Santa Barbara County, CA Short-Term Rentals: Permit Requirements (2026)

Santa Barbara County's short-term rental framework operates through several documents. (1) ZONING-BASED ALLOWANCE. Under LUDC Chapter 35 (inland) and the parallel Coastal Zoning Ordinance, two STR categories exist: a 'Short-Term Rental' or 'Vacation Rental' is the rental of an entire dwelling unit, with no owner present, for fewer than 30 consecutive days; a 'Homestay' is the rental of one or more sleeping rooms within an owner-occupied primary residence, for fewer than 30 consecutive days. Whole-house STRs are generally permitted in most commercial zones (C-1, C-2, C-V, etc.) and a limited list of mixed-use zones, but are PROHIBITED in standard single-family residential zones (R-1, 1-E-1, 2-E-1, MTN, AG-I, AG-II without specific allowance). Homestays are permitted as an accessory use in most residential zones, subject to occupancy limits, parking, and operating standards. (2) PERMIT PATHWAY. Before operating, the property owner must apply through Santa Barbara County Planning and Development for a Land Use Permit (LUP) confirming that the use is allowed in the parcel's zone, and (where required) a Coastal Development Permit (CDP) within the Coastal Zone. The application identifies the property as either an STR or a homestay; the permit imposes operating conditions (24/7 local contact, occupancy limit set by code/septic capacity, parking, noise standards, trash management, signage). (3) TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX. County Code Chapter 23A (Uniform Transient Occupancy Tax) requires every operator to obtain a Transient Occupancy Registration Certificate from the County Treasurer-Tax Collector within 30 days of commencing business and to collect the 14 percent County TOT from guests on every rental of 30 consecutive days or less. Returns are filed quarterly and remitted to the County. Marketplace platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo) may collect TOT under voluntary collection agreements, but the operator remains legally responsible for full compliance. (4) ADU PROHIBITION. The County's ADU/JADU rules (LUDC Section 35.42.075) impose a 30-day minimum rental term, prohibiting use of any permitted ADU or JADU as a short-term rental, under the authority of California Government Code Section 66314 (formerly part of Section 65852.2(a)(6)). (5) COASTAL ZONE. Coastal-zone STRs and homestays in unincorporated parcels along the Gaviota Coast, El Capitan, Refugio, Hope Ranch coastal, Goleta coastal, Mission Canyon coastal, Montecito coastal, Summerland coastal, and Carpinteria coastal areas are subject to the parallel Coastal Zoning Ordinance plus Coastal Land Use Plan policies. The Coastal Commission has not certified a comprehensive County coastal STR ordinance, so STRs and homestays in the Coastal Zone are currently administered case-by-case under existing zoning. (6) CITIES. STRs inside the cities of Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Lompoc, Goleta, Carpinteria, Buellton, Solvang, and Guadalupe are governed by each city's ordinance, not the County's. The City of Santa Barbara has historically enforced its long-standing zoning prohibition on STRs in single- and two-unit zones; in 2025 the City Planning Commission reviewed a draft comprehensive STR ordinance to formalize enforcement, create a coastal licensing area, and require permits for many STR uses (ordinance not yet adopted as of mid-2025). (7) ENFORCEMENT. Operating without permits or failing to remit TOT is a violation enforceable by Planning and Development Code Compliance and the Treasurer-Tax Collector. The County and many cities also use third-party STR-monitoring services to identify unpermitted listings on Airbnb, Vrbo, and similar platforms.