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

Section 7-9-93 defines a "short-term rental" as "a rental of all or any part of a dwelling unit to a person(s) as lodging for a period of less than thirty (30) days" and states its purpose is "to regulate short-term rentals... to avoid impacts to traffic, noise, parking and the overall nature of a neighborhood's residential character." The section applies to the unincorporated areas, including planned community and specific plan areas, and short-term rentals are permitted in three settings, each subject to a Short-term Rental Permit issued by the Director: single-family dwellings in single-family residential districts, units in multifamily residential districts, and a previously approved residential dwelling unit within a commercial district.

Getting and keeping the permit comes with standing conditions under subsection (e). No on-site exterior sign may advertise the rental. The permit must be renewed every two years, and it terminates automatically on a change of ownership. Accessory dwelling units cannot be used as short-term rentals at all. Before occupancy, the owner must collect the primary adult guest's name, address and driver's license number or passport copy, have that guest sign an acknowledgment of legal responsibility for all occupants' compliance, and keep that record available on request to the Orange County Sheriff or OC Development Services. The rental must provide at least two off-street parking spaces at all times, using the garage and/or driveway. Every lease must disclose, and post inside the unit, the maximum occupancy, the parking allotment, a warning that violations can bring citation, fines or eviction, and a 24-hour contact number for the owner or designee.