San Benito County, CA Short-Term Rentals: Permit Requirements (2026)

San Benito County does not maintain a dedicated short-term rental or vacation rental permit ordinance for its unincorporated areas (the cities of Hollister and San Juan Bautista regulate separately). Instead of an STR-specific permit, a transient lodging operation in the unincorporated county is governed by two existing frameworks: the County Zoning Code (Title 25), which determines what uses are allowed in each zoning district, and the Transient Occupancy Tax provisions in Chapter 5.03 of the County Code, which require operators renting to transients to register. Anyone operating a hotel or transient lodging must register with the Tax Administrator within 30 days of commencing business and obtain a transient occupancy registration certificate (Chapter 5.03, Article III). A County business license is also required for business activity in the County. Because there is no STR-specific use permit, an operator should confirm with the Resource Management Agency / Planning whether their parcel's zoning allows transient lodging and whether a use permit or other zoning clearance applies. The County has been working through a multi-year zoning code update (initiated 2022) that addresses tourism-related uses such as bed and breakfasts and lodging on agricultural land. Operators should verify current zoning rules directly with Planning before listing near Pinnacles National Park or in wine-country areas.