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Santa Monica Short-Term Rental Rules: What Hosts Need to Know in 2026
Santa Monica allows home-sharing, not vacation rentals. A host must live in the unit as a primary residence and be on site throughout every guest stay; un-hosted short-term rentals of an entire home are unlawful.
Hosts need both a Home-Sharing Permit and a Santa Monica business license, which together cost $582.25 for a new application. Both expire on June 30 and must be renewed on July 1.
Home-sharing only: an on-site host, 30-day stays, and a 17% tax
Santa Monica has allowed home-sharing since 2015, and the rules were updated in 2019. The model is narrow: the dwelling unit must be the host’s primary residence, and at least one primary resident must be present during the visitor’s stay.
Un-hosted short-term rentals — the model most cities call vacation rentals — remain unlawful. Hosts advertise through the city’s home-sharing portal, and hosting platforms must show the City business license number on listings.
- The host must live in the unit for the prior 12 months and intend to remain for the next 12 months.
- At least one primary resident must be on site throughout each stay.
- Stays are limited to 30 consecutive days or less.
Permit and business license
The Home-Sharing Permit and the home-share business license are applied for together and issued together. Both run through June 30 of each year.
Home-Sharing Permit
Required for renting one or more bedrooms in the host’s primary residence while the host is on site. The permit is issued with the business license.
Home-Share Business License
The total new-application cost is $582.25: a $75 minimum license tax, a $44.85 processing fee, a $458.40 home-share review fee, and a $4 state CASP fee.
Not allowed: vacation rentals
Un-hosted short-term rentals of an entire dwelling unit are unlawful in Santa Monica. Only hosted home-sharing is permitted.
License fees
| Label | Fee |
|---|---|
| New license | $582.25 |
Eligibility and operating rules
- The home-share must be the host’s primary residence; the host must have lived there for the prior 12 months and intend to remain for the next 12 months.
- At least one primary resident must be on site throughout every guest stay; un-hosted vacation rentals are unlawful.
- Stays are limited to 30 consecutive days or less; there is no annual night cap for hosted stays.
- A Home-Sharing Permit and a Santa Monica business license are both required, and both expire on June 30 unless renewed.
- $500,000 in liability insurance is required unless bookings are made only through Airbnb or VRBO, which provide coverage.
- Hosting platforms must display the City business license number on each listing and remove noncompliant listings; hosts may post no more than two listings per platform.
Enforcement: unpermitted hosting and platform listings
Operating without a home-share permit and business license is a violation subject to fines, penalties, or imprisonment under the Santa Monica Municipal Code. Un-hosted vacation rentals are also unlawful.
Hosting platforms must display the City business license number on each listing and remove listings that do not comply. Hosts may post no more than two listings per platform.
- Unpermitted hosting is subject to fines, penalties, or imprisonment under SMMC 6.20.100.
- Un-hosted vacation rentals are unlawful.
- Late TOT payments accrue a 10% penalty, plus another 10% after 30 more days.
| Item | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Unpermitted hosting | Operating without a home-share permit and business license is a violation subject to fines, penalties, or imprisonment under SMMC 6.20.100. |
| Vacation rentals | Un-hosted short-term rentals (vacation rentals) are unlawful in Santa Monica. |
| Tax delinquency | A 10% penalty applies to late TOT, plus another 10% if the tax remains unpaid for 30 more days. |
Transient occupancy tax: 17% on home-shares
Combined hotel occupancy tax 17%
Santa Monica imposes a 17% transient occupancy tax on home-share rentals. Hotel and motel rooms are taxed at a separate rate.
The host collects the tax at the time of payment, alone or in coordination with a hosting platform, and remits it to the City.
Returns are due on the first day of each month for the prior month’s collections, and payment is due by the last day of that month.
A 10% penalty applies to late payments, plus another 10% if the tax remains unpaid for 30 more days. Stays of 31 consecutive days or more are exempt.
- Collection
- Hosts collect TOT at the time of payment, alone or with a hosting platform; platforms may collect and remit on bookings they process.
- Filing
- Monthly TOT return due the first day of the month for the prior month’s collections; payment due by the last day of that month.
Ranges vary — verify. Stays of 31 consecutive days or more are exempt from transient occupancy tax.
Operating rules quick list
- Host presence
- At least one primary resident must be present in the home-share throughout each guest stay.
- Visitor limits
- No more than two groups of visitors may be hosted at a time; occupancy and vehicle limits follow the home-sharing ordinance.
- Safety
- Working smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers are required.
- Advertising
- Listings must display the City business license number and may not exceed two listings per platform.
Permit notes
- Other fees
- The $582.25 total includes a $75 minimum license tax, $44.85 processing fee, $458.40 home-share review fee, and $4 CASP fee.
- Renewal requirements
- The permit and business license expire June 30 and must be renewed on July 1; renewal requires a declaration of compliance with the home-sharing ordinance.
Compare Santa Monica with other STR markets
Some cities allow an entire home to be rented without the owner present; others require the host to live on site. Santa Monica is in the second group, so its permit is a home-sharing license rather than a general short-term rental license.
Phoenix
Arizona
Allowed citywide with permit (state law bars city bans — host-friendly)
Low–moderate enforcement
New license $250
Last verified
View Phoenix rules →Scottsdale
Arizona
Licensed; Arizona law preempts local bans and occupancy caps
Moderate enforcement
New license $250
Last verified
View Scottsdale rules →Sedona
Arizona
Permit required; Arizona law sets the regulatory floor
Moderate enforcement
New license $210
Last verified
View Sedona rules →Los Angeles
California
Allowed in the host’s primary residence with registration; 120-night annual cap unless extended
High enforcement
New license $441
Last verified
View Los Angeles rules →Palm Springs
California
Allowed in single-family homes with an annual certificate; new certificates capped at 20% per organized neighborhood
High enforcement
New license — Vacation Rental $1,046
Last verified
View Palm Springs rules →San Diego
California
Licensed by tier; whole-home licenses are capped by ordinance
High enforcement
New license — Tier 1 — Part-Time $193
Last verified
View San Diego rules →San Francisco
California
Allowed only in the host’s permanent residence with registration; un-hosted stays capped at 90 nights per year
High enforcement
New license $925
Last verified
View San Francisco rules →Denver
Colorado
Licensed, primary residence only
High enforcement
New license $150
Last verified
View Denver rules →Washington
District of Columbia
Licensed, primary residence only
High enforcement
New license $99
Last verified
View Washington rules →Fort Lauderdale
Florida
Licensed and inspected; annual Certificate of Compliance required
High enforcement
New license — Certificate of Compliance $880
Last verified
View Fort Lauderdale rules →Miami
Florida
Licensed and enforced; city and county requirements run in parallel
High enforcement
Last verified
View Miami rules →Orlando
Florida
Owner-occupied home sharing; whole-home rentals are limited by zoning
Moderate enforcement
New license — Home Sharing Registration $275
Last verified
View Orlando rules →Tampa
Florida
State-licensed; city rental registration repealed in 2023
Low–moderate enforcement
New license $230
Last verified
View Tampa rules →Atlanta
Georgia
Licensed, primary residence plus one additional dwelling unit
High enforcement
New license $150
Last verified
View Atlanta rules →Savannah
Georgia
Certified STVR, overlay district only, per-ward cap
High enforcement
New license $400
Last verified
View Savannah rules →Chicago
Illinois
Registered shared housing unit (31 days or fewer)
High enforcement
New license $250
Last verified
View Chicago rules →New Orleans
Louisiana
Licensed, capped, and lottery-based
High enforcement
New license — NSTR owner permit $500
Last verified
View New Orleans rules →Boston
Massachusetts
Registered, owner-occupied primary residence only
High enforcement
New license — Limited Share $25
Last verified
View Boston rules →Las Vegas
Nevada
Licensed; owner-occupied homes only (city limits)
High enforcement
New license $500
Last verified
View Las Vegas rules →New York
New York
Legal only in a registered primary residence (hosted stays)
High enforcement
New license $145
Last verified
View New York rules →Portland
Oregon
Permitted as an accessory use (primary residence required)
Moderate enforcement
Last verified
View Portland rules →Charleston
South Carolina
Licensed, primary residence only (commercial STRs only in the overlay district)
High enforcement
New license $345
Last verified
View Charleston rules →Nashville
Tennessee
Allowed with permit; heavy zoning restrictions on investor units
High enforcement
New license $313
Last verified
View Nashville rules →Austin
Texas
Licensed & enforced
High enforcement
New license $736.60
Last verified
View Austin rules →Seattle
Washington
Licensed; up to two units per operator
High enforcement
New license $75
Last verified
View Seattle rules →Frequently asked questions
Can I rent my Santa Monica home on Airbnb without living there?
No. Santa Monica allows home-sharing only in the host's primary residence while at least one primary resident is on site; un-hosted vacation rentals are unlawful.
How much does a Santa Monica home-sharing permit cost?
A new home-share business license and permit total $582.25, which includes a $75 minimum license tax, a $44.85 processing fee, a $458.40 home-share review fee, and a $4 CASP fee.
What tax applies to Santa Monica home-shares?
Home-share rentals pay a 17% transient occupancy tax. Returns are due on the first day of the following month, with payment due by the last day of that month.
Official sources and cross-checks
Sources with links
- City of Santa Monica — How to Apply for a Home-Share Business License santamonica.gov
- City of Santa Monica — Transient Occupancy Tax santamonica.gov
- City of Santa Monica — Home-Sharing Law Stands After Challenge santamonica.gov
- City of Santa Monica — Home-Sharing Ordinance Rules and Regulations santamonica.gov