Santa Cruz County, CA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Santa Cruz County, CA, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- SCCC 13.10.694 (Vacation/Non-Hosted), SCCC 13.10.690 (Hosted)
- Applies to
- Rentals of not more than 30 days, unincorporated areas only
- Two permit types
- Non-Hosted (whole home) and Hosted (1-3 bedrooms, owner on site)
- Permit process
- Level IV admin (3 or fewer bedrooms); Level V hearing (4+ bedrooms)
- Prohibited on
- Parcels with post-March 9, 2018 ADUs, affordable units, apartments, mobile-home parks
- Contact
- Unified Permit Center (831) 454-2580
Summary
In unincorporated Santa Cruz County, every short-term rental of fewer than 30 days needs a County permit. A Non-Hosted (Vacation) Rental permit covers an entire home; a Hosted Rental permit covers one to three bedrooms with the owner living on site. Both are issued by the Planning Department under SCCC 13.10.694 and 13.10.690.
Short-term rental of an entire home requires a Vacation Rental Permit per County Code Section 13.10.694. Short-term rentals of one or two rooms in a home requires a Hosted Rental Permit per County Code Section 13.10.690.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 5004302; v11 updated 2026-05-19; through 05-19-2026).
Full Breakdown
Santa Cruz County regulates short-term rentals in its unincorporated areas, separate from the City of Santa Cruz. Renting any dwelling for periods of not more than 30 days requires a permit. The County recognizes two types. 694, is a single-family dwelling, duplex, or triplex where the owner does not occupy the unit while it is rented and only renters use it. 690, is a short-term rental where the owner or long-term resident occupies one legal bedroom while one to three other legal bedrooms are rented, so the home must have at least two bedrooms.
New Non-Hosted permits for three bedrooms or fewer are processed as Level IV administrative use permits without a public hearing; four or more bedrooms require a Level V public hearing and a one-year provisional permit. Vacation rentals are prohibited on parcels containing accessory dwelling units (ADUs) created after March 9, 2018, and in affordable-housing units, apartments, and mobile-home parks. Pajaro Dunes is governed by a separate development permit. The County maintains availability and wait lists by area, including the Live Oak, Seacliff/Aptos/La Selva Beach, and Davenport/Swanton Designated Areas. gov or contact the Unified Permit Center at (831) 454-2580 to check whether permits are available before applying.
Violations & Fines
Operating a short-term rental in unincorporated Santa Cruz County without a valid permit, or after a permit expires or is revoked, is a code violation. Significant violations, including SCCC 8.30 noise citations, mis-advertising capacity, and delinquent transient occupancy taxes, are grounds for revocation under SCCC 18.10.136; a revoked owner is barred from reapplying for that parcel without Board consent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to run a short-term rental in unincorporated Santa Cruz County?
Can I get a permit if my property has an ADU?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Cruz County
How Santa Cruz County compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Cruz County to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.