Monterey County, CA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
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.
Key Facts
- License required
- Vacation Rental Operation License (all types)
- Commercial permit
- Use Permit (inland) / Coastal Development Permit (coastal)
- Inland effective date
- October 14, 2024
- Coastal effective date
- October 24, 2025
- Code sections
- MCC 21.64.290 (inland), 20.64.290 (coastal), Ch. 7.120
- License fee
- $965 (per County ordinance staff report)
Summary
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.
Chapter 7.120 - VACATION RENTAL OPERATION LICENSE. A vacation rental operation license is required for any vacation rental operation in the unincorporated area of the County of Monterey, in addition to a business license issued pursuant to Section 7.02.060.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 56).
Full Breakdown
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. 290 to the County Code, effective October 14, 2024. 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.
Violations & 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to rent my home short-term in unincorporated Monterey County?
Does this apply to the City of Monterey?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Monterey County
How Monterey County compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·California rules heatmap·Compare Monterey County to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.