Chino Hills, CA Short-Term Rentals: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (2026)

Some California cities limit short-term rentals to a host's primary residence, or allow primary-residence STRs while restricting non-owner-occupied ones. Chino Hills draws no such distinction, because it prohibits short-term rentals entirely. The City's official guidance states that the Chino Hills Municipal Code "does not allow short term rentals, but does allow homes/rooms to be rented out for 30 days or more." That prohibition applies regardless of whether the property is the owner's primary residence, a second home, or an investment property — there is no primary-residence carve-out that authorizes short-term lodging. Earlier, limited short-term lodging was associated only with specific commercial zones (C-F, C-G, and C-R), never with owner-occupied homes in residential neighborhoods; the October 2022 expansion closed even that narrow path by banning STRs across all zones. As a result, a homeowner cannot legally rent out a room or the whole house on a short-term basis by claiming primary-residence status. The only lawful way to rent a primary residence (or any home) in Chino Hills is a tenancy of 30 days or longer, which is a standard long-term rental and not classified as a short-term rental. Hosts should not assume that primary-residence or 'home-sharing' models permitted elsewhere apply here. Confirm the current rule with Chino Hills Code Enforcement before listing any room or property.