Sacramento County, CA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Sacramento County, CA, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- License required
- before advertising or operating
- Issuing office
- Director of Finance
- License term
- 364 days, nontransferable
- Civil penalty
- $250–$25,000 per day
- Area covered
- unincorporated county only
Summary
Any Sacramento County host who rents a unit for 29 days or less must hold a Short-Term Rental Business License from the Director of Finance before advertising or operating: issued only in the unincorporated area, separate from the required zoning permit.
It is unlawful for any person to advertise; maintain, operate, use, or cause to be used a short-term rental unit in the County without a valid short-term rental business license.
B. The issuance of any business license pursuant to this Chapter does not relieve the owner of the obligation to comply with the other provisions of the County Code, the County Zoning Code, or any associated transient occupancy tax due, or to comply with all other state, local, and federal laws. (SCC 1756, 4/22/2025)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4941150; v18 updated 2026-05-19).
Full Breakdown
Sacramento County Code § 4.08.050 makes it unlawful to advertise, maintain, operate, or use a short-term rental unit in the unincorporated county without a valid STR business license. The license is issued by the Director of Finance under Chapter 4.08 and does not replace the Short-Term Rental Zoning Permit required under Zoning Code §§ 3.9.3 and 6.5.6, or the transient occupancy tax filings under Chapter 3.08. Licenses run 364 days from issuance, are nontransferable, and terminate automatically when the property sells. Applies only outside Sacramento, Elk Grove, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova, Folsom, Galt, and Isleton, which license STRs under their own codes.
Violations & Fines
Operating unlicensed is a misdemeanor for each day of violation, plus civil penalties of $250 to $25,000 per day; violations are also declared public nuisances subject to County abatement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to run an Airbnb in unincorporated Sacramento County?
Is the STR business license the same as the zoning permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sacramento County
How Sacramento County compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·California rules heatmap·Compare Sacramento County to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
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