City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Carlsbad, CA
How Carlsbad regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Rules here limit which homes may operate as short-term rentals, how many, where, or for how many nights a year.
- STR barred citywide outside the Coastal Zone and La Costa Resort master plan area
- annual STR permit required ($231) plus home-based business license
- new ADUs/JADUs (building permit on or after 2020-01-01) excluded from STR use
- 10% transient occupancy tax plus 2% tourism district assessment
Based on: Carlsbad Municipal Code Chapter 5.60 (Short-Term Vacation Rentals), adopted 2015-05-05
Summary of the rule
Short-term vacation rentals which comply with the requirements of this chapter are permitted only in the coastal zone as defined by the California Coastal Commission and in the La Costa Resort and Spa Master Plan area, to include the Balboa and Cortez buildings located at 2003 and 2005 Costa Del Mar Road.
Last reviewed Oct 22, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Carlsbad · system last checked Oct 25, 2026
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City Watch provides good-faith summaries of publicly available information as of the review date shown. Rules, enforcement, and permit availability can change, and summaries may contain errors or omissions. Ratings describe the general regulatory environment; they do not establish whether a particular property or stay is permitted. This is general information, not legal advice. Before buying, listing, or hosting, verify applicable requirements with the responsible authorities and review any HOA, condominium, deed, or lease restrictions.