Local Airbnb rules2026 19 sources cited
Is Airbnb Legal in Santa Monica? 2026 Rules, Permits & Taxes
Santa Monica allows only hosted home-sharing: rent bedrooms in your own primary residence for 30 nights or fewer while you live there, with a city permit and license. Whole-home rentals are banned; hotel tax is 17%.1,5,6,13,16,18
From 17 official sources and 2 Airbnb help pages, checked October 17, 2026. Not legal advice.
The short answer
Santa Monica Airbnb Rules in Brief
- The host must live on site throughout every stay in their own primary residence; whole-home vacation rentals are prohibited.
- A home-share permit and business license are both required; a new application can cost up to $582.25, and both expire each June 30.
- One home-share per host, no more than two groups of guests on any date, occupancy of up to 10 people, and $500,000 of liability insurance.
- Hotel tax is 17% on the room rental, plus a $2 per night fee on Airbnb bookings; fines for a noncompliant listing run from $1,000 to $5,000.
Browse the live Santa Monica Airbnb market See Every Santa Monica ListingRevenue, occupancy and nightly rates are in the Santa Monica Airbnb market report .
At a glance
Santa Monica Airbnb Rules at a Glance
- Permit required
- Yes
- Taxes on a stay
- 17% + $2
- Fine for hosting without a permit
- $5,000
- Listings showing a permit number
- 44%
- Latest rule change
- Jan 28, 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 Santa Monica host meets first, each linked to the ordinance, statute or official page it comes from. Details and exceptions follow below.
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Permit | Home-share permit and business license both required1,5 |
| Who can host | Whole-home rentals are prohibited1,7 |
| Where | The rules apply in every residential zone7 |
| Building rules | HOA and lease rules still apply7 |
| Night cap | No annual night limit7 |
| Minimum stay | Stays of 31 nights or more fall under the leasing rules3,7 |
| Guests | Occupancy capped at the lesser of three limits1,7 |
| Listing display | What every listing must say1,6 |
| Platforms | Platforms may not book unregistered homes1,13 |
| Safety | Fire extinguisher, smoke and CO detectors required1,6 |
| Insurance | $500,000 of liability insurance1,5 |
| Neighbors | One guest vehicle per rented bedroom1 |
Your home
Can You Host an Airbnb in Santa Monica? It Depends on the Home
Whether you can host in Santa Monica turns on whose home it is and whether you live there.
Your own home, rented whole while you're away
Not allowedRenting a whole home for 30 nights or fewer when no resident is on site is a vacation rental, which is prohibited citywide. Stays of 31 nights or longer fall under the leasing rules, which generally require a written lease of at least one year on an unfurnished unit.1,3,7
A rented apartment (tenant hosting)
Allowed with conditionsA tenant can host after living in the unit for the prior 12 months and holding a lease or written commitment for the next 12. In a rent-controlled unit, monthly home-sharing income may not exceed the monthly rent, and the lease may still require landlord permission.1,6,7
A condo or HOA building
Allowed with conditionsThe city does not require HOA permission, but its ordinance does not override CC&Rs or rental agreements that do, so the association's rules must allow it.7
Permit
Do You Need a Permit for Airbnb in Santa Monica?
Yes. Short-term rental hosts in Santa Monica need the Home-share permit and business license from the City of Santa Monica Finance Department, Business License Division. It costs $582.25 in the first year (The city lists a potential total of $582.25 for a new application: $75 minimum license tax, $44.85 processing, $458.40 home-share review and $4 state fee. Hosts who qualify for the minimum-tax exemption pay less.).1,5,6,13,16,18
- Who needs it
- Every host who rents one or more bedrooms in their own home for 30 consecutive nights or fewer. Only a natural person who owns the home or is a long-term resident can apply, and the home must be their primary residence.1,5,6,13,16,18
- Issued by
- City of Santa Monica Finance Department, Business License Division
- Valid for
- Business licenses and home-share permits are valid through June 30 and must be renewed on July 1 each year. A host must stop advertising on every platform when the permit expires unless a timely renewal is filed.
- On listings
- The number must appear on every listing
- Platform checks
- Platforms may not complete a booking for a home that is not on the city's registry, and Airbnb requires a city license number on every Santa Monica listing.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Minimum business license taxPart of the city's potential total for a new home-share application; some businesses are exempt from the minimum license tax. | $75 |
| Business license processing feeCharged with the home-share application. | $44.85 |
| Home-share review feeCity review of the home-share permit application. | $458.40 |
| State CASp feeState-mandated Certified Access Specialist program fee on business licenses. | $4 |
Who qualifies
- Owner or long-term resident who is a natural person; a tenant counts as a long-term resident after living in the home for the prior 12 months and holding a lease or written commitment to stay 12 more months
- The home must be the host's primary residence, shown with two documents such as a driver's license, vehicle registration, voter registration, tax return, property tax bill or utility bill
- The host lives on site, in the home, throughout every guest stay
- One home-share per host; the permit cannot be transferred
- Liability insurance of at least $500,000, unless every booking goes through Airbnb or VRBO, which currently provide equal coverage
- Ownership through a trust, corporation or LLC does not count as proof of ownership; the host then proves long-term resident status instead
- The ordinance does not require HOA or landlord permission, but it does not override CC&Rs or a lease that does
How to apply
- Read Municipal Code Chapter 6.20 and the city's Home-Sharing Ordinance Rules and Regulations.
- If you operate under a name other than your own, file a Fictitious Business Name with the Los Angeles County Clerk.
- Gather two proofs of residency, proof of ownership or of 12 months' residence plus a lease or written commitment for the next 12 months, and proof of $500,000 liability insurance if you list anywhere other than Airbnb or VRBO.
- Submit the online application with the documents and pay the fees; the city routes it to the departments that review it.
- When approved, receive the business license certificate and home-share permit, then send the listing URLs to Code Enforcement within 10 days.
Applications go through the City of Santa Monica Finance Department, Business License Division application portal .
Permit rules
- Home-share permit and business license both required
- A host must hold a city home-sharing permit and a business license at all times; they are applied for together in one application.1,5
- Permits expire every June 30
- Every business license and home-share permit is valid through June 30 and is renewed on July 1; a host stops advertising when the permit expires unless a timely renewal is filed.5,6
- What every listing must say
- Every ad must show the city business license number, that the host lives on site for the whole stay, the permitted occupancy, the permitted number of visitor vehicles and the two-groups limit. A host may post no more than two listings per platform and no sign may advertise the home-share on the property.1,6 In force since October 24, 2019
- Platforms may not book unregistered homes
- A hosting platform may not complete a booking for a home that is not on the city's registry of authorized home-shares at the time it takes a fee, and must report its Santa Monica listings to the city.1,13 Applies to: Hosting platforms
- Airbnb asks for the city license number
- Airbnb's Santa Monica page tells hosts to enter the city license number, a six-digit number, in the listing's license or registration field.18 Applies to: Airbnb hosts
- Advertised price must include mandatory fees
- Since July 1, 2024, California's Honest Pricing Law (SB 478) 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.17 In force since July 1, 2024
Who can host
Who Can Host an Airbnb in Santa Monica, and Where
California state law applies on top of Santa Monica's own rules: the California short-term rental regulations page covers the state license and what cities and counties can and can't regulate.
- Whole-home rentals are prohibited
- Renting a home or any part of it for 30 nights or fewer when no resident lives on site throughout the stay is a prohibited vacation rental, in houses, condos and apartments alike.1,7 In force since June 12, 2015
- The host must live on site
- Home-sharing means renting one or more bedrooms in the host's own primary residence while the host lives on site, in the dwelling unit, throughout the visitors' stay.1,5 In force since June 12, 2015
- Primary residence, proven with two documents
- Only an owner or long-term resident who is a natural person can host, and the home must be their primary residence, shown with at least two documents such as a vehicle registration, driver's license, voter registration, tax return, property tax bill or utility bill.1,6
- Tenants must be long-term residents
- A tenant can host after living in the home for at least the prior 12 months and holding a written rental agreement, or other written commitment, to stay for 12 more months from the application date.1,7 Applies to: Tenants
- One home-share per host
- No host may run more than one home-share, so a host cannot list a second property.1,6
- Rent-controlled units: income capped at the rent
- A tenant of a rent-controlled unit may not receive monthly home-sharing revenue that exceeds the monthly rent for the unit.6,7 Applies to: Rent-controlled units
- HOA and lease rules still apply
- The city does not require HOA or landlord permission, but the ordinance does not override CC&Rs or rental agreements that require it, so a host checks them first.7 Applies to: Condos, HOAs and tenants
- Guest houses and ADUs: where the host must live
- For a guest house permitted after March 31, 2017, the host must live in the guest house itself; for an earlier one on a single-family parcel the host may live in either the main house or the guest house.6,7 Applies to: Guest houses and ADUs · In force since March 31, 2017
- Only part of the unit where you live
- A host who lives in one unit of a duplex or triplex cannot home-share a vacant neighboring unit, even when present; only a portion of the host's own dwelling unit may be rented.7 Applies to: Duplexes and triplexes
- The rules apply in every residential zone
- The home-sharing law applies citywide to all residential units, including single-family homes, condominiums and apartments.7
Operating rules
Operating Rules for Santa Monica Short-Term Rentals
- No more than two groups of guests per date
- A host may not book or rent to more than two groups of visitors for any given date, whether or not the guests in each group are related.1,7 In force since October 24, 2019
- Occupancy capped at the lesser of three limits
- Total occupancy, counting the host, other residents and all visitors, may not exceed the lesser of 10 people, one person per 200 square feet of the home, or two people (not counting minor children) per bedroom.1,7 In force since October 24, 2019
- One guest vehicle per rented bedroom
- Guests may bring no more than one vehicle per rented bedroom, or two vehicles in a preferential parking zone, where they must use the city's visitor permits.1 In force since October 24, 2019
- Hosts must prevent nuisance and follow the noise code
- A host must actively prevent nuisance activity caused by home-sharing and comply with the city's noise limits in Chapter 4.12 as well as health, safety, building, fire protection and rent control laws.1,6
- Fire extinguisher, smoke and CO detectors required
- A home-share must have fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, and a host in a multifamily building of more than one story gives guests information on emergency exit routes.1,6
- $500,000 of liability insurance
- A host must carry liability insurance of at least $500,000 for home-sharing or book every stay through a platform that provides equal or greater coverage; the city says Airbnb and VRBO currently do, so a host listing only there needs no separate proof.1,5
- Stays of 31 nights or more fall under the leasing rules
- Renting a whole unit for 31 nights or longer is not short-term rental, but under Chapter 6.22 a lease must generally be written, run at least one year, cover an unfurnished unit and go to a natural person who will use it as a primary residence. An owner who lives in the home may lease it for under a year no more than twice a calendar year, for under six months in total, if the owner intends to return.3,7
- No annual night limit
- There is no maximum number of days a permitted home-share may operate in a year; the limits are on who hosts, how many groups and how many people.7
Taxes
How Much Are Airbnb Taxes in Santa Monica?
17% on the room rental and cleaning fee, plus a $2 per night fee on Airbnb bookings of 30 nights or fewer.
- Median nightly rate, booked nights
- $255
- Taxes on that night (17% + $2)
- $45
- Guest pays, before Airbnb and cleaning fees
- $300
| Tax | Rate | Collected by |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Monica transient occupancy tax (home-shares) 17% of the total paid for the room rental on stays of 30 nights or fewer; Airbnb applies it to the listing price including any cleaning fee | 17%2,8,19 | Airbnb |
| Airbnb nightly fee under the city settlement $2 per night on Airbnb bookings of 30 nights or fewer, under Airbnb's settlement with the City of Santa Monica | $2 a night13,19 | Airbnb |
At Santa Monica's median booked rate of $255 a night, the taxes collected on a booking come to about $45 a night.
What the host still handles
- The Santa Monica business license issued with the home-share permit, renewed each July 1; some businesses are exempt from the $75 minimum license tax
- Monthly transient occupancy tax returns with the city for any booking the platform does not collect and remit, due the first day of each month for the preceding month2,8,18,19
Fines
How to Avoid Airbnb Fines in Santa Monica
Fines in Santa Monica fall on hosting without the approvals described above, or outside the rules. With them in hand and the rules followed, none of the fines below apply.
- Administrative fines for a home-sharing advertisement that breaks the rules: $1,000 for a first offense, $2,000 for a second and $5,000 for a third within 36 months when the listing shows no rental price; when a price is shown, the fine is 400%, 600% or 800% of the advertised daily rate and minimum stay.9
- Criminal penalties: an infraction punishable by a fine up to $750, or a misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $1,000, up to six months in county jail, or both.1
- A court can order back hotel tax and the repayment of illegally obtained rental revenue, plus the city's investigation costs.1
- Operating a second home-share draws a $1,000 administrative fine.9
- A home-share permit and business license is revoked once three citations become final during its term, and suspended for 30 days after two.6
- Late hotel tax draws a 10% penalty on the amount due, and another 10% if it stays unpaid for 30 more days.8
- In a January 2026 lawsuit over rent-controlled apartments listed on Airbnb as short-term rentals, the City Attorney asks for civil penalties of $2,500 per violation and about $18 million in disgorged proceeds.12
Changes
What's Changed in Santa Monica'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.
- November 3, 2026 Not in forceMeasure TT on the November 2026 ballot
Measure TT keeps the existing hotel tax rates, 15% for hotels and motels and 17% for home-shares, and would let the City Council temporarily lower the hotel and motel rate for corporate bookings during major event periods such as the 2028 Olympic Games. The city's analysis says it would not authorize reducing the 17% home-share rate.11
- January 28, 2026City sues landlords over rent-controlled units on Airbnb
The City Attorney's Consumer Protection Unit filed suit alleging at least 62 rent-controlled units in at least 25 properties were rented to short-term guests nearly 3,000 times in violation of the Residential Leasing Requirements Ordinance.12
- April 19, 2025Enforcement resumes after the fire suspension
The city had temporarily suspended enforcement of its short-term rental rules for homes rented to people displaced by the regional fires; enforcement of the short-term rental prohibition and home-share regulations resumed on April 19, 2025.15
- May 23, 2023Home-sharing legalization program for some ADUs
Ordinance 2748CCS amended Chapter 6.20 so that an accessory dwelling unit permitted on or after March 31, 2017 can keep home-sharing if the city had issued a permit and later denied renewal because of rule changes or an erroneous issue, and it has no open code violation for unpermitted work.1
- March 1, 2023
- September 8, 2020Residential Leasing Requirements adopted
Chapter 6.22 requires written leases of at least one year, unfurnished units and natural-person tenants using the unit as a primary residence, which closes the medium-term furnished rental route for stays of 31 nights or more.3
- December 10, 2019City and Airbnb settle: license numbers and a $2 nightly fee
The city announced a settlement under which Airbnb requires a city license number on every listing, allows one home per host and collects $2 for each night booked in Santa Monica. At that date the city counted 351 registered home-shares.13
- October 24, 2019
- March 13, 2019Ninth Circuit upholds the ordinance
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the City's Home-Sharing Ordinance against a challenge by Airbnb and HomeAway.com, affirming the district court's dismissal of their claims.14
- June 12, 2015Home-Sharing Ordinance takes effect
The City Council adopted Chapter 6.20 on May 12, 2015, keeping the ban on vacation rentals and allowing hosted home-sharing in a primary residence; it took effect on June 12, 2015.7
Listing data
What Santa Monica's Listings Show
AirROI, a short-term-rental data firm, counted 791 active Airbnb listings in Santa Monica over the 12 months to October 2026. 44% of them displayed a permit, license or registration number.
Minimum stay set on Santa Monica listings
Share of active listings by the shortest stay they accept
Minimum stay in numbers
| Shortest stay accepted | Share of listings |
|---|---|
| 1 night | 24% |
| 2 nights | 26% |
| 3 nights | 13% |
| 4–6 nights | 10% |
| 7–29 nights | 7% |
| 30+ nights | 20% |
What officials report
- 32
- Active home-sharing registrations · as of October 17, 2026The city's open-data Home-Sharing Registry listed 32 home-sharing businesses with an active business license on October 17, 2026, alongside one bed and breakfast.10
- 351
- Registered home-shares (2019) · as of December 10, 2019The city counted 351 registered home-shares in December 2019, with Airbnb accounting for a large majority of home-share listings.13
- 62
- Units named in the 2026 enforcement suit · as of January 28, 2026The City Attorney alleges at least 62 rent-controlled units in at least 25 Santa Monica properties were rented to short-term guests nearly 3,000 times.12
Earnings
What Could a Santa Monica Short-Term Rental Earn?
The rules shape the numbers: a permit that costs $582.25 in the first year and taxes of 17% plus $2 a night that Airbnb adds to guests' bills. 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
Santa Monica Airbnb Rules: Frequently Asked Questions
Is Airbnb legal in Santa Monica?
Do I need a permit for Airbnb in Santa Monica?
How much is the Santa Monica home-share permit and license?
The city lists a potential total of $582.25 for a new application: a $75 minimum license tax, a $44.85 processing fee, a $458.40 home-share review fee and a $4 state fee. Permits expire June 30 and are renewed each July 1.5
Can I rent out my whole home on Airbnb in Santa Monica when I'm away?
Can I rent a home I don't live in on Airbnb in Santa Monica?
Does Airbnb collect hotel tax in Santa Monica?
What is the hotel tax on an Airbnb in Santa Monica?
What is the fine for an illegal Airbnb in Santa Monica?
Administrative fines for a noncompliant home-sharing listing are $1,000, $2,000 and $5,000 for a first, second and third offense within 36 months when no price is listed, or 400% to 800% of the advertised daily rate and minimum stay when a price is listed. A violation can also be a misdemeanor with a fine up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail.1,9
Is there a limit on nights or guests for Airbnb in Santa Monica?
Do I need to show my license number on my Airbnb listing in Santa Monica?
Can I rent my Santa Monica home for a month or longer?
Stays of 31 nights or more are not short-term rentals, but Chapter 6.22 generally requires a written lease of at least one year, an unfurnished unit and a tenant who will use it as a primary residence. An owner living in the home gets a limited exception for under-a-year leases.3
Can a tenant or condo owner host on Airbnb in Santa Monica?
How many Santa Monica Airbnbs are registered?
Active home-sharing registrations: 32 as of October 17, 202610. In AirROI's listing data, 44% of the 791 Santa Monica 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 Santa Monica?
The average Santa Monica listing earned $46,900 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 Santa Monica 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. The Santa Monica pages for Measure TT, the January 2026 lawsuit and the new business license fee table were read in a browser because the site blocked script access; the administrative fine schedule was read from an Internet Archive copy dated January 19, 2026.
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 791 active Santa Monica 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. Chapter 6.20 Home-Sharing and Vacation Rentals (Santa Monica Municipal Code) · City of Santa Monica via eCode360
- 2. Chapter 6.68 Tax on Transients for Occupancy (Santa Monica Municipal Code) · City of Santa Monica via eCode360
- 3. Chapter 6.22 Residential Leasing Requirements (Santa Monica Municipal Code) · City of Santa Monica via eCode360
- 4. California Revenue and Taxation Code section 7280 - Occupancy taxes · California Legislative Information
- 5. How to Apply for a Home-Share Business License · City of Santa Monica
- 6. Home-Sharing Ordinance Rules and Regulations (revised November 21, 2019) · City of Santa Monica
- 7. Overview of the Home-Sharing Ordinance and FAQs · City of Santa Monica Planning and Community Development
- 8. Transient Occupancy Tax · City of Santa Monica Finance Department
- 9. Administrative Citation Fine Schedule (FY 2025-26) · City of Santa Monica
- 10. Home-Sharing Registry · City of Santa Monica Open Data
- 11. Measure TT, General Election 2026 · City of Santa Monica
- 12. City files lawsuit against serial short-term rental violator (January 28, 2026) · City of Santa Monica
- 13. Settlement with Airbnb guarantees compliance with Home-Sharing Ordinance (December 10, 2019) · City of Santa Monica
- 14. City of Santa Monica prevails against Airbnb and HomeAway at Ninth Circuit (March 13, 2019) · City of Santa Monica
- 15. Housing Resources in Response to Fires · City of Santa Monica
- 16. New Business License Taxes, Fees, and Assessments · City of Santa Monica
- 17. SB 478 - Hidden Fees (Honest Pricing Law) · California Attorney General
- 18. Santa Monica, CA · Airbnb Help Center
- 19. Occupancy tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in California · Airbnb Help Center