Rental Rules by City / California / Santa Monica

    Santa Monica short-term rental rules & tax calculator

    Los Angeles County, California · Verified against official sources Oct 24, 2026

    📋 The Basics

    Can I rent my place short-term here?
    Only in some areas
    Do I need a permit?
    Only hosted stays in your own home.
    What taxes do I pay?
    Total about 17%. Check your Airbnb payout report to see which ones Airbnb collects; you pay the rest yourself.

    Your 3 steps to be legal

    1. Get a home-share permit.
    2. Get a business license.
    3. Stay on site during stays.

    ⚠️ Biggest risk: Unhosted whole-home rentals.

    Words confusing? See the glossary. Details and official sources are below.

    Tax calculator

    Rates used: Santa Monica TOT (home-share) 17% = 17%. Mandatory cleaning fees are included in the taxable total. 17% TOT for home-shares (hotels 15%). Tourism Management District per-night assessment may apply: verify.

    What Airbnb collects: Verify in payouts which taxes your platform remits.

    This is the general rule for Santa Monica. Does your address qualify?

    The free info covers the city as a whole. Your property can still be different: zoning can change from one street to the next, and an HOA or condo ban can stop rentals even where the city allows them.

    Your $49 Compliance Check looks at your exact property:

    🔎 How we check: official city, county and state sources, a last-verified date on every page, and nothing guessed. Learn more

    Check my address: $49

    🔔 Stay notified: $4.99/month

    Rules don't change every week, but they do change, and nobody emails you when they do. We'll alert you when city rules, tourist taxes, HOA-related laws, or Airbnb/Vrbo policies change in Santa Monica. Cancel anytime.

    Stay notified

    Need guest waivers and booking tools too? Click here for more info

    Why use this instead of a web search?

    Instead of scattered, sometimes outdated pages, you get the city, county and state rules on one page, with official sources linked, a last-checked date, and unconfirmed items marked "verify" instead of guessed. How we verify →

    Advanced details (laws, fees, sources)

    Rules

    Hosted onlyLegal home-sharing = renting rooms in your primary residence for 30 days or less while you stay on site. Unhosted vacation rentals are illegal.
    PermitsHome-share permit plus city business license before hosting.

    Items marked "Verify with the city" could not be confirmed from an official source; call the office listed before relying on them.

    Sources

    Free tools

    Free "Is my rental legal?" checklist · Free tourist tax calculator

    Rules can change

    Santa Monica's rules, its tax rates and platform policies can change through a council vote, a new state law or a court ruling, often with little notice to hosts. We re-check this page monthly; subscribers get notified. Stay Compliant for $4.99/mo.

    Want it done for you?

    Get a personalized STR Compliance Check ($49) for your exact address in any US city: the permits, registrations and tax accounts you need, with official sources, delivered by email in 48 business hours. Not legal advice.

    Pay $49, Get My Compliance Check

    By paying, you agree to our Terms and Refund PolicyHow we verify.

    Stay Compliant: $4.99/month

    Rules, tax rates and Airbnb/Vrbo policies can change without warning, and hosts who miss a change can be fined. Get alerts when your city, county or state changes, deadline reminders, a pending-bill watch list and a monthly host brief (even in quiet months: "we checked on [date]; no changes"). Compare plans.

    Subscribe, $4.99/month

    By paying, you agree to our Terms and Refund Policy.

    Not legal or tax advice. Last verified Oct 24, 2026. Rules and rates change: confirm with the official sources linked before you rent or file.