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Ventura, CA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)

Significant Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Short-term rental permit rules in Ventura, CA, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.

Key Facts

Permit required for: renting, offering, or advertising the unit
Issuing authority: Permit Administrator (City Manager designee)
Application includes: nuisance plan, TOT cert, business tax cert, insurance
Denial grounds: false information or revocation in past 12 months
Appeal: administrative hearing under § 6.455.190(B)

Summary

A short-term vacation rental or homestay permit is required before anyone rents, offers to rent, or advertises a Ventura dwelling for stays under 30 days, per Municipal Code § 6.455.040. The permit administrator issues or renews a permit only after confirming an inspection, zoning compliance, chapter compliance and available density, and denies applications for false information or a recent revocation.

A short-term vacation rental permit or homestay permit is required for an owner of a short-term vacation rental or homestay to in any form rent, offer to rent, or advertise for rent the short-term vacation rental or homestay as provided in this chapter. ... B. ... Permit Issuance. The permit administrator shall issue or renew a permit authorizing a short-term vacation rental or homestay if the following minimum findings are met: 1. The property is compliant with all state and local codes and has passed a property inspection. 2. The use of the dwelling unit is within a residential zone pursuant to the city’s certified zoning map. 3. The property complies with the requirements of this chapter. 4. Issuing the permit will not exceed caps or density restrictions established by this chapter.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-008, passed May 12, 2026).

Full Breakdown

455, adopted by Ord. No. 2024-009 and amended by Ord. No. 040). 040(A)). 085, and that the owner is current on all city taxes, fees and fines. A homestay permit additionally requires the dwelling be the owner's primary residence. 190(B).

Violations & Fines

Renting, offering to rent, or advertising a short-term vacation rental or homestay without a valid city permit violates § 6.455.040 and Chapter 6.455's general violation clause at § 6.455.170. Operating without a permit also blocks future permitting until the owner pays both the fines for the unpermitted operation and the transient occupancy tax that would have been owed, per § 6.455.040(B)(5).

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to run a short-term rental in Ventura?

Yes. Section 6.455.040 makes a city permit mandatory before an owner rents, offers to rent, or advertises a dwelling as a short-term vacation rental or homestay. Operating or advertising without this permit violates Chapter 6.455 and can trigger fines equal to the unpaid transient occupancy tax plus penalties before any future permit is issued.

What must a Ventura short-term rental application include?

Under § 6.455.040(A), applicants must submit a nuisance response plan, a transient occupancy registration certificate and business tax certificate, proof of insurance, an HOA covenant acknowledgment, and an affidavit disclosing any ownership interest in other permitted short-term rentals in the city, plus the chapter's fees.

Can the city deny or revoke my permit application?

Yes. Section 6.455.040(D) allows denial for false information on an application or if the city revoked one of the owner's permits within the prior 12 months. A denied applicant may request an administrative hearing under § 6.455.190(B) to appeal the decision.

Sources & Official References

[1]San Buenaventura Municipal Code § 6.455.040

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