San Leandro, CA Short-Term Rentals: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- Core requirement
- unit must be permittee's primary residence
- Non-owner hosts need
- owner's written permission on file
- Accepted proof
- tax exemption, voter card, utility bill, lease
- Findings required at
- initial approval and every renewal
- Losing residency status triggers
- notice of violation, possible revocation
Summary
San Leandro Municipal Code § 4-40-130(b) requires that 'the dwelling unit that includes the hosted short-term rental must be the permittee's primary, permanent residence.' A renter who is not the property owner still needs the owner's written permission to run a short-term rental there under § 4-40-130(c).
(b) The dwelling unit that includes the hosted short-term rental must be the permittee's primary, permanent residence. (c) If the permittee is not the owner, the permittee must have the owner's written permission to operate a hosted short-term rental on the property. ... One of the following documents to prove that the applicant/permittee is the primary, permanent resident of the property where the short-term rental is proposed to occur: (1) Proof of Homeowner's Tax Exemption, (2) Voter Registration Card or Certificate, (3) Proof of vehicle registration, (4) Original proof of car insurance, (5) One original and most recent utility bill such as from EBMUD, ACI, Waste Management, or PG&E, (6) Lease.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4967405; v8 updated 2026-07-06).
Full Breakdown
To prove primary-residence status, § 4-40-140(d) requires an applicant to submit one of six specific documents: proof of a Homeowner's Tax Exemption, a voter registration card or certificate, proof of vehicle registration, an original current auto insurance proof, an original recent utility bill from a provider such as EBMUD, ACI, Waste Management, or PG&E, or a lease. Applicants also submit a driver's license or state ID and, if they are not the owner, the owner's written permission with contact information (§ 4-40-140(a), (b)). The Finance Director and Community Development Director must find the rental conforms to all § 4-40-130 standards, including primary-residency, before approving an initial permit (§ 4-40-160) and again on every annual renewal application filed before the December 31 expiration (§ 4-40-170).
If a permittee moves out and the unit stops being their primary residence, the rental no longer meets § 4-40-130(b) and the permit is subject to the same notice-and-cure and revocation process that applies to any other standards violation under § 4-40-180, including the permanent bar on future permits once revoked.
Violations & Fines
A host who is not actually living in the unit as a primary, permanent residence is out of compliance with § 4-40-130(b). Code Enforcement or Police can issue a notice of violation, and if the permittee cannot cure it, in other words prove they still live there, the Finance Director may suspend, revoke, or modify the permit on seven days' notice, with revocation permanently barring a new permit (§ 4-40-180).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a San Leandro short-term rental permit for a house I don't live in?
What documents prove primary residence for a San Leandro STR permit?
Can a tenant get a short-term rental permit in San Leandro?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Leandro
California rules heatmap·Compare San Leandro to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
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Primary-Residence-Only Rule in Nearby Cities
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