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

The Pismo Beach Municipal Code prints the primary residence requirement twice: § 17.113.060 in the 1983 Zoning Ordinance and § 17.09.060 in the 1998 Zoning Code. The wording is the same in both, with the 1983 chapter lettering its two paragraphs A and B.

The 1983 definition in § 17.113.020 C sets the test: the dwelling owned and occupied as the property owner's principal place of residence, where the owner lives more than fifty percent of the year, defined as one hundred eighty-three days or more per year. A person can only have one primary residence at any time for licensing purposes. Legally permitted accessory dwelling units occupied by the property owner can be deemed the owner's primary residence.

Proof is required on a yearly basis. Under § 17.113.020 D the city reviews the homeowner's income tax return or other documentation it accepts showing the dwelling is the owner's principal residence for tax purposes, and the address used on federal and state tax returns is a factor. The annual license under § 5.22.130 B expires on September 30, and proof of primary residence must be submitted each year before the annual STR license and business license renewal are issued.

Ownership form matters. The owners must be individual owners or trustees, and not a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or other business or commercial entity.

A license does not follow the property to a new owner. Under § 5.22.130 A, when a license is revoked or not renewed, or the property transfers ownership, no additional license is issued to replace it, and the city council states its intention to reduce the number of licenses to zero through attrition over time.

Pismo Beach uses two adopted zoning codes. The city's Zoning and Land Use page states that properties inside the Coastal Zone are regulated by the 1983 Zoning Code, and properties outside the Coastal Zone are regulated by the 1998 Zoning Code.