Local Airbnb rules2026 26 sources cited
Is Airbnb Legal in Newport Beach? 2026 Rules, Permits & Taxes
Airbnb is legal in Newport Beach only with a city permit, capped at 1,550 and now offered from a waitlist. Two-night minimum, guests 25+, and 10% hotel tax and fee.1,8,10,11,12,13,23,25
From 24 official sources and 2 Airbnb help pages, checked October 17, 2026. Not legal advice.
The short answer
Newport Beach Airbnb Rules in Brief
- A Short Term Lodging Permit and business license are required for stays of 30 nights or fewer; the permit costs $649 new and $607 to renew in 2026-27.
- Permits are capped at 1,550 citywide; the city says no new permits are being issued and keeps a waitlist (817 entries, October 2026).
- Two-night minimum, renters must be 25 or older, a 24-hour local contact is required, and the permit number goes on every listing.
- Hotel tax and fee total 10% (9% + 1%), reported by the owner; administrative penalties reach $1,000 a day per violation.
Browse the live Newport Beach Airbnb market See Every Newport Beach ListingRevenue, occupancy and nightly rates are in the Newport Beach Airbnb market report .
At a glance
Newport Beach Airbnb Rules at a Glance
- Permit required
- Yes
- Taxes on a stay
- 10%
- Fine for hosting without a permit
- Up to $1,000
- Listings showing a permit number
- 82%
- Latest rule change
- Oct 31, 2026
Listing figures: AirROI, 12 months to October 2026. A number on a listing doesn't prove the permit or license is valid, and a missing one doesn't prove there is none.
The rules in brief
The rules a Newport Beach host meets first, each linked to the ordinance, statute or official page it comes from. Details and exceptions follow below.
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Permit | City permit required for any stay of 30 nights or fewer1,8 |
| Who can host | Only the owner can hold the permit; tenants cannot sublet1 |
| Where | Only certain residential and mixed-use zones qualify1,9,20 |
| Building rules | HOA and CC&R rules are the owner's responsibility1,20 |
| Minimum stay | Two-night minimum1,2 |
| Guests | Overnight occupancy follows building and fire codes1 |
| Listing display | Permit number on every advertisement1,25 |
| Platforms | Platforms must ask for the number and stop noncompliant bookings1 |
| Neighbors | 24-hour local contact within 25 miles1 |
Your home
Can You Host an Airbnb in Newport Beach? It Depends on the Home
Whether you can host in Newport Beach turns on whose home it is and whether you live there.
A room in your home with you present
Allowed with conditionsHome-sharing counts as short term lodging, so the same permit, business license, hotel tax and conditions apply; the home must still be in a zone that qualifies.1
A rented home or apartment (tenant hosting)
Not allowedA tenant cannot hold a permit, and the owner must prohibit a tenant from renting the home short term or home-sharing; it is also unlawful for a tenant to do so.1
Permit
Do You Need a Permit for Airbnb in Newport Beach?
Yes. Short-term rental hosts in Newport Beach need the short-term Lodging permit from the City of Newport Beach Administrative Services Department, Revenue Division. It costs $655 in the first year (In fiscal year 2026-27 a new permit costs $649 and the online business license application $6, or $655, before the annual business license tax; renewal is $607 a year. Hotel tax is separate.) and $607 a year to renew and must be renewed every year.1,8,10,11,12,13,23,25
- Who needs it
- Every owner who advertises or rents a home in a residential district or mixed-use area for 30 consecutive days or fewer, including home-sharing with the owner present.1,8,10,11,12,13,23,25
- Issued by
- City of Newport Beach Administrative Services Department, Revenue Division
- Valid for
- Annual. Renewal packets are mailed in late September and the renewal form, permit fee and hotel tax form are due by October 31 each year; a permit with no rentals for two consecutive annual reporting periods is closed.
- On listings
- The number must appear on every listing
- Platform checks
- Platforms must prompt hosts for the city permit number, may not advertise a unit without one, and must stop bookings within five business days of a city notice that a listing is noncompliant. Airbnb asks hosts to add the permit number to the listing.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Short term lodging permit, initialFee for fiscal year 2025-26, before the July 1, 2026 increase. | $300 |
| Short term lodging permit, initialFee for fiscal year 2026-27; the city reviews fees each July 1. | $649 |
| Short term lodging permit, annual renewalFee for fiscal year 2025-26, before the July 1, 2026 increase. | $336 |
| Short term lodging permit, annual renewalFee for fiscal year 2026-27, due with the renewal packet by October 31. | $607 |
| Permit reinstatementFiscal year 2026-27 fee ($109 in 2025-26) to reinstate a closed or suspended permit. | $377 |
| Change in informationFiscal year 2026-27 fee for changing the details on a permit. | $15 |
| Suspension or revocation hearingFiscal year 2026-27 fee, charged only if the owner loses the appeal ($760 in 2025-26); no fee if the appeal succeeds. | $1,224 |
| City business license, initial application (online)Fiscal year 2026-27 application fee; $18 in person. A city business license is required for the separate business of operating a short term lodging unit, and a business license tax applies on top. | $6 |
Who qualifies
- The home must be in a zone that allows short term lodging: R-1.5, R-2 and RM residential zones, or the MU-W2 and MU-CV/15th St. mixed-use districts for owners of 20 or more units
- Single-unit (R-1) homes qualify only if a permit was issued before June 1, 2004 and has not been revoked
- The applicant must be the legal owner; a tenant cannot hold a permit or sublet
- Accessory dwelling units are not eligible
- Multi-unit developments of five or more units may have short term lodging in no more than 20% of the units
- The HOA or CC&Rs must allow short term use; the owner certifies this on the application
- On Newport Island, the rented unit must be on a lot with an owner-occupied home that the owner manages
How to apply
- Enter the property address in the city's address search to check zoning, and read the HOA or CC&R rules.
- Join the city's online waitlist as the current legal owner; new permits are offered by mail to waitlisted owners in order as permits become available.
- If the city contacts you, return the completed Short Term Lodging Application and Business License application, with the fee, within 10 calendar days.
- Give the city a nuisance response plan, bedroom count, floor area, parking description and a 24-hour local contact within 25 miles.
- Add the permit number to every listing, post the permit and conditions inside the unit, and report and pay the hotel tax each year with the renewal packet.
Applications go through the official application page .
Permit rules
- City permit required for any stay of 30 nights or fewer
- Any owner who advertises or rents a home in a residential district or mixed-use area for 30 consecutive days or fewer needs a valid short term lodging permit from the city, plus a city business license. Home-sharing with the owner present counts as short term lodging.1,8
- Permit number on every advertisement
- Every advertisement must show the city-issued permit number, and the guest must be told the amount of the hotel tax and visitor service fee before the booking is completed.1,25
- Platforms must ask for the number and stop noncompliant bookings
- Hosting platforms must prompt hosts for the city registration number, may not advertise a unit without one, and must stop booking a listing within five business days of a city notice that it is noncompliant.1 Applies to: Hosting platforms
- Renew every year by October 31
- Permits renew annually: the city mails a renewal packet in late September, and the renewal form, permit fee, hotel tax form and tax payment are due by October 31.8,10 Applies to: Permit holders
- A permit can transfer on a sale if the buyer applies within 60 days
- When a home is sold, the permit can transfer to the buyer only if the transfer application is filed within 60 days of the title change; transfers to family members, trusts and entities have a 365-day window.1 Applies to: Permit holders and buyers
- Advertised price must include mandatory fees
- Since July 1, 2024, California's Honest Pricing Law bars a host or platform from advertising a short-term rental price that leaves out mandatory fees; government taxes and fees may be listed separately.21 In force since July 1, 2024
Who can host
Who Can Host an Airbnb in Newport Beach, and Where
California state law applies on top of Newport Beach's own rules: the California short-term rental regulations page covers the state license and what cities and counties can and can't regulate.
- Only certain residential and mixed-use zones qualify
- Only homes in a residential district or a mixed-use area that Titles 20 and 21 of the municipal code authorize can hold a permit. The city's FAQ names the R-1.5, R-2 and RM zones, and its address search shows whether a property qualifies.1,9,20
- Single-unit (R-1) homes only if permitted before June 1, 2004
- A lot in the R-1 single-unit residential zone, or one designated for single-unit homes in a planned community, cannot hold a short-term lodging unit unless the unit was legally established on or before June 1, 2004.1,2 Applies to: R-1 and single-unit planned community lots · In force since June 1, 2004
- Citywide cap of 1,550 permits
- The city caps short term lodging permits at 1,550: up to 1,475 in residential districts and 75 in two mixed-use areas. Once the cap is reached, the city keeps a waitlist and offers a permit only when one becomes available.1,2,9
- No more than 20% of units in a multi-unit development
- In a residential development of five or more units, no more than 20% of the units (rounded down) may be short term lodging units.1 Applies to: Multi-unit developments of 5 or more units
- Mixed-use zones: 75 permits, owners of 20 or more units
- In the Mixed-Use Water (MU-W2) and Cannery Village and 15th Street (MU-CV/15th St.) districts, the city allows up to 75 permits, and only an owner of 20 or more units under common ownership in the same statistical area qualifies. A management plan with professional management is required before a permit is issued.2,18 Applies to: MU-W2 and MU-CV/15th St. districts
- Newport Island: owner must live on the lot
- On Newport Island a unit can be rented short term only if it sits on a lot with an owner-occupied home that the owner manages, with at most 20 permits, one rental in any seven-day period and a one-space parking minimum.2,17 Applies to: Newport Island · In force since January 13, 2022
- Only the owner can hold the permit; tenants cannot sublet
- The permit is issued to the owner of the unit, who may use an agent, and the owner must bar any tenant from renting the home short term or home-sharing.1
- Accessory dwelling units are not eligible
- An accessory dwelling unit is not a lodging unit under the permit chapter, so it cannot be rented for stays of 30 nights or fewer.1 Applies to: Accessory dwelling units
Operating rules
Operating Rules for Newport Beach Short-Term Rentals
- Two-night minimum
- An owner or agent may not rent, advertise or agree to rent a unit for fewer than two consecutive nights.1,2
- Renters must be at least 25
- The owner may not rent to a guest under 25 years old.1
- Overnight occupancy follows building and fire codes
- The written rental agreement must limit overnight occupancy to the maximum the building and fire codes allow, and all occupants must live together as a single housekeeping unit.1
- 24-hour local contact within 25 miles
- The owner must give the city a local contact who lives within 25 miles, is reachable around the clock and responds to any call about the unit within 30 minutes.1
- No amplified sound from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m.
- No amplified or reproduced sound may be used outside, or be audible from the property line, between 10:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m.1
- Residential use only: no large gatherings, filming or non-owner weddings
- A permitted unit may be used only for residential purposes, not for large commercial or non-commercial gatherings, commercial filming or non-owner wedding receptions.1
- All on-site parking must be available to guests
- The owner must keep every on-site parking space free for guests and tell them how many spaces there are and that street parking may not be available.1
- Repeat violations can suspend or revoke the permit
- Two violations of permit conditions in 12 months can suspend a permit for six months, and three violations in 12 months can lead to revocation; a suspended or revoked owner must cancel bookings and remove advertisements.1 Applies to: Permit holders
- Serious offenses during holiday periods mean mandatory revocation
- If specified offenses tied to a permitted unit are proven during a high-risk period (Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day weekends and spring break), the permit must be revoked after a hearing process.1,14 Applies to: Permit holders
- Tripled fines in Safety Enhancement Zones
- Fines for infractions and civil fines are tripled in the city's Safety Enhancement Zones, which include areas of West Newport and Corona del Mar, while they are in effect during spring break and the Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day holidays.6,14 Applies to: Safety Enhancement Zones
Taxes
How Much Are Airbnb Taxes in Newport Beach?
10% of the rent: a 9% hotel tax plus a 1% visitor service fee. Rent includes separate charges for items or services that are part of the stay, such as linens and maid service.
10% in all
How the 10% on a Newport Beach stay splits between the taxes in the table below
- City of Newport Beach transient occupancy (hotel) tax 9%
- Newport Beach visitor service fee 1%
- Median nightly rate, booked nights
- $605
- Taxes on that night (10%)
- $61
- Guest pays, before Airbnb and cleaning fees
- $666
| Tax | Rate | Collected by |
|---|---|---|
| City of Newport Beach transient occupancy (hotel) tax 9% of the rent charged for a stay of 30 days or less | 9%3,9,26 | Host |
| Newport Beach visitor service fee 1% of the rent charged for a stay of 30 days or less | 1%4 | Host |
At Newport Beach's median booked rate of $605 a night, the taxes collected on a booking come to about $61 a night.
What the host still handles
- A Newport Beach business license for the separate business of operating a short term lodging unit, which the permit application requires
- Annual report and payment of the hotel tax and visitor service fee on the city's Uniform Transient Occupancy Tax form, returned with the permit renewal by October 31 (a permit holder does not need a separate transient occupancy registration certificate)
- Collection of the 10% from each guest, shown separately from the rent, with the amounts disclosed before the booking is completed1,3,4,7,9,10,26
Fines
How to Avoid Airbnb Fines in Newport Beach
Fines in Newport Beach fall on hosting without the short-term Lodging permit, or outside the rules above. With it in hand and the rules followed, none of the fines below apply.
- Administrative penalties of up to $1,000 per day for each violation of the municipal code, to a maximum of $200,000 per property, on top of citation fines and administrative costs.5
- Administrative citations for violations that are not infractions: up to $200 for a first violation, $300 for a second and $600 for a third or later within a year; inside a Safety Enhancement Zone the amounts are $400, $700 and up to $1,000.5,14
- A violation of the municipal code can also be prosecuted as a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both.6
- Permit suspension or revocation: two violations of permit conditions in 12 months can suspend the permit for six months, repeated or serious violations can revoke it, and operating after a suspension can lead to revocation.1
- Late or unpaid hotel tax draws a 10% penalty, a second 10% penalty after 30 days, and interest of 1.5% a month; a fraudulent underpayment adds a 25% penalty.3
- Waste sorting: the city can cite a short-term rental owner when guests do not separate trash, recycling and food waste, with fines starting at $1,000 per violation.10
Changes
What's Changed in Newport Beach's Airbnb Rules
The changes scheduled when the rules were checked on October 17, 2026 have now taken effect; the most recent are listed first.
- October 31, 2026
- September 8, 2026Ordinance 2026-14 amends the permit chapter
The council adopted Ordinance 2026-14, which the municipal code records as amending Chapter 5.95, including the sections on denial of permits, the maximum number of permits and permit closure.1
- July 1, 2026
- February 24, 2026Ordinance 2026-2 tightens suspension and revocation rules
The council adopted Ordinance 2026-2, which amended the permit conditions and the suspension and revocation section of Chapter 5.95, including mandatory revocation for specified offenses during high-risk holiday periods, and expanded the Safety Enhancement Zones.1,14
- August 26, 2025Council adopts the mixed-use and 1,475-permit changes
The City Council adopted Ordinance 2025-15 (permit chapter) and Ordinance 2025-16 (Local Coastal Program), as modified by the California Coastal Commission. They split the 1,550-permit cap into 1,475 residential and 75 mixed-use permits and limit mixed-use permits to owners of 20 or more units.2,18,19
Listing data
What Newport Beach's Listings Show
AirROI, a short-term-rental data firm, counted 1,320 active Airbnb listings in Newport Beach over the 12 months to October 2026. 82% of them displayed a permit, license or registration number.
Minimum stay set on Newport Beach listings
Share of active listings by the shortest stay they accept
Minimum stay in numbers
| Shortest stay accepted | Share of listings |
|---|---|
| 1 night | 4% |
| 2 nights | 44% |
| 3 nights | 27% |
| 4–6 nights | 11% |
| 7–29 nights | 5% |
| 30+ nights | 9% |
What officials report
Earnings
What Could a Newport Beach Short-Term Rental Earn?
The rules shape the numbers: a permit that costs $655 in the first year and taxes of 10% that hosts collect from guests. For a specific address, the Airbnb profit calculator estimates revenue, occupancy and nightly rate from comparable listings, so you can test the numbers before applying.
FAQ
Newport Beach Airbnb Rules: Frequently Asked Questions
Is Airbnb legal in Newport Beach?
Do I need a permit for Airbnb in Newport Beach?
How much is the Newport Beach short term lodging permit?
Can I get a new short term lodging permit in Newport Beach now?
Only through the waitlist. The city says no new permits are being issued at this time, the cap is 1,550, and it listed 1,498 active permits and 817 waitlist entries on October 17, 2026. When a permit becomes available the city mails the next owner, who has 10 calendar days to return the paperwork.9,12,13,15,16
Can I rent a home I don't live in on Airbnb in Newport Beach?
Can I run an Airbnb in a single-family house in Newport Beach?
Does Airbnb collect hotel tax in Newport Beach?
What is the hotel tax on an Airbnb in Newport Beach?
What is the minimum stay and guest age for an Airbnb in Newport Beach?
Bookings must be at least two consecutive nights, and the owner may not rent to anyone under 25. Overnight occupancy is limited to what the building and fire codes allow.1
What is the fine for an illegal Airbnb in Newport Beach?
When do I renew my Newport Beach short term lodging permit?
Do I need a local contact for my Newport Beach rental?
Yes. The owner must name a 24-hour local contact who lives within 25 miles and responds to any call about the unit within 30 minutes.1
How many Newport Beach Airbnbs are registered?
Active short term lodging permits: 1,498 as of October 17, 20261,15. In AirROI's listing data, 82% of the 1,320 Newport Beach Airbnb listings active in the 12 months to October 2026 displayed a permit, license or registration number. A number on a listing shows the host entered one; it doesn't confirm the permit is valid.
How much does an Airbnb make in Newport Beach?
The average Newport Beach listing earned $118,000 in the 12 months to October 2026, according to AirROI, averaged across every active listing including those booked for only part of the year. The Newport Beach Airbnb market report breaks it down by month, property size and neighborhood.
Method
How These Rules Were Checked
Each rule on this page was checked in October 2026 against the official source cited beside it: the ordinance or statute, the permit office's own pages and the tax authority. Airbnb's help pages are cited on their own only for what Airbnb itself does, such as the taxes it collects and the permit checks it runs, and otherwise only beside an official source; news reports only for when a change was announced. Rules that could not be confirmed on an official page are left out.
Rules change with council votes, court rulings and new state laws, so the page is rechecked every three months and whenever a scheduled change takes effect. It summarizes the rules for information and is not legal advice; the local authority has the final word on any application.
Listing figures come from AirROI's tracking of 1,320 active Newport Beach Airbnb listings over the 12 months to October 2026.
Sources
Sources
Each rule above links to the source it comes from. Official ordinances, statutes and government pages come first, then Airbnb's own help pages.
- 1. Newport Beach Municipal Code, Chapter 5.95 Short Term Lodging Permit · City of Newport Beach (General Code eCode360)
- 2. Newport Beach Municipal Code, Section 21.48.115 Short-Term Lodging (Local Coastal Program Implementation Plan) · City of Newport Beach (General Code eCode360)
- 3. Newport Beach Municipal Code, Chapter 3.16 Uniform Transient Occupancy Tax · City of Newport Beach (General Code eCode360)
- 4. Newport Beach Municipal Code, Chapter 3.28 Visitor's Service Fee · City of Newport Beach (General Code eCode360)
- 5. Newport Beach Municipal Code, Chapter 1.05 Administrative Code Enforcement Program · City of Newport Beach (General Code eCode360)
- 6. Newport Beach Municipal Code, Chapter 1.04 Code Enforcement · City of Newport Beach (General Code eCode360)
- 7. California Revenue and Taxation Code section 7280 - Occupancy taxes · California Legislative Information
- 8. Short Term Lodging · City of Newport Beach Revenue Division
- 9. Frequently Asked Questions (Short Term Lodging) · City of Newport Beach Revenue Division
- 10. Latest Information - Short Term Lodging · City of Newport Beach Revenue Division
- 11. Schedule of Rents, Fines and Fees, Fiscal Year 2026-2027 · City of Newport Beach
- 12. Join the Waitlist (Short Term Lodging) · City of Newport Beach Revenue Division
- 13. Applications, Permits and Forms · City of Newport Beach Revenue Division
- 14. Safety Enhancement Zone · City of Newport Beach
- 15. Short-Term Lodging - Active Permits (city GIS feature layer behind the Active Short Term Lodging Permits dashboard) · City of Newport Beach GIS
- 16. STLP WaitList Pts (city GIS feature layer behind the Short Term Lodging Waitlist dashboard) · City of Newport Beach GIS
- 17. Short Term Lodging - Newport Island (city GIS feature layer) · City of Newport Beach GIS
- 18. Major Amendment Request No. LCP-5-NPB-24-0004-1, Parts A, B and C (STRs in Mixed-Use Zones), staff report for the May 7, 2025 meeting · California Coastal Commission
- 19. File 25-0981: Ordinances Nos. 2025-15 and 2025-16, Municipal Code Amendments Related to Short Term Lodging · Newport Beach City Council (Legistar)
- 20. Search for an Address (Short Term Lodging) · City of Newport Beach Revenue Division
- 21. SB 478 - Hidden Fees (Honest Pricing Law) · California Attorney General
- 22. Short-Term/Vacation Rentals in the California Coastal Zone (letter to planning directors, December 6, 2016) · California Coastal Commission
- 23. Business License - Frequently Asked Questions · City of Newport Beach Revenue Division
- 24. The Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees: Frequently Asked Questions · Federal Trade Commission
- 25. Newport Beach, CA · Airbnb Help Center
- 26. Occupancy tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in California · Airbnb Help Center