Pacifica, CA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Pacifica, CA, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- Citywide permit cap
- 150 short-term rental permits
- Pre-permit inspection
- Life, safety and health inspection required
- Unpermitted operation fine
- $1,500 first violation, up to $5,000
- Waitlist processing
- Twice yearly, by application date
- Issuing official
- City's Short-Term Rental Administrator
Summary
No one may operate a short-term rental in the City of Pacifica without a permit issued under Municipal Code Section 9-4.4904. The Administrator reviews a detailed application, a signed safety declaration, a life-safety inspection and proof the site meets the Section 9-4.4903 site standards before issuing a permit, and the citywide count is capped at 150 permits at a time.
Subject to those requirements in Section 9-4.4903 and subject to the short-term rental permit cap specified in Section 9-4.4902, a short-term rental permit along with a short-term rental permit number may be approved and issued by the Administrator, provided that the Administrator determines the applicant has met the following requirements: (a)Application. Any person seeking to operate a short-term rental must complete an application on a form provided by the City, accompanied with the fees established by resolution of the City Council. ... (d)Inspection of short-term rentals. For short-term rentals, the City shall conduct a life, safety and health inspection of the proposed short-term rental unit, prior to issuing a short-term rental permit.
Full Breakdown
4904 sets out everything an applicant must submit before the City's Short-Term Rental Administrator will issue a permit. 4903(c), whether the rental will be hosted or unhosted, the advertising platforms used, proof of an installed exterior noise monitor, and proof of insurance. The application must also carry a signed safety declaration and an affidavit signed under penalty of perjury. Beyond the paperwork, subsection (d) requires the City to conduct a life, safety and health inspection before any permit issues, verifying legally permitted bedroom counts, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers, pools and spas, and lighted exits.
Subsection (f) bars a permit if the property carries any unresolved building, electrical, plumbing, fire, health, housing, police or planning violation, and subsection (g) bars a permit if the site had two or more violations in the prior twelve months or the operator had a permit revoked in the prior twelve months. 4902: only 150 short-term rental permits may be active at any time, and once the cap is reached the Administrator maintains a waitlist processed twice a year, around October 31 and April 30, in order of application receipt.
Violations & Fines
Operating a short-term rental in the City without a valid permit is treated as a threat to public health and safety under Section 9-4.4909(d), triggering fines starting at $1,500 for a first violation, $3,000 for a second within a year and $5,000 for each violation after that, on top of the standard $1,000 misdemeanor exposure under Title 1. A second violation within twelve months brings automatic permit revocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to run an Airbnb in Pacifica?
What happens if Pacifica's short-term rental permit cap is full?
Does the City inspect a property before issuing a short-term rental permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pacifica
How Pacifica compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·California rules heatmap·Compare Pacifica 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 San Mateo County handle short-term rental permits.