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

Section 31.3 of the Redwood City Zoning Code makes short-term rental a permitted use in any principal residence, with two exclusions: Single Room Occupancy Facilities and Group Homes. A short-term rental is the rental of any room or rooms in a principal dwelling unit for residing, sleeping or lodging for fewer than 30 consecutive calendar days, with portions of days counted as full days. A principal residence is exactly one dwelling unit that the host regards as home and intends to return to; presence, vehicle registration, voter registration, bank accounts and income tax filings are weighed. On a property with several dwelling units, each unit is tested separately, and an accessory dwelling unit never counts as a principal residence. All other short-term rental uses are prohibited, except rentals in accessory dwelling units that were registered with the City before January 1, 2020.

Registration comes first. Before advertising or making the residence available, the host files a City form with the host's name and contact information, the address, the local contact person's details and an acknowledgement of compliance with the Zoning Ordinance, Municipal Codes and health and safety standards. The City can also ask for proof of principal residence under its administrative guidelines. A filing fee set by City Council resolution applies, and an application that stays incomplete after notice expires and is deemed withdrawn. The City Tax Administrator or a designee approves registration when the host can meet the rules, the residence has had no active compliance order or administrative citation in the past 12 months, and no registration for it was revoked in the prior 24 months. An approved registration is valid and payable on a fiscal year basis, is personal to the host, expires automatically on sale or transfer of the unit, and cannot be assigned or loaned. Renewal requires the renewal fee, all transient occupancy tax owed and updated principal residence documentation; unpaid tax for the previous year means denial.

Operating standards apply on top of registration: one listing per residence on the same days, the license number visible in every advertisement, a 24-hour local contact who answers complaints within 60 minutes during unhosted stays, no weddings or corporate events, and existing on-site parking made available to renters. Ordinance No. 1130-892, adopted July 27, 2026, is the most recent amendment and retitled the section.