Short-term rental permit rules in Monterey County, CA — also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration — list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Unincorporated Monterey County requires a Vacation Rental Operation License for all short-term rentals. Commercial vacation rentals additionally need a Use Permit (inland) or Coastal Development Permit (coastal). Inland rules took effect October 14, 2024; coastal rules October 24, 2025.
Monterey County's Vacation Rental Ordinances (adopted in 2024 for inland areas and 2025 for the coastal zone) regulate short-term rentals in the unincorporated county, separate from the City of Monterey. The inland ordinance (Ordinance ORD 24-027) added Chapter 7.120 (Vacation Rental Operation License) and Sections 21.64.280 and 21.64.290 to the County Code, effective October 14, 2024. A companion coastal ordinance adopted September 23, 2025 added Section 20.64.290, effective October 24, 2025. The rules create three rental types: Homestays (owner-occupied, hosted), Limited Vacation Rentals (non-hosted, rented up to three times per year), and Commercial Vacation Rentals (non-hosted, rented more than three times per year). All three require a Vacation Rental Operation License from the Housing and Community Development Department. Commercial Vacation Rentals additionally require a discretionary Use Permit in inland areas or a Coastal Development Permit in the coastal zone. Commercial rentals are prohibited entirely in Big Sur, Carmel Highlands, and the residential zones of Carmel Valley and Moss Landing, and the Pebble Beach Company objected to rentals in Del Monte Forest. Inland operators had until April 14, 2025 to come into compliance; coastal operators until December 24, 2025. Operating without the required license and permit is subject to escalating fines.
Operating without a Vacation Rental Operation License (and a Use Permit or Coastal Development Permit for commercial rentals) is a code violation subject to escalating administrative fines tied to the advertised nightly rate. Unpermitted coastal-zone rentals were treated as illegal prior to the new ordinance.
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