City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Solvang, CA
How Solvang 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 — short-term rentals permitted only in the Village Mixed-Use (VMU) District
- hard citywide cap of 40 short-term rental permits
- vacation-rental certificate + 24/7 local contact required
- city transient occupancy tax on STR stays
Based on: Solvang Municipal Code Title 11 (Zoning), Ch. 12 Supplemental Regulations, vacation-rental section (eCode360 item
Summary of the rule
The operation of short-term rentals shall be permitted only in the Village Mixed-Use (VMU) District as shown in the adopted Zoning Map. The maximum number of short-term rental permits issued by the City shall be forty (40) permits.
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 20, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Solvang · 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.