City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Sacramento, CA
How Sacramento regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Short-term rentals here operate under a registration or permit system with ongoing operating rules.
- STR-specific permit required for every dwelling unit (annual, non-transferable)
- Non-primary-residence (whole-home/absentee) STR capped at 90 days/yr by-right
- Unlimited unhosted operation allowed only via a conditional use permit (zoning review)
- Primary residence defined as 184+ days/yr occupancy; hosted rentals unlimited
- City notifies owners within 200 ft on permit issuance; 6-person occupancy limit; special events prohibited
Based on: Sacramento City Code Ch. 5.114 (Short-Term Rentals), added by Ordinance No. 2016-0004, adopted Jan 19, 2016; zoning STR
Summary of the rule
No person shall operate a short-term rental unless a short-term rental permit is in effect for the dwelling unit.
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 14, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Sacramento · system last checked Nov 9, 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.