Town Permit Guide

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Short-term rental (Airbnb) rules in Piedmont, California

Piedmont, Alameda County · Ordinances checked 2026-10-05 · Reviewed · 10 cited sections

Allowed with a permit

Yes, but only in a single-family home that is your primary residence (as owner or long-term tenant), and only with an annual short-term rental permit from the city. Stays must be at least 2 nights, total rentals can't exceed 60 days a year, and ADUs can't be used as short-term rentals.

Permit requiredYes, short-term rental permit from the Planning Director [3]
What counts as short-termRentals of less than 30 consecutive days [1]
Primary residenceRequired (owner or long-term tenant) [1]
Not allowed inADUs, multi-family units, SB 9 units [2]
Liability insuranceAt least $1,000,000 [4]
Permit termExpires December 31; renew annually [6]
Minimum stay2 consecutive nights [7]
Annual cap60 days per calendar year [8]
EventsNot allowed [9]
Business license taxRequired annually [10]

Who can host

Piedmont's short-term rental rules (City Code section 17.40.030) cover rentals of less than 30 consecutive days. The rental must be in a single-family home that is the primary residence of the owner or a long-term tenant [1]. It can't be in an accessory dwelling unit (permitted or not), a multi-family unit, or a unit created under the SB 9 lot-split rules [2]. Hosted and non-hosted rentals are both allowed [1]. Short-term rentals are listed as a permitted use in Zone A, subject to the permit.

Getting a permit

You may not operate (including listing on a platform) without a short-term rental permit approved by the Director [3]. To qualify you must:

  • submit the city application and fee;
  • show the owner's written approval if you're a tenant;
  • carry general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 [4];
  • give the city your contact information and the platforms you'll use;
  • have a smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector, fire extinguisher and adequate egress, verified either by a city inspection (with a fee) or by a signed safety declaration [5].

Any interested party can appeal the Director's decision, and the permit isn't effective until the appeal period ends. Permits expire December 31 of the year issued and must be renewed each year [6].

Operating rules

  • Minimum stay of 2 consecutive nights [7].
  • No more than 60 days of rentals per calendar year [8].
  • Lodging only: no events, gatherings or other commercial use [9].
  • Give guests an exit diagram, fire extinguisher locations, emergency numbers, your contact information, and the city's noise, smoking and garbage rules, both electronically and on site.
  • Tell the Director promptly about any change in your contact or platform information.

Taxes

Anyone operating a short-term rental must pay the city's annual business license tax for rental property [10]. Rentals of 30 days or more aren't short-term rentals and aren't covered by this permit.

See how Piedmont compares with 8+ other California towns on short-term rentals (airbnb / vrbo) →

Next steps

  1. Confirm the home is a single-family dwelling and your primary residence (not an ADU).
  2. Get liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 and install a smoke detector, CO detector and fire extinguisher.
  3. Apply for a short-term rental permit with the Piedmont Planning & Building Department, 120 Vista Avenue, (510) 420-3050, choosing either a city inspection or a signed safety declaration.
  4. Get a city business license for rental property, and renew the permit before December 31 each year.

Common questions

Are short-term rentals legal in Piedmont, California?
Yes, but only in a single-family home that is your primary residence, and only with an annual short-term rental permit from the city.
How many days can I rent my home on Airbnb in Piedmont, California?
Total rentals can't exceed 60 days a year, and stays must be at least 2 nights.
Can I use my ADU as a short-term rental in Piedmont, California?
No. ADUs can't be used as short-term rentals.
Do I need insurance for a short-term rental in Piedmont, California?
Yes, liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 is required, and the permit expires December 31 and must be renewed annually.

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.

State sources: Rev. & Tax. Code §7280 (transient occupancy tax) · SB 346 (2025), Stats. 2025, ch. 751 (short-term rental facilitator reporting) · Gov. Code §66315 (ADU rentals of 30 days or longer) · Gov. Code §66323 (by-right ADU rentals longer than 30 days) · California Coastal Commission, Short-Term/Vacation Rentals in the California Coastal Zone (Dec. 6, 2016)

What the ordinance says

Exact text from Piedmont's published ordinances. Section numbers are as printed in the source.

  1. Sec. 17.40.030(A) Applicability, City Code Chapter 17 Planning and Land Use (zoning; through Ord. 791 N.S., 04/2026), p. 62
    This section 17.40.030 applies to short term rentals of less than 30 consecutive days. The short-term rental must be located in a single-family dwelling unit that is the primary residence of the property owner or long-term tenant.
  2. Sec. 17.40.030(A) Applicability, City Code Chapter 17 Planning and Land Use (zoning; through Ord. 791 N.S., 04/2026), p. 62
    It may not be located in an accessory dwelling unit (permitted or unintended), a multi-family dwelling unit, or a dwelling unit created under division 17.54. The short-term rental may be hosted or non-hosted.
  3. Sec. 17.40.030(C) Short-Term Rental Permit, City Code Chapter 17 Planning and Land Use (zoning; through Ord. 791 N.S., 04/2026), p. 63
    No person may operate a short-term rental without first obtaining a short-term rental permit.
  4. Sec. 17.40.030(C)(3) Insurance, City Code Chapter 17 Planning and Land Use (zoning; through Ord. 791 N.S., 04/2026), p. 63
    The applicant must provide evidence of, and maintain, general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 during the term of the short-term rental permit that covers the applicant's short-term rental operations.
  5. Sec. 17.40.030(C)(5) Safety, City Code Chapter 17 Planning and Land Use (zoning; through Ord. 791 N.S., 04/2026), p. 63
    The dwelling or rooms serving as a short-term rental must have a smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector, fire extinguisher, and adequate egress, all as determined by the chief building official.
  6. Sec. 17.40.030(E) Permit Term and Renewal, City Code Chapter 17 Planning and Land Use (zoning; through Ord. 791 N.S., 04/2026), p. 64
    A short-term rental permit is valid until December 31 of the year it is issued, unless suspended or revoked. The permittee may renew the permit annually, by submitting a renewal application and fee before the expiration of the permit.
  7. Sec. 17.40.030(F)(2) 2-night minimum, City Code Chapter 17 Planning and Land Use (zoning; through Ord. 791 N.S., 04/2026), p. 64
    The short-term rental must be rented for a minimum of two consecutive nights.
  8. Sec. 17.40.030(F)(3) 60 days maximum, City Code Chapter 17 Planning and Land Use (zoning; through Ord. 791 N.S., 04/2026), p. 64
    The short-term rental may not be rented more than 60 days in a calendar year.
  9. Sec. 17.40.030(F)(4) No Events, City Code Chapter 17 Planning and Land Use (zoning; through Ord. 791 N.S., 04/2026), p. 64
    The short-term rental may be used for dwelling, sleeping or lodging purposes, but may not be rented for any other commercial purpose, including temporary events or gatherings.
  10. Sec. 17.40.040 Business license tax, City Code Chapter 17 Planning and Land Use (zoning; through Ord. 791 N.S., 04/2026), p. 65
    A person renting a room or multiple rooms or operating a short-term rental is considered to have rental property and must pay an annual business license tax under City Code chapter 10.
This page summarizes Piedmont's posted ordinances as of 2026-10-05. Ordinances are amended, and individual lots can have overlays, subdivision covenants, or HOA rules that are stricter. Confirm with Piedmont Planning & Building Department, 120 Vista Avenue ((510) 420-3050) before you build. Spot an error?