City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Healdsburg, CA
How Healdsburg 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.
- residential-zone exclusion — vacation rentals barred in all residential districts
- whole-home vacation rentals permitted only in the CD (downtown commercial) district
- discretionary conditional use permit required (deniable)
- annual fire/safety inspection and city business license required
Based on: Healdsburg Municipal Code § 20.28.310 (definition), § 20.08.145 Table 10 (Residential Uses use-table); Conditional Use
Summary of the rule
Per the City of Healdsburg 'Vacation Rentals' topical summary (Community Development — Planning): vacation rentals are 'Permitted only in the CD zoning district, subject to Conditional Use Permit approval (Healdsburg Municipal Code Section 20.08.145 Table 10—Residential Uses)' and are 'Not permitted in residential zoning districts.' A vacation rental is defined (HMC § 20.28.310) as 'the rental/letting of a complete residential unit (with bedroom(s), kitchen and bath) for fewer than 30 days for transient lodging purposes and with no on-site management' — the whole-home / no-on-site-management form excluded from residential zones. The absentee whole-home operator is foreclosed.
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 22, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Healdsburg · system last checked Oct 25, 2026
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City Watch tracks changes from public sources — council agendas, state bills, local news — not a complete legal compendium.
A city permit is not the whole picture — HOA, condominium, deed, or lease rules may be stricter.
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.