Irvine Registration Rules Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

The City of Irvine does not operate a short-term rental registration or licensing program for residential properties. This is not an oversight or a gap in the regulatory framework — it is a direct consequence of the city's position that short-term rentals are not a permitted land use in residential zoning districts. Because the activity itself is prohibited, there is no regulatory structure into which a registration system could fit. Residents cannot register, obtain a license, or otherwise achieve legal standing to operate a short-term rental in a residential zone.

This approach contrasts with several other Orange County and Southern California cities. Anaheim established a comprehensive STR permit and registration system. The City of Los Angeles requires home-sharing registration through its platform. Dana Point and Laguna Beach have licensing frameworks with caps. Irvine has adopted none of these models. The Community Development Department has confirmed that no registration program is under consideration as of the last verified date.

Irvine's code enforcement division uses monitoring services and responds to resident complaints to identify illegal short-term rental operations. When a residential property is found listed on platforms such as Airbnb, VRBO, or Booking.com, the property owner receives a notice of violation requiring removal of the listing and cessation of rental activity within a specified compliance period, typically 15 days. There is no option to register the property and continue operating. The only entities authorized to collect payment for stays of fewer than 30 days are licensed commercial lodging establishments that maintain active Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) accounts at the city's 10% rate. Residential landlords who rent for 30 or more consecutive days are governed by standard landlord-tenant law and are not subject to TOT.