Most cities in Los Angeles County allow short-term rentals (stays under 30 nights) only in the host's own primary residence, and several ban them outright. The City of Los Angeles, unincorporated LA County, Pasadena, Glendale, Santa Monica and West Hollywood all require you to live in the home. Burbank, Calabasas, Culver City and Beverly Hills do not allow them. Malibu and Long Beach are among the few that permit a whole home the owner does not live in, with a permit.
By the Villa Home Studios team · Updated
Nearly every city ties short stays to the host's primary residence.
Burbank, Calabasas, Culver City and Beverly Hills do not allow stays under 30 nights.
Malibu (with a permit) and Long Beach (capped, with a waitlist) allow homes the owner does not live in.
Most programs require a permit number on every listing and a hotel tax certificate.
From 10% in Burbank to 17% for Santa Monica home-shares; 14% in the City of Los Angeles.
Longer stays fall under ordinary rental rules instead of short-term rental rules.
Each city sets its own rules. This is what each city's own pages said when we checked:
| City | Whole home you don't live in | Your own home (primary residence) | Permit and fee | Night limit | Hotel tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Los Angeles | Not allowed | Allowed if you live there 6+ months a year | Home-Sharing registration, $441 ($883 Extended) | 120 nights a year; no cap with Extended Home-Sharing | 14% |
| Unincorporated LA County | Not allowed | Allowed if you live there 275+ days a year | STR Registration Certificate, $914 a year | Unhosted stays up to 90 nights a year | 12% |
| Burbank | Not allowed | Not allowed | None | None | 10% |
| Glendale | Not allowed | Hosted only: you live there 60+ days and stay during the visit | Home-Sharing License | None stated | 12% |
| Pasadena | Not allowed | Allowed if you live there 9+ months a year | STR Permit, $123 plus a 3% records fee | Unhosted stays up to 90 days a year | 12.11% plus a tourism assessment |
| Santa Monica | Not allowed | Hosted only: you stay on site the whole visit | Business license and Home-Share permit, up to $582.25 | None stated | 17% for home-shares |
| West Hollywood | Not allowed | Hosted only: owner lives there 270+ days and stays during the visit | Home Sharing Business License | None stated | 12.5% |
| Culver City | Not allowed | Not allowed (rules under review) | None | None | 14% |
| Beverly Hills | Not allowed | Not allowed (leases under 12 months banned since 2025) | None | None | Not confirmed |
| Calabasas | Not allowed | Not allowed | None | None | 12% |
| Malibu | Allowed with a permit | Allowed with a permit | STR Permit, $495 | None stated | 15% |
| Long Beach | Allowed, capped at 800 citywide (waitlist) | Allowed; unhosted stays up to 90 days a year | Registration, $500 | None for whole homes | 13% |
Recent changes worth knowing:
In most of Los Angeles County, not for stays under 30 nights. Malibu allows it with a short-term rental permit, and Long Beach allows a limited number of non-primary homes citywide, with a waitlist. Elsewhere, owners of second homes usually choose stays of 30 nights or more, which fall under ordinary rental rules, or a hosted arrangement where they qualify.
We check the rules for your exact address before anything is listed, put the registration number on every listing, and handle hotel tax on direct stays. If short stays aren't allowed where your home is, we tell you up front.
No. Burbank does not allow short-term rentals of any kind, and its city council voted in 2024 to keep the ban.
Only as hosted home-sharing. Glendale bans whole-home vacation rentals; you need a Home-Sharing License, must have lived in the home 60 or more days in a row and must be there during the guest's stay.
Only in your primary residence, where you live at least nine months a year, with a $123 STR Permit. Unhosted stays are capped at 90 days a year; vacation rentals of homes you don't live in are not allowed.
No. Calabasas bans residential short-term rentals citywide and bans advertising them too.
Malibu allows whole-home short-term rentals with a $495 permit, and Long Beach allows up to 800 non-primary homes citywide with a waitlist. Most other cities, including the City of Los Angeles, require the home to be your primary residence.
Only hosted home-sharing: the home must be your primary residence and you must stay on site during the guest's visit. Unhosted vacation rentals are banned.
Sources: City of Los Angeles Planning (planning.lacity.gov) and Office of Finance; LA County Treasurer and Tax Collector STR program; burbankca.gov; glendaleca.gov and Glendale Ord. 5972; cityofpasadena.net and Ord. 7317; santamonica.gov; weho.org and Ord. 24-33; culvercity.gov; City of Beverly Hills Ord. 25-O-2918; cityofcalabasas.com; malibucity.org; longbeach.gov. This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm with the city before you host.
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