Pasadena, CA Short-Term Rentals: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- Vacation rentals
- Prohibited use citywide
- Primary residence proof
- 2+ of vehicle, license, voter, tax records
- Residency minimum
- Must live there 9 months per year
- ADU exception
- Only if permitted before January 1, 2017
- Governing section
- PMC Section 17.50.296(D) and (B)(7)
Summary
Pasadena outlaws 'vacation rentals,' meaning any dwelling that isn't the operator's primary residence rented out for pay, under Section 17.50.296(D). Only a host's actual primary residence, documented by at least two official records and lived in at least nine months a year, can be permitted for short-term rental.
D.Vacation rentals prohibited. Vacation rentals, as defined in this section, are a prohibited use and shall not be operated in the city. ... 7.Vacation rental. A dwelling unit that is not a primary residence and which is available for temporary lodging, for compensation. The term "vacation rental" shall not include: single-room occupancy buildings; bed and breakfast inns; hotels; a dwelling unit for which a tenant has a month-to-month rental agreement and the rental payments are paid on a monthly basis; or corporate housing. ... 5.Primary residence. A host's permanent residence or usual place of return for housing as documented by at least two of the following and in the host's name: motor vehicle registration; driver's license; voter registration; tax documents showing the residential unit as the host's residence; or a utility or cellular phone bill. A person may have only one primary residence and must reside there for a minimum of 9 months per year.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 79 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
296(B)(7) defines a 'vacation rental' as any dwelling unit that is not a primary residence and that is offered for temporary, paid lodging, while carving out single-room-occupancy buildings, bed and breakfast inns, hotels, month-to-month residential tenancies, and corporate housing from that definition. 296(B)(5): the host's permanent home, documented by at least two of vehicle registration, driver's license, voter registration, tax records showing the unit as the host's residence, or a utility or cellular bill, and a person may claim only one primary residence at a time and must actually live there at least nine months of the year.
296(E)(2)(c) makes a narrow exception for a legally permitted accessory dwelling unit or accessory structure built or permitted before January 1, 2017: in that case the whole parcel, main house and accessory unit together, counts as the primary residence, so both can be rented as long as the main structure remains the host's actual home. An accessory unit permitted after January 1, 2017 cannot be short-term rented under any circumstance, even if the main house is owner-occupied.
Violations & Fines
Operating an unpermitted vacation rental, meaning a unit that is not the host's primary residence, is a straight violation of Section 17.50.296(D) enforceable under Municipal Code Chapters 1.24 and 1.25, with criminal or civil penalties, administrative fines under Sections 1.25.160 and 1.25.170, and, per Section 17.50.296(I)(4), an order to repay the city's investigative costs, back taxes, and any illegally collected rental revenue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I short-term rent a Pasadena house I don't live in?
How does Pasadena prove a rental is my primary residence?
Can I rent out my Pasadena guest house or ADU short-term?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pasadena
California rules heatmap·Compare Pasadena to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
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