Santa Maria, CA Short-Term Rentals: Registration Rules (2026)

Registration in unincorporated Santa Barbara County has two tracks. First, land-use registration: per the County's Homestays FAQ, 'Anyone interested in establishing a homestay must submit an application for a Land Use Permit, including the Homestay Supplemental Application, Indemnification Form, and Agreement for Payment.' Owners must first identify their property's zoning, because zoning dictates whether a short-term rental (commercial zones) or homestay (residential and certain other zones) is allowed. The homestay permit 'expires one year after the date of issuance' and 'must be renewed annually.' Second, tax registration: every operator throughout the unincorporated County, in both the inland and coastal areas, must obtain a Transient Occupancy Registration Certificate from the County Treasurer-Tax Collector. Under the County's TOT ordinance (Santa Barbara County Code Chapter 32, Taxation, Article II - Transients), operators must register within 30 days of commencing business. Because the Coastal Zone is currently unregulated for land use, coastal operators generally do not obtain a homestay land-use permit, but they are still required to register for and remit the Transient Occupancy Tax. California's state STR law does not impose a registration scheme; registration here is entirely a County requirement.