Sonoma, CA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Sonoma, CA, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- Max units per rental
- 2 complete residential units
- Max stay length
- 29 consecutive days
- Business license
- Required
- TOT registration
- Required, plus all applicable fees
- Grandfathered rentals
- Licensed and TOT-registered by 11/3/1999
- Sign allowed
- 1 sign, up to 2 sq ft
Summary
The City of Sonoma caps every vacation rental at two complete residential units and 29 consecutive days per stay. Municipal Code § 19.50.110(A) requires a business license, a transient occupancy tax registration, and fire and life-safety compliance before a short-term rental can legally operate.
A. Permit and Operational Requirements. ... The approval and operation of a vacation rental shall be subject to the following requirements and restrictions: 1. Maximum Number of Units. A vacation rental shall consist of no more than two complete residential units. 2. Maximum Length of Stay. Visitor occupancy per unit shall be limited to a maximum of 29 consecutive days. ... ... 7. Business License Required. A business license is required for the establishment and operation of a vacation rental.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 13-2025, passed December 3, 2025).
Full Breakdown
110 sets eleven separate requirements a vacation rental must satisfy under subsection (A), Permit and Operational Requirements. The unit itself is capped at no more than two complete residential units under (A)(1), and any single stay is limited to 29 consecutive days under (A)(2), which keeps the use classified as transient lodging rather than a residential tenancy. Before renting, the owner or manager must obtain a business license (A)(7) and complete a transient occupancy tax registration, paying the tax and any other required fees (A)(8).
The operation also has to satisfy fire and life safety requirements set by the fire and building departments and pass an annual fire and life safety inspection each year under (A)(9) and (A)(10). Online listings are directly regulated too: advertisements must state the maximum occupancy limit and the property's business license or transient occupancy tax certificate number, specifically so the public and code enforcement can check compliance under (A)(6). A single identification sign of up to two square feet is allowed, subject to design review and historic preservation commission approval under (A)(11).
110(B). This scheme governs only rentals inside the City of Sonoma; it does not reach vacation rentals in the surrounding unincorporated Sonoma Valley, which Sonoma County regulates separately.
Violations & Fines
Operating an unlicensed or noncompliant vacation rental is a code violation subject to Chapter 1.12 SMC: prosecutable as an infraction with fines from $100 up to $500 for repeat violations within a year, or as a misdemeanor carrying up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail, with each day of continued operation a separate offense. The city can also decline to renew the business license or tax registration.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many units can I rent out as a vacation rental in Sonoma?
What licenses does a Sonoma vacation rental need?
Are older vacation rentals grandfathered under Sonoma's current rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sonoma
How Sonoma compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·California rules heatmap·Compare Sonoma to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
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Short-Term Rental Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sonoma County handle short-term rental permits.