Short-Term Rental Permit Rules in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Oxnard, Carpinteria & Montecito

Owner Resources

Short-Term Rental Rules Along the Santa Barbara Coast

This stretch of coastline has some of the most restrictive STR regulations in California. Santa Barbara classifies short-term rentals as 'Hotels and Similar Uses' — meaning they are outright prohibited in single-unit and two-unit residential zones, which covers most of the city's residential neighborhoods. A permit cap on non-hosted rentals is in effect, and further restrictions were under city council review as of August 2025.

California has no state preemption law protecting STR rights, so each city along this coast sets its own rules. Ventura, Oxnard, Carpinteria, and Montecito each have separate programs from Santa Barbara. The Santa Barbara requirements below are the most detailed publicly documented program in this area; confirm rules with each city's planning department before listing.

Santa Barbara STR Permit Requirements

Zoning restriction: STRs are classified as 'Hotels and Similar Uses' under Santa Barbara's zoning code and are prohibited in single-unit (R-1) and two-unit (R-2) residential zones. This means most standalone single-family homes and duplexes in residential neighborhoods cannot operate as STRs at all.

Permissible zones: STRs may be permitted in commercial and mixed-use zones where 'hotel and similar uses' are already allowed. Confirm your zoning before investing in or applying for an STR permit.

Primary residence requirement: Whole-home rentals in residential zones require the property to be the owner's primary residence. Investors purchasing second homes purely for STR income in residential zones are generally not eligible.

Conditional Use Permit: Operators must file a land-use application (Conditional Use Permit or Hotel Conversion Permit) with Santa Barbara Planning in addition to obtaining a City Business Tax Certificate and Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) registration.

ADU and JADU restriction: Properties with accessory dwelling units (ADUs) or junior ADUs cannot rent for less than 31 days. This applies to both the main home and the ADU.

Permit cap: The city enforces a city-wide cap on non-hosted permits in residential zones. When the cap is reached, new applicants are placed on a waitlist with no guaranteed timeline.

Recent and upcoming changes: The primary residence requirement and permit cap took effect September 2023. Enhanced enforcement against unpermitted rentals via platform monitoring launched July 2024. As of August 2025, the city is reviewing proposals to reduce existing caps and expand residential zone restrictions further.

Risk rating: Santa Barbara carries a 2/5 regulatory stability rating — indicating a high-risk environment for STR investment. The regulatory trend is tightening, with no state preemption protection in California.

Ventura, Oxnard, Carpinteria, and Montecito: Each operates its own STR program with separate requirements. Contact each city's planning and business licensing department before listing in any of these jurisdictions.

Rules change — here's how we keep this current

Santa Barbara's STR rules have changed in 2022, 2023, 2024, and are under review again in 2025. This page is reviewed regularly against verified government sources, but it is not a substitute for checking directly with the City of Santa Barbara Planning Department or your local manager before applying.

Last verified: August 2026.