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

The County of Stanislaus, which governs only the unincorporated areas outside the cities of Modesto, Turlock, Ceres, Oakdale and the others, has not adopted a stand-alone vacation-rental or short-term-rental ordinance. The County's Title 21 Zoning Ordinance contains no use category called "short-term rental" or "vacation rental." Instead, an STR is evaluated under the existing zoning framework for the parcel's district and under the home-occupation rules. A use conducted in a dwelling that is incidental and subordinate to residential use is a "home occupation" administered by the Department of Planning and Community Development under Chapter 21.94, and home occupations require a Home Occupation business license issued by the Treasurer-Tax Collector for locations outside city limits. Any operator collecting rent for stays of 30 days or less must also register for the Transient Occupancy Tax (Ordinance Code Chapter 4.04) and obtain a TOT Certificate. Because there is no STR-specific permit, the controlling questions are: does the zone allow the use, does it meet the home-occupation criteria, and is TOT being collected. Operators should confirm the parcel's zoning and permit path with Planning at (209) 525-6330 before advertising. California has no statewide STR permit, so these County requirements control in the unincorporated area.