Short-term rental (Airbnb) rules in Tiburon, California
No. Tiburon bans vacation rentals in all zones: no one may operate, facilitate or advertise one, and the old seasonal rental permits expired on December 31, 2015. Renting a room to one paying guest is allowed only for stays of at least 31 consecutive days, and ADUs and junior ADUs can't be rented for less than 30 days.
| Vacation rentals | Prohibited, including advertising or facilitating one [1] |
| Old seasonal rental permits | Expired December 31, 2015 [1] |
| Renting a room in your home | 1 paying guest, minimum 31 consecutive days [2] |
| ADU minimum rental term | 30 consecutive days; no vacation rental use [3] |
| Penalty | Infraction with fine; must repay back TOT and give up rental revenue [4] |
Vacation rentals are banned
Tiburon's zoning code says no person may undertake, maintain, authorize, aid, facilitate or advertise a vacation rental [1]. Permits once issued for seasonal rental units weren't renewed and became void on December 31, 2015. The residential use table repeats the rule: a single-family home may provide room and board for one paying guest only for a minimum of 31 consecutive days, and vacation rentals are not permitted [2]. That row covers R-1, R-1-B, RO, R-2, RPD and RMP zones. There is no registration or license path for Airbnb or VRBO stays shorter than that.
ADUs and junior ADUs
An ADU or JADU may be rented separately from the main house, but not for less than 30 consecutive days or as a vacation rental [3].
Bed and breakfasts
A bed and breakfast inn is a separate use that needs a conditional use permit in the R-1, R-1-B and RO zones. It must have at least one permanent resident, one parking space per guest room plus two covered spaces for the resident family, and a town business license, with meals for registered guests only.
Enforcement
Violations are infractions with fines set by council resolution. Anyone convicted or found liable must reimburse investigative costs, pay all back-owed transient occupancy taxes, and remit the illegally obtained rental revenue to the town [4]. The town may also impose administrative fines, and any interested person, such as a neighbor, can sue for an injunction and recover attorney's fees.
The code's definition of "vacation rental" is in the definitions article, which we did not review; the use table's 31-day minimum is the practical line.
See how Tiburon compares with 8+ other California towns on short-term rentals (airbnb / vrbo) →
Next steps
- Plan on rentals of at least 31 consecutive days (30 for an ADU or JADU); shorter Airbnb or VRBO stays are not allowed.
- If you're considering a bed and breakfast, ask the Planning Division (415-435-7390) about a conditional use permit and get a town business license.
- Remove any existing short-stay listings to avoid fines, back taxes and forfeiture of rental income.
Common questions
- Are short-term rentals legal in Tiburon, California?
- No. Tiburon bans vacation rentals in all zones: no one may operate, facilitate or advertise one, and the old seasonal rental permits expired on December 31, 2015.
- Can I rent a room in my home in Tiburon, California?
- Renting a room to one paying guest is allowed only for stays of at least 31 consecutive days.
- Can I rent my ADU on Airbnb in Tiburon, California?
- No. ADUs and junior ADUs can't be rented for less than 30 days.
- What is the penalty for an illegal vacation rental in Tiburon, California?
- It is an infraction with a fine, and you must repay back TOT and give up rental revenue.
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
- Sec. 16-40.042, Municipal Code Ch. 16 Sec. 16-40 Standards for Specific Land Uses (16-40.042 Vacation rentals prohibited; 16-40.070 Chickens and honey bees), p. 1
No person shall undertake, maintain, authorize, aid, facilitate or advertise a vacation rental, as defined herein. Any permits previously issued for such uses (also known as seasonal rental units) shall not be renewed and shall expire according to the terms of those permits and become null and void on December 31, 2015.
- Sec. 16-21.030, Table 2-1, Municipal Code Ch. 16 Sec. 16-21 Residential Zones (allowed uses and development standards), p. 1
Single-family dwelling providing room/board for 1 paying guest for a minimum of 31 consecutive days; vacation rentals are not permitted
- Sec. 16-52.100(C)(22), Municipal Code Ch. 16 (Zoning) Sec. 16-52 Permit Review and Decisions (16-52.100 Accessory Dwelling Unit; 16-52.110 Home Occupations; 16-52.080 Tidelands Permit; 16-52.020 Site Plan & Architectural Review), p. 1
The ADU may be rented separate from the primary unit but may not be rented for a period of less than thirty consecutive days or used as a vacation rental.
- Sec. 16-40.046(b), Municipal Code Ch. 16 Sec. 16-40 Standards for Specific Land Uses (16-40.042 Vacation rentals prohibited; 16-40.070 Chickens and honey bees), p. 1
Any person convicted of violating any provision of this section in a criminal case or found to be in violation of this section in a civil case brought by a law enforcement agency shall be ordered to reimburse the town and other participating law enforcement agencies their full investigative costs, pay all back-owed transient occupancy taxes, and remit all illegally obtained rental revenue to the town so that it may be used to return payment to the affected vacation renters.