Petaluma, CA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)

110 makes short-term vacation rentals a permitted use only in residential, planned unit development, and mixed-use zoning districts, and only under a valid Short-Term Vacation Rental Permit issued by the Planning Director or designee. Once approved, the City must mail written notice to every property owner within 100 feet, disclosing the rental's location, number of rooms offered, and the locally available manager's contact information. 01, and must satisfy the City's transient occupancy tax. Advertisements must display the City-issued permit number, and advertising a unit without a valid permit is itself a violation.

Accessory dwelling units permitted after September 7, 2017 cannot be used as short-term rentals. Applications go to the Director with a Council-set fee, must show required on-site parking (or seek a Minor Conditional Use Permit parking exception), and must include smoke detectors, CO2 detectors, adequate heat, and compliance with the California Building Standards Code. Permits run only through the calendar year issued and expire every December 31, requiring renewal. The Director may deny renewal for unpaid occupancy tax, three or more verified violations in the prior year, false information, or unresolved health or safety notices, and may revoke a permit outright on the same violation threshold, barring reapplication at that address for one year. 090, and the City enforces the chapter through Chapter 26 and PMC Title 1.