Short-term rental (Airbnb) rules in Burlingame, California
Only in your primary residence, and only after registering with the city. Burlingame caps un-hosted rentals (you're not home overnight) at 120 days a year, with no cap when you're present; ADUs can't be used as short-term rentals. Registration costs $200, plus $100 a year to renew.
| Where allowed | Host's primary residence only; not in ADUs [1] |
| Registration | Required before advertising [2] |
| Un-hosted limit | 120 days per calendar year [3] |
| Hosted limit | No limit [3] |
| Fees | $200 initial, $100 annual renewal [4] |
| Short-term rental means | Stays under 30 consecutive days [5] |
| Listings at once | One per residence per day [7] |
| Response time | 30 minutes by phone/email [8] |
| On-site response to complaints | Within 1 hour [14] |
| Parking | No extra spaces; existing spaces must be available to guests [9] |
Who can rent
Burlingame's Short-Term Rental chapter (BMC Ch. 6.56) allows stays of under 30 days [5] only in a host's primary residence, and not in accessory dwelling units [1]. Owners and long-term tenants with the owner's consent can register; you must document that the home is your primary residence. All other short-term rental uses are prohibited.
Registration and fees
You must register with the city before advertising or offering the home [2]. The application asks for proof of primary residence, the number of off-street parking spaces, an authorized agent's contact information, and a Burlingame business license [12]. The city's program page lists a $200 registration fee and $100 a year to renew [4]; the code says fees are set by city council resolution, so confirm the current amount. Registrations are renewed annually along with transient occupancy tax (TOT) payments [13], and they end automatically when the home is sold. The Community Development Director acts on applications.
Hosted vs. un-hosted
A rental is "hosted" if you're on the premises every night from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. [6]. Un-hosted rentals are limited to 120 days a year; hosted rentals have no day limit [3]. Only one listing (one group of guests) is allowed for a residence on the same days [7].
Operating rules
During un-hosted stays an authorized agent must be available around the clock. The host or agent must answer calls and emails within 30 minutes [8] and be on site within an hour of a complaint [14]. No extra parking is required, but existing on-site spaces must be available to guests [9]. Weddings, parties, corporate and commercial events are banned [10]. City noise and refuse rules apply, and TOT must be collected and paid to the city [11]. Platforms that have a collection agreement with the city collect it for you.
Enforcement
Registrations can be revoked for violations, with waiting periods of 6 to 24 months before reapplying.
See how Burlingame compares with 8+ other California towns on short-term rentals (airbnb / vrbo) →
Next steps
- Confirm the home is your primary residence and not an ADU; ask the Planning Division (650-558-7250) if you're unsure about eligibility.
- Register on the city's short-term rental registration website with proof of primary residence, parking count, and your authorized agent's contact info; pay the $200 fee.
- Get a Burlingame business license once the registration is approved.
- Collect and remit transient occupancy tax (online) unless your platform collects it, and renew the registration each year ($100).
Common questions
- Are short-term rentals allowed in Burlingame, California?
- Yes, but only in the host's primary residence and only after registering with the city. Stays under 30 consecutive days count as short-term rentals, and all other short-term rental uses, including ADUs, are prohibited.
- How many nights a year can I rent my home on Airbnb in Burlingame, California?
- It depends on whether you're home. Un-hosted rentals, where you're not on the premises every night from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., are limited to 120 days per calendar year. Hosted rentals have no day limit. Only one listing is allowed for a residence on the same days.
- How do I get a short-term rental permit in Burlingame, California?
- Register with the city before advertising, with proof of primary residence, your off-street parking count, an authorized agent's contact information and a Burlingame business license. The city lists a $200 registration fee and $100 a year to renew, though the code says council sets fees, so confirm the current amount.
- Can I rent my ADU as a short-term rental in Burlingame, California?
- No. Burlingame's short-term rental chapter does not allow short-term rentals in accessory dwelling units; only the host's primary residence qualifies.
- What rules do short-term rental hosts follow in Burlingame, California?
- The host or agent must answer calls and emails within 30 minutes and be on site within an hour of a complaint. Weddings, parties and commercial events are banned, existing parking must be available to guests, and transient occupancy tax must be paid to the city.
California state rules for short-term rentals
California has no statewide short-term rental license or registry. Your city or county decides whether and how you can rent on Airbnb or VRBO, including permits, caps, primary-residence rules and minimum stays.
Taxes: cities and counties may levy a transient occupancy tax (TOT) on stays of 30 days or less (Rev. & Tax. Code §7280). Rates and registration are local, and the county rate applies only in unincorporated areas.
New platform reporting law: since January 1, 2026, a city or county can adopt an ordinance requiring platforms like Airbnb and VRBO to report the address of each short-term rental (Gov. Code §50990 et seq., SB 346). Where a city has opted in, listings must also show the local license number and TOT certificate.
ADUs and SB 9 units: state law lets cities require that ADUs be rented for 30 days or longer. It requires that for by-right ADUs, junior ADUs and units built under SB 9 lot splits (see ADUs).
Coastal zone: in a December 2016 letter, the Coastal Commission said:
- STR rules in the coastal zone must be adopted through the city's Local Coastal Program or a coastal development permit, and bans adopted any other way are likely not enforceable there.
- The Commission has not historically supported blanket STR bans, finding they unduly limit public access to the coast.
- It has supported reasonable limits, such as caps on the number of rentals, occupancy limits, and limits on which housing types can be rented.
What the ordinance says
- BMC 6.56.030, Municipal Code Chapter 6.56 - Short-Term Rentals, p. 1
Short-term rental uses shall be permitted in any primary residence subject to the requirements of this section, including compliance with the operating standards, registration, transient occupancy tax payments, and recordkeeping obligations. Short-term rentals are not permitted in accessory dwelling units, as described in Chapter 25.59 of the Burlingame Municipal Code.
- BMC 6.56.040(a), Municipal Code Chapter 6.56 - Short-Term Rentals, p. 1
Application. Prior to advertising or making available the primary residence for renting, hosts shall register their primary residence as a short-term rental with the city.
- BMC 6.56.050(c), Municipal Code Chapter 6.56 - Short-Term Rentals, p. 1
Annual Limit. A primary residence may be occupied as an un-hosted short-term rental for no more than 120 days per calendar year per unit. There shall be no limit on the number of days a primary residence may be occupied as a hosted short-term rental.
- Short-Term Rental Program - Registration, Short-Term Rental Program, p. 1
The short-term rental fee is $200 for initial registration and $100 for annual renewal.
- BMC 6.56.020 (definitions), Municipal Code Chapter 6.56 - Short-Term Rentals, p. 1
"Short-term rental" means the use or possession of or the right to use or possess any room or rooms, or portions thereof in any dwelling unit for residing, sleeping or lodging purposes for less than 30 consecutive calendar days, counting portions of days as full calendar days.
- BMC 6.56.020 (definitions), Municipal Code Chapter 6.56 - Short-Term Rentals, p. 1
"Hosted short-term rental" means a short-term residential rental at which the host is present while it is being rented. A host is considered present when they are on the premises at all times between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
- BMC 6.56.050(b), Municipal Code Chapter 6.56 - Short-Term Rentals, p. 1
Limitation on Listings. Short-term rentals shall not have more than one listing for the same primary residence on the same days.
- BMC 6.56.050(d)(1), Municipal Code Chapter 6.56 - Short-Term Rentals, p. 1
When the short-term residential rental unit is rented, the host (for a hosted short-term rental) or at least one authorized agent (for an un-hosted short-term rental) must respond to all telephone and e-mail messages relating to issues of permit compliance or the health, safety, or welfare of the public or the renter at the short-term residential rental unit within 30 minutes at all times, 24 hours per day.
- BMC 6.56.050(e), Municipal Code Chapter 6.56 - Short-Term Rentals, p. 1
Parking. No additional parking shall be required for short-term rentals. Existing on-site parking spaces shall be made available to short-term renters.
- BMC 6.56.050(h), Municipal Code Chapter 6.56 - Short-Term Rentals, p. 1
Weddings, corporate events, commercial functions, parties/congregations, and any other similar events which have the potential to cause traffic, parking, noise or other problems in the neighborhood are prohibited from occurring at the short-term rental property, as a component of short-term rental activities.
- BMC 6.56.060, Municipal Code Chapter 6.56 - Short-Term Rentals, p. 1
Collection and remittance of TOT is the responsibility of the host. The hosting platform shall collect TOT when they have signed a voluntary collection agreement (or equivalent) with the city.
- BMC 6.56.040(a)(8), Municipal Code Chapter 6.56 - Short-Term Rentals, p. 1
A city of Burlingame business license for the short-term residential operation; and
- BMC 6.56.040(g), Municipal Code Chapter 6.56 - Short-Term Rentals, p. 1
Annual Renewal. A registration shall be renewed annually upon payment of registration renewal fees and all required transient occupancy tax remittance associated with the short-term rental.
- BMC 6.56.050(d)(2), Municipal Code Chapter 6.56 - Short-Term Rentals, p. 1
The host (for a hosted short-term rental) or at least one authorized agent (for an un-hosted short term-rental) must be on the premises of the short-term residential rental unit within one hour of being notified of complaints regarding the condition or operation of the dwelling unit or the conduct of guests and take remedial action to resolve such complaints.