Short-term rental (Airbnb) rules in Woodside, California
The Woodside zoning and business-license codes we reviewed don't set up a short-term rental permit or registration program for a main house. They do bar rentals of less than 30 days for ADUs and for any unit on an SB 9 lot. Ask the Planning Department before listing a main house on Airbnb or VRBO.
| ADU minimum rental term | 30 consecutive days [1] |
| SB 9 lots (urban lot split or two-unit project) | Rentals of 30 days or less prohibited [2] |
| Main house STR permit or registry | None found in the zoning or business-license codes [3] |
What the code says
We reviewed Woodside's zoning code (Chapter 153), subdivision code (Chapter 152) and business regulations (Title XI). None of them has a short-term rental permit, registration, fee, cap or minimum stay for renting out a main single-family home. The Town's two explicit rental limits apply to secondary units:
- ADUs: an ADU that is rented can't be rented for less than 30 consecutive days [1].
- SB 9 lots: on a lot created by an SB 9 urban lot split, rentals of every unit must be for more than 30 days. Rentals of 30 days or less are prohibited [2]. The same limit applies to SB 9 two-unit projects.
Unlisted uses
The residential use tables say that uses not listed in the table aren't permitted unless the Planning Commission finds them similar to a listed use [3]. Short-term or transient rental isn't listed. It isn't clear from the text whether the Town treats renting out a single-family home for short stays as part of the residential use or as an unlisted use. That's a question for the Planning Department.
Taxes and other rules
The municipal code's table of contents shows no short-term rental or transient occupancy tax chapter; its Taxation chapter covers dwelling-unit, real property transfer and sales taxes. Ask Town Hall whether any tax applies to short stays. A business license under Title XI may apply. HOA rules and deed restrictions can also limit rentals.
See how Woodside compares with 8+ other California towns on short-term rentals (airbnb / vrbo) →
Next steps
- Call or email the Woodside Planning Department (650-851-6790) and ask whether renting your main house for under 30 days is allowed in your zoning district.
- Ask Town Hall whether a business license or transient occupancy tax registration is required.
- Don't list an ADU or any unit on an SB 9 lot for stays under 30 days.
Common questions
- Are short term rentals allowed in Woodside, California?
- It's unclear. Woodside's zoning and business-license codes don't set up a short-term rental permit or registration program for a main house, and it isn't clear whether short stays count as an unlisted use. Ask the Planning Department before listing a main house on Airbnb or VRBO.
- Can I rent my ADU short term in Woodside, California?
- No. A rented ADU in Woodside can't be rented for less than 30 consecutive days.
- Can I Airbnb a unit on an SB 9 lot in Woodside, California?
- No. On a Woodside lot created by an SB 9 urban lot split, or with an SB 9 two-unit project, rentals of 30 days or less are prohibited.
- Do I need a business license for a short term rental in Woodside, California?
- Possibly. A business license under Title XI may apply, and the code shows no transient occupancy tax chapter. Ask Town Hall whether a business license or tax registration is required.
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. 153.211(A)(9), Municipal Code Ch. 153 Zoning, §153.211 Accessory Dwelling Units (incl. barn/stable conversions, JADUs)
Accessory dwelling units which are rented shall not be rented for less than 30 consecutive days.
- Sec. 152.167, Municipal Code §153.107 Residential and commercial districts: permitted, conditional and accessory uses (Table A-1); §153.111 Home occupations
Rental of all units shall be for a term of more than 30 days. Rentals of 30 days or less are prohibited;
- Sec. 153.107, Municipal Code §153.107 Residential and commercial districts: permitted, conditional and accessory uses (Table A-1); §153.111 Home occupations
Uses not listed in the table under any case category, shall not be permitted under this chapter unless the Planning Commission determines that the use is similar to the uses listed in the table.