Town Permit Guide

Home › California › Rancho Palos Verdes › Short-Term Rentals (Airbnb / VRBO)

Short-term rental (Airbnb) rules in Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Rancho Palos Verdes, Los Angeles County · Ordinances checked 2026-10-05 · Reviewed · 6 cited sections

Not allowed

No. Rancho Palos Verdes bans short-term rentals in all single-family and multifamily residential zones, and it's also illegal to advertise one on Airbnb, VRBO or anywhere else. ADUs, junior ADUs and SB 9 units can't be used as short-term rentals either; second units must be rented for at least 31 consecutive days.

Short-term rentals in single-family zonesProhibited [1]
Advertising a short-term rentalProhibited [2]
Short-term rentals in multifamily zonesProhibited [3]
ADUs and junior ADUsMay not be used as short-term rentals [4]
Minimum rental term, second units and two-unit developments31 consecutive days [5]
Bed and breakfast inns (RS zones)Only with a conditional use permit [6]

A citywide residential ban

The code's definition of "short-term rental" wasn't in the sources we reviewed; the 31-day minimum below is stated only for second units and two-unit developments. The zoning code says no person may operate a short-term rental in a single-family residential zoning district [1], and the same ban applies in multifamily residential zones [3]. There's no registration, permit or primary-residence exception for renting a house, a room or a condo for short stays, so there's no license to apply for.

Advertising is also banned

The code separately bars any responsible party from posting, publishing or maintaining an advertisement for a short-term rental in the city's single-family zones [2] (and multifamily zones). That means an Airbnb or VRBO listing for a Rancho Palos Verdes home is itself a violation, even before any guest stays. The city's Code Enforcement Division lists illegal short-term rentals among the violations it enforces.

ADUs, second units and SB 9 units

An ADU or JADU may not be used as a short-term rental [4]. Second units and units in a two-unit (SB 9) development can't be rented for a term of less than 31 consecutive days, which the code calls a short-term rental [5]. Longer-term rentals of 31 days or more aren't banned by these sections.

Bed and breakfasts

A bed and breakfast inn is listed among uses that need a conditional use permit in single-family zones [6], which is a discretionary review, not a by-right short-term rental.

Coastal zone note

The ban dates from Ordinances 592U and 593 (2016-2017). The California Coastal Commission has said short-term rental bans in the coastal zone must go through a city's Local Coastal Program, so for homes in the Coastal Specific Plan District (seaward of Palos Verdes Drive South/West), state coastal policy may affect how the ban applies there. We couldn't confirm whether the ban was certified as part of the city's Local Coastal Program; the ban still appears in the current code.

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

Next steps

  1. Don't list a Rancho Palos Verdes home, room or ADU for stays of fewer than 31 days on Airbnb, VRBO or other sites; the listing itself violates the code.
  2. If you want to rent, offer leases of 31 consecutive days or longer.
  3. To report a suspected illegal short-term rental, contact the Code Enforcement Division at 310-544-5281, 30940 Hawthorne Blvd.
  4. For questions about bed and breakfast conditional use permits, call the Planning Division at (310) 544-5228.

Common questions

Are short term rentals allowed in Rancho Palos Verdes, California?
No. Rancho Palos Verdes bans short-term rentals in all single-family and multifamily residential zones, with no registration, permit or primary-residence exception. For coastal-zone homes, state coastal policy may affect how the ban applies, but it still appears in the current code.
Can I list my home on Airbnb in Rancho Palos Verdes, California?
No. Advertising a short-term rental on Airbnb, VRBO or anywhere else is itself a violation of the city code, even before any guest stays.
What is the minimum rental period in Rancho Palos Verdes, California?
Second units and units in a two-unit (SB 9) development must be rented for at least 31 consecutive days. ADUs and junior ADUs can't be used as short-term rentals.
How do I report an illegal short term rental in Rancho Palos Verdes, California?
Contact the city's Code Enforcement Division at 310-544-5281, 30940 Hawthorne Blvd., which lists illegal short-term rentals among the violations it enforces.

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 Rancho Palos Verdes's published ordinances. Section numbers are as printed in the source.

  1. Sec. 17.02.026(A), Municipal Code Title 17 Ch. 17.02 Single-Family Residential (RS) Districts (17.02.020 uses; 17.02.026 short-term rentals prohibited; 17.02.030 development standards), p. 1
    No person shall operate a short-term rental in a single-family residential zoning district.
  2. Sec. 17.02.026(B), Municipal Code Title 17 Ch. 17.02 Single-Family Residential (RS) Districts (17.02.020 uses; 17.02.026 short-term rentals prohibited; 17.02.030 development standards), p. 1
    No responsible party shall post, publish, circulate, broadcast or maintain any advertisement of a short-term rental prohibited in any of the city's single-family residential zoning districts.
  3. Sec. 17.04.050(A), Municipal Code Title 17 Ch. 17.02 Single-Family Residential (RS) Districts (17.02.020 uses; 17.02.026 short-term rentals prohibited; 17.02.030 development standards), p. 1
    No person shall operate a short-term rental in a multifamily residential zoning district.
  4. Sec. 17.10.020(C)(13), Municipal Code Title 17 Ch. 17.10 Accessory Dwelling Unit and Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit Development Standards
    An ADU or JADU shall not be used as a short-term rental, in accordance with Section 17.02.026 (short-term rentals and advertisement of short-term rentals).
  5. Sec. 17.09.060(A), Municipal Code Title 17 Ch. 17.02 Single-Family Residential (RS) Districts (17.02.020 uses; 17.02.026 short-term rentals prohibited; 17.02.030 development standards), p. 1
    Second units and the units in a two-unit development shall not be rented for a term of less than 31 consecutive days, also known as a short-term rental.
  6. Sec. 17.02.025(C), Municipal Code Title 17 Ch. 17.02 Single-Family Residential (RS) Districts (17.02.020 uses; 17.02.026 short-term rentals prohibited; 17.02.030 development standards), p. 1
    Only the following uses and developments may be conducted or constructed with approval of a conditional use permit pursuant to
This page summarizes Rancho Palos Verdes'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 City of Rancho Palos Verdes Community Development Department - Code Enforcement Division, 30940 Hawthorne Blvd. (Planning 310-544-5228; Building & Safety 310-265-7800) (310-544-5281) before you build. Spot an error?