Mendocino County, CA Short-Term Rentals: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (2026)

Mendocino County's framework does not impose a primary-residence or owner-occupancy requirement for short-term rentals. When the Board of Supervisors gave direction on the draft countywide inland ordinance in February 2026, it formally rejected any owner-occupancy requirement, prioritizing protection of existing rental businesses; it also rejected caps on the number or location of rentals and a housing offset fund. The enacted coastal and Town rules take a different but still non-owner-occupancy approach: under Chapter 20.748, a new vacation home rental may be licensed 'only when there is no other use on the property except an existing single family dwelling unit,' and a single unit rental must be 'in conjunction with an existing residential dwelling unit or commercial use on the same site.' These tie the rental to one legal dwelling but do not require the owner to occupy it. In the unincorporated Coastal Zone, vacation home rentals are barred on parcels that have an ADU or JADU, reinforcing the one-dwelling limitation. Because the inland ordinance was not yet adopted as of mid-2026, operators should confirm whether any residency conditions ultimately apply to their parcel with Planning and Building Services.