Airbnb & Short-Term Rental Rules in San Diego, CA (2026)

San Diego, CA allows short-term rentals — commonly listed on platforms like Airbnb and VRBO — subject to local regulations that have evolved significantly since 2015. Hosts must register with the city (Short-Term Residential Occupancy (STRO) License) before listing their property. San Diego regulates STRs to balance tourism revenue with neighborhood quality of life. Key rules cover primary residence requirements, nightly limits, occupancy caps, and tax collection obligations. Hosts who operate without required registration or in violation of city rules face substantial fines. Below are the current registration requirements, rules, platform-specific notes, and penalties for San Diego.

Registration Requirements

Registration Required: Short-Term Residential Occupancy (STRO) License. Registration fee: $150. Annual renewal: $150 annually. Register through the San Diego Development Services Department (DSD) or San Diego Planning Department. Your registration number must be displayed on all platform listings. Failure to register before hosting is a violation subject to fines.

Operational Rules

Short-Term Rental Rules in San Diego: 1. All short-term rentals (less than 1 month) require STRO license from City Treasurer 2. Tier 1 (Home-Sharing): host-adjacent rentals; host must be primary resident; maximum 1 license per person 3. Tier 2 (Mission Beach): special rules for Mission Beach community; 30% Mission Beach property cap 4. Tier 3 (Whole-Home, Primary Residence): host rents entire home while away; primary residence required 5. Tier 4 (Whole-Home, Non-Primary): investor properties — requires annual license via lottery; limited citywide 6. Platform must display license number on all listings 7. Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) at 10.5% applies to all short-term rentals 8. Host must notify neighbors within 100 ft of rental activity 9. 24/7 local contact required for neighbor complaints

• •All short-term rentals (less than 1 month) require STRO license from City Treasurer
• •Tier 1 (Home-Sharing): host-adjacent rentals; host must be primary resident; maximum 1 license per person
• •Tier 2 (Mission Beach): special rules for Mission Beach community; 30% Mission Beach property cap
• •Tier 3 (Whole-Home, Primary Residence): host rents entire home while away; primary residence required
• •Tier 4 (Whole-Home, Non-Primary): investor properties — requires annual license via lottery; limited citywide
• •Platform must display license number on all listings
• •Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) at 10.5% applies to all short-term rentals
• •Host must notify neighbors within 100 ft of rental activity
• •24/7 local contact required for neighbor complaints

Platform-Specific Rules

Platform-Specific Rules in San Diego: Airbnb: Airbnb collects and remits San Diego TOT on behalf of hosts — verify current status as collection agreements vary VRBO: Host responsible for TOT collection and remittance; VRBO may remit in some cases Always verify current platform tax collection and remittance policies directly with your platform — these can change without advance notice to hosts.

Penalties for Violations

Penalties for STR Violations in San Diego: $1,000 fine per day for operating without STRO license; License revocation for 3 or more violations within 12 months; Platforms may be fined for listing unlicensed properties; City may seek injunctive relief for chronic violations. San Diego has enforcement mechanisms to identify unlicensed short-term rental listings on platforms. Hosts should ensure all registrations are current and listings display valid registration numbers.

• ⚠$1,000 fine per day for operating without STRO license
• ⚠License revocation for 3 or more violations within 12 months
• ⚠Platforms may be fined for listing unlicensed properties
• ⚠City may seek injunctive relief for chronic violations

Frequently Asked Questions