City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Pacifica, CA
How Pacifica 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.
- Primary-residence requirement for STR operators (supply constraint)
- Unhosted (whole-home) STRs capped at 60 nights/year (Oct 31–Oct 30 window)
- Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) banned from STR use entirely
- Unhosted STRs prohibited in multi-family development units
- Two-night minimum stay for unhosted STRs; STR permit + business license + safety declaration/inspection + good-neighbor rules (30-min contact, 10pm–6am quiet hours)
- Coastal Zone (>half of city STRs) overlay: strictest provisions not yet certified/effective there
Based on: Pacifica Municipal Code Title 9 (Zoning), Chapter 4, Article 49 — Short-Term Rentals; enacted by Ordinance No.
Summary of the rule
Unhosted (whole-home) STRs limited to no more than 60 nights per year, measured Oct 31–Oct 30
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 9, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Pacifica · system last checked Oct 24, 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.