Short-term rental (Airbnb) rules in Coronado, California
No. Coronado prohibits short-term vacation rentals in its residential zones, so a home can only be rented for at least 26 consecutive days. ADUs and junior ADUs can't be rented short-term either.
| Short-term vacation rentals in residential zones | Prohibited [1] |
| Minimum rental length | 26 consecutive days [1] |
| Rentals the City treats as violations | 25 days or less [2] |
| Short Term Rental Monitoring Hotline | (619) 500-9625 [2] |
| ADUs and JADUs | May not be rented as short-term vacation rentals [3] |
The rule
The City of Coronado prohibits short-term vacation rentals in residential zones. To comply with the Municipal Code, a rental of a residential property must last at least 26 consecutive days [1]. Listing a house or condo on Airbnb or VRBO for stays of a few nights or a week would violate this rule.
ADUs and junior ADUs
The City's ADU permit application states that ADUs and JADUs may not be rented as short-term vacation rentals [3]. Building a backyard unit doesn't open a path to nightly rentals. For ADUs approved under state by-right rules, state law requires any rental to be longer than 30 days, which is stricter than the City's 26-day minimum.
Enforcement
The Community Development Department runs a Short Term Rental Monitoring Hotline at (619) 500-9625 for reporting vacation rentals of 25 days or less. The hotline is only for short-term rental reports, not other code complaints [2]. Other violations go to the Code Enforcement Officer, and under City Council policy staff respond only to written complaints [4]. Code Enforcement issues Notices of Violation to get compliance.
What we couldn't check
The operative ordinance is in the Coronado Municipal Code, which we couldn't download. These rules come from the City's Code Enforcement web page and its ADU application handout. We don't have the code's exact wording, penalties, or any exceptions, for example for rentals outside residential zones. Longer rentals of 26 days or more are not covered by this ban, but other lease or tax rules may apply.
Coastal zone question
The California Coastal Commission has said short-term rental limits in the coastal zone should be adopted through a city's Local Coastal Program, and that bans adopted otherwise may not be enforceable there (see the state rules on this page). Coronado's Local Coastal Program Land Use Plan we reviewed doesn't mention short-term rentals, and we couldn't confirm how the City's ban was adopted. The City currently enforces the 26-day minimum, so plan on it applying.
See how Coronado compares with 8+ other California towns on short-term rentals (airbnb / vrbo) →
Next steps
- Plan any rental of your Coronado home for 26 consecutive days or longer; for an ADU or junior ADU, plan on more than 30 days to also satisfy state ADU law.
- Call the Community Development Department at (619) 522-7326 to confirm the current rules in Municipal Code Chapter 86.78 before signing a rental agreement.
- To report a suspected rental of 25 days or less, call the Short Term Rental Monitoring Hotline at (619) 500-9625.
Common questions
- Are short term rentals allowed in Coronado, California?
- No. Coronado prohibits short-term vacation rentals in its residential zones, so a home can only be rented for at least 26 consecutive days. Listing a house or condo on Airbnb or VRBO for a few nights or a week would violate the rule.
- What is the minimum rental period in Coronado, California?
- 26 consecutive days for residential property. The City treats rentals of 25 days or less as violations. For an ADU approved under state by-right rules, plan on more than 30 days to satisfy state law.
- Can I rent my ADU short term in Coronado, California?
- No. Coronado's ADU permit application states that ADUs and junior ADUs may not be rented as short-term vacation rentals.
- How do I report a short term rental in Coronado, California?
- Call the Community Development Department's Short Term Rental Monitoring Hotline at (619) 500-9625 to report vacation rentals of 25 days or less. The hotline is only for short-term rental reports; other violations go to the Code Enforcement Officer.
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
- Code Enforcement - Short Term Vacation Rental Violations, Code Enforcement page (incl. short-term rental reporting)
The City of Coronado prohibits short term vacation rentals in Residential Zones, property rentals must be at least 26 consecutive days in order to comply with the City's Municipal Code.
- Code Enforcement - Short Term Vacation Rental Violations, Code Enforcement page (incl. short-term rental reporting)
To report a short term rental, please call the Short Term Rental Monitoring Hotline at (619) 500-9625. Please note that this hotline phone number is for the reporting vacation rentals of 25 days or less only, do not report any other types of violations or submit other code enforcement complaints on the hotline.
- Handout 721, Notes, item 4, Handout 721 - Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) application (June 2020), p. 2
4. ADUs and JADUs may not be rented as short-term vacation rentals.
- Code Enforcement - Mission Statement, Code Enforcement page (incl. short-term rental reporting)
Pursuant to Coronado City Council policy, staff will only respond to written complaints. To enforce the Code, the Code Enforcement Officer issues Notices of Violations to obtain compliance, in accordance with the Municipal Code.