Mendocino County, CA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Mendocino County, CA, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- Town of Mendocino permit
- Planning & Building certification = minor use permit (Sec. 20.748.015)
- Coastal Zone
- Coastal development permit required where rental is 'development' under Coastal Act
- Inland (Division I)
- No adopted STR permit standards; countywide ordinance in draft (2026)
- Business license
- Required under Mendocino County Code Chapter 6.04
- Administering agency
- Dept. of Planning & Building Services, (707) 234-6650
Summary
In unincorporated Mendocino County, vacation rentals are regulated differently by zone. Coastal-zone rentals need a business license plus any required coastal development permit; the Town of Mendocino requires County certification (deemed a minor use permit). Inland areas had no STR permit rules; a countywide ordinance is in development.
Prior to the issuance of any new license for a Single Unit Rental or Vacation Home Rental, the Applicant must first apply to the Department of Planning and Building Services for certification... Certification by the Department of Planning and Building Services shall be deemed to satisfy the minor use permitting requirements of this Chapter for licensed Single Unit Rentals and Vacation Home Rentals in the Town.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 75).
Full Breakdown
Mendocino County's Zoning Ordinance (Title 20) splits into Division I (inland), Division II (Coastal Zone), and Division III (Town of Mendocino), and short-term rental rules differ by division. Historically, the only STR regulations were in the coastal regions. 04). In the broader unincorporated Coastal Zone (Division II), a vacation home rental that constitutes 'development' under the Coastal Act requires a coastal development permit. Inland (Division I) areas outside the Coastal Zone and Town historically had no explicit STR permit standards. In February 2026 the Board of Supervisors directed staff to draft a countywide ordinance using a simple, over-the-counter administrative permit, rejecting caps and owner-occupancy mandates. Always confirm current requirements with Planning and Building Services, because the inland rules were not yet adopted as of mid-2026.
Violations & Fines
Operating without required certification, a business license, or a coastal development permit (where applicable) can trigger code enforcement, license denial or revocation, and abatement of the unpermitted use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to run a short-term rental in unincorporated Mendocino County?
Is the inland short-term rental ordinance final?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mendocino County
How Mendocino County compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·California rules heatmap·Compare Mendocino County to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
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