zones subject to a zoning permit, but are PROHIBITED in the X (Vacation Rental Exclusion) Combining District (Code Art. 79) and in any Vacation Rental Cap Combining District that has already reached its 5% or 10% density cap of total housing stock. Per Permit Sonoma, all current cap zones have exceeded their limits, effectively pausing new non-hosted permits in those areas. Hosted rentals (owner remains on-site, single room/sleeping area) are regulated separately under Sec. 26-88-118 and are not subject to the cap. The annual license (Chapter 4, Article VIII) sits on top of the zoning permit and must be renewed every 365 days. Operators must complete five steps: become a Certified Property Manager, obtain the TVR Zoning Permit, register for a TOT number, apply for the annual license, and renew yearly. The county property-management certification requires passing a county exam.
Operating without a valid zoning permit, license, or TOT certificate is a violation. Permits run with the landowner and automatically expire upon sale or transfer; use permits may be revoked under the administrative procedures of Code Article 92 for failure to comply with the standards in Sec. 26-88-120. Advertising for a property inconsistent with its approvals (e.g., listing more bedrooms than permitted) is itself a violation.
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See how Sonoma County's permit requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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