Buena Park, CA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Buena Park, CA, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Buena Park Municipal Code § 19.348.080 (Ord. No. 1675, eff. Feb 14, 2020)
- Permit required
- Yes - for any rental of 29 consecutive days or less
- Who may apply
- Owner (person, not corporation/LLC) residing on-site as primary residence
- Whole-home rentals
- Prohibited - host must reside on the property
- Permit term
- 3 years; non-transferable; void on sale
- Citywide cap
- Only one STR permit per individual; 300 ft spacing between STRs
Summary
The City of Buena Park requires a short-term rental permit, a passed home inspection, and a city business license before renting any residential unit for 29 days or less. Only an owner who resides on the property may apply, whole-home rentals are banned, and only one permit is allowed per individual citywide.
Short-term rental means the renting of any portion of any structure or residential dwelling unit for a period of not less than 12 hours and for a maximum of 29 consecutive days to a particular occupant. No short-term rental may operate without a permit as required by this Section 19.348 of the Buena Park Municipal Code.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
080 of Title 19 of the Municipal Code, enacted by Ordinance No. 1675 and effective February 14, 2020 after a series of urgency moratoria (Ord. 1662, 1664, 1670). This is the incorporated city's code, not Orange County's; the County's STR scheme does not apply inside city limits. A 'short-term rental' is the renting of any portion of a structure or dwelling for not less than 12 hours and a maximum of 29 consecutive days. Subsection C states no STR may operate without a permit; the Director decides within six weeks of a complete application.
Only an owner (a person, not a corporation or LLC) holding fee title and residing on the property as their primary residence may apply, and the host must live on-site. The city mails notice to property owners within 300 feet, and the subject property line cannot be within 300 feet of any other approved STR. 16). Permits are valid three years, are personal to the host, cannot be transferred, and become void if the home is sold or an accessory dwelling unit is approved on the lot. Only one STR permit per individual may be in effect anywhere in the city.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a permit, or violating any requirement of Section 19.348.080, is a misdemeanor punishable under Chapter 1.04 of the Code, and the city attorney may instead prosecute it as an infraction. Each day of violation is a separate offense, and conditions in violation are declared a public nuisance subject to summary abatement plus civil and administrative penalties under Chapter 1.04.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to run an Airbnb in Buena Park?
Can a company or investor own a short-term rental in Buena Park?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Buena Park
How Buena Park compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·California rules heatmap·Compare Buena Park to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
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Short-Term Rental Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle short-term rental permits.