NextGen Coastal compliance manager exiting a coastal California city hall with a short-term rental permit reference on a tablet

Permit Guides

Short-term rental permits, city by city.

Coastal California's STR rules vary block by block. These guides cite the actual municipal code, fee schedule, and revenue-division guidance, not the generic "every city is different" boilerplate you find on host blogs.

Newport Beach harbor-front vacation rental homes along the Balboa Peninsula

Newport Beach

Permit cap
1,550 active permits
Permit fee
$336 (2026 renewal)
TOT
10%
Minimum stay
2 consecutive nights

Cap reached, waitlist active. R-1 zones excluded.

Read the guide →
Huntington Beach pier and vacation rentals along the Pacific Coast

Huntington Beach

Permit cap
No numerical cap (zone-restricted)
Permit fee
Annual STR permit + business license (verify with city)
TOT
10%
Minimum stay
2 consecutive nights

R-1 through R-4 residential zones generally permitted. Active code enforcement near pier/downtown overlay.

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Laguna Beach cliffside vacation rentals above the Pacific Ocean

Laguna Beach

Permit cap
No numerical cap
Permit fee
TOT certificate + business license (verify with city)
TOT
12%
Minimum stay
2 consecutive nights

Effectively the entire city is within the California Coastal Zone. Highest TOT rate in Orange County.

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Dana Point Harbor with vacation rental homes above the marina

Dana Point

Permit cap
No numerical cap
Permit fee
Annual STR permit + business license (verify with city)
TOT
10%
Minimum stay
No city minimum

Popular areas: Dana Point Harbor, Capistrano Beach, Monarch Beach. Coastal Zone applies near shore.

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Spanish-style vacation rentals in San Clemente above the beach

San Clemente

Permit cap
No numerical cap
Permit fee
Annual STR permit + business license (verify with city)
TOT
10%
Minimum stay
No city minimum

Spanish Village by the Sea. Strong surf/beach demand. Zone eligibility varies by neighborhood.

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The Strand vacation rentals in Manhattan Beach facing the Pacific

Manhattan Beach

Permit cap
No numerical cap (zone-restricted)
Permit fee
Annual STR permit + business license (verify with city)
TOT
12%
Minimum stay
2 consecutive nights

The Strand oceanfront = premium rates. Aggressive code enforcement. Some of the highest STR nightly rates in LA County.

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Hermosa Beach vacation rentals along the Strand walkway

Hermosa Beach

Permit cap
No numerical cap
Permit fee
Annual STR permit + business license (verify with city)
TOT
12%
Minimum stay
No city minimum

Small, dense, walkable beach city. High per-unit STR rates. Noise enforcement is strict.

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Naples Island vacation rental homes in Long Beach

Long Beach

Permit cap
No numerical cap
Permit fee
Annual STR registration (verify with city)
TOT
12%
Minimum stay
2 consecutive nights

Naples Island and Belmont Shore are the premium STR neighborhoods. Large city with convention, port, and airport demand.

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Malibu beachfront vacation rental homes along the Pacific Coast Highway

Malibu

Permit cap
No numerical cap
Permit fee
City permit + potential Coastal Commission fees
TOT
10%
Minimum stay
2 consecutive nights

Entire city within California Coastal Zone. Coastal Development Permit required for most STRs. Ultra-premium market.

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Santa Monica vacation rental near the pier and Pacific beach

Santa Monica

Permit cap
120 nights/yr, home-sharing ONLY
Permit fee
~$250/yr home-sharing registration
TOT
14%
Minimum stay
No city minimum

PRIMARY RESIDENCE ONLY. Owner must be present. Investment-property whole-home STRs are prohibited.

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Del Mar coastal vacation rentals above the ocean and racetrack

Del Mar

Permit cap
No numerical cap
Permit fee
Annual permit + TOT registration (verify with city)
TOT
12.5%
Minimum stay
2 consecutive nights

Tiny city (~4,500 residents). Del Mar Racetrack season drives extreme peak rates. Premium Coastal Zone market.

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Encinitas vacation rentals near Moonlight Beach and the coast

Encinitas

Permit cap
No numerical cap
Permit fee
Annual STR permit + business license (verify with city)
TOT
10%
Minimum stay
No city minimum

Five distinct communities. Coastal Zone in western half. HOA restrictions common in Olivenhain and New Encinitas.

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Carlsbad beachfront vacation rentals along Carlsbad Boulevard

Carlsbad

Permit cap
No numerical cap (zone-restricted)
Permit fee
$381 + $100 first-time registration
TOT
10% TOT + 2% CTBID
Minimum stay
No city minimum

Coastal Zone or La Costa Resort & Spa Master Plan area only.

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Oceanside vacation rentals near the pier and harbor

Oceanside

Permit cap
480 non-hosted STRs west of Coast Highway
Permit fee
$250/yr + $187 initial inspection
TOT
10% TOT + 1.5% OTMD
Minimum stay
No city minimum

Ord. 24-OR0844-1 (Feb 2024): no new non-hosted STRs east of Coast Hwy; no R-1 west either.

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San Diego vacation rentals near Mission Beach and the Pacific Ocean

San Diego

Permit cap
Tier 3 waitlist; Tier 4 (Mission Beach) capped at 30% of units
Permit fee
$100–175/yr by tier
TOT
10.5%
Minimum stay
No city minimum

4-tier permit system. Tier 3/4 allow whole-home investment STRs, but supply is limited. Most complex STR rulebook in the region.

Read the guide →

More cities coming.

Solana Beach, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Juan Capistrano are next. If you're evaluating a property in one of those cities right now, request the guide and we'll move it up.

Request a City Guide See Our STR Service