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

Westminster regulates short-term rentals through Chapter 9.74 of its Municipal Code, titled 'Transient Uses Including Short-Term Rentals,' adopted by the City Council in 2020. Rather than create a permit program, the ordinance bans the activity. Section 9.74.020 makes it unlawful to offer or make available for rent, occupy, or even advertise a residential dwelling, dwelling unit, or room in a dwelling for transient use in residential and mixed-use zones (and nonresidential zones developed with residential uses). A 'transient use' is defined as the rental of a single-family or multifamily dwelling unit for a period of 30 days or less. Because the use is prohibited, the City offers no STR permit, license, or registration. The City's Planning Division FAQ states plainly that 'the City does not currently allow short term rentals.' The prohibition does not apply to hotels, motels, lodging houses, and other transient living quarters that are expressly permitted by and operated in accordance with the Municipal Code. This differs from many California cities that license STRs, and from Orange County's unincorporated-area program; Westminster, an incorporated city, sets its own stricter rule under its police and zoning powers (Cal. Gov. Code authority over local land use). Some third-party booking-guide websites incorrectly state Westminster issues STR licenses; the City's own code and FAQ control.