Mendocino County, CA Short-Term Rentals: Registration Rules (2026)

Registration in unincorporated Mendocino County runs through several County systems rather than one universal STR portal. In the Town of Mendocino, Chapter 20.748 requires Planning and Building Services certification before a license issues, and the Department 'shall maintain a status log of all licensed Single Unit Rentals and Vacation Home Rentals in the Town,' plus a waiting list when applications exceed the allowed number. All licensed rentals must hold a Business License under Mendocino County Code Chapter 6.04 and register for Transient Occupancy Tax with the Treasurer-Tax Collector. In August 2017 the County adopted Ordinance No. 4391, a moratorium that temporarily barred new short-term rental establishments in both inland and coastal unincorporated areas while staff developed comprehensive regulations; existing, properly documented rentals were allowed to continue, and the Town of Mendocino (with its own Chapter 20.748 rules) was treated separately. For the proposed inland ordinance, the Board in February 2026 favored a simple over-the-counter administrative registration that is transferable to new owners. Because inland rules are still in draft, operators should verify the current registration pathway with Planning and Building Services and the Treasurer-Tax Collector before listing a property.