Costa Mesa, CA Short-Term Rentals: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (2026)

It is important to state this accurately: a full reading of Zoning Code Section 7-9-93 shows no primary-residence or owner-occupancy requirement for short-term rentals in unincorporated Orange County. The section permits short-term rentals in single-family, multifamily, and qualifying commercial-district residential units subject to a Director-approved permit, without conditioning eligibility on the owner living at the property. The County's purpose statement focuses on traffic, noise, parking, and neighborhood character, not on owner-occupancy. The one related limitation is structural rather than residency-based: Section 7-9-93(e) provides that 'Accessory Dwelling Units shall not be used as short-term rentals,' so a granny flat or ADU is excluded even though the primary dwelling on the same parcel may qualify. The ordinance also provides that a change in ownership terminates the permit, and it requires the owner to record the primary adult occupant's identity and a signed responsibility acknowledgement before occupancy; but neither of these establishes a primary-residence mandate. By contrast, some incorporated Orange County cities (for example, certain coastal cities) do impose owner-occupancy or primary-residence rules in their own ordinances, but those city rules do not apply in unincorporated County territory.