Huntington Beach, CA Short-Term Rentals: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (2026)

010 splits the City into two STR zones. Zone 1 covers everywhere except Sunset Beach, and there, an STR may only operate in an owner-occupied dwelling unit. Zone 2 is Sunset Beach alone, and it is the only place an owner-unoccupied, or unhosted, rental could ever be permitted, but only for units that already existed and obtained a permit by March 1, 2022; no new unhosted permits have issued since that date. 020 defines a qualifying "Hosted Stay" as an STR at a primary residence where the host occupies the property and remains on-site, residing in a habitable unit throughout the guest's stay, except during daytime or work hours, and defines "Host" as the property owner who is an occupier of the property for the rental's duration.

"Primary Residence" itself requires documentation, at least two of a driver's license, voter registration, tax records, or a utility bill showing that address. 040(C) enforces the zone split directly: unhosted STRs are prohibited everywhere in the City except Zone 2, meaning a Zone 1 property owner who is not living on-site cannot legally run an STR at all, hosted or not. 030(F)(4) reinforces owner presence functionally by requiring that when an STR is hosted, the host personally serves as the 24-hour local contact for complaints, rather than a hired manager.