Berkeley, CA short-term rental certificate
Berkeley treats any stay shorter than 14 consecutive days as a short-term rental. A guest who stays 14 consecutive days or more may gain tenant protections under the Rent Stabilization Ordinance. Zoning counts as well, since the unit must sit in one of the listed R, C or MUR districts.[4]
Every rule below links to the official source it comes from, verified October 1, 2026.
Can you rent short term in Berkeley?
Get the certificate first
What you apply for: Short-Term Rental Zoning Certificate
- Seasonal homes
- 363
- Housing units
- 53,145
- Residents
- 120,257
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates
- City ruleCertificate required
- City feeNone published
- Tax on each stay14%
- Seasonal homes7 per 1,000
Berkeley short-term rental certificate
Berkeley requires hosts to register with the city through a Short-Term Rental Zoning Certificate. The unit must be your primary residence, covered by liability insurance of $1,000,000. A tenant needs the property owner's approval. The city lists a $451.25 non-refundable application fee, with an additional processing fee added upon submission. When you are not present while guests are there, the home may be rented 90 days each calendar year. Your zoning certificate number goes on all advertisements. Guests are charged the 12% Transient Occupancy Tax. Hosts pay a 2% enforcement fee on top, remitted monthly. Below Market Rate units are excluded, as are units with a no-fault eviction within the last five years.[4]
What Berkeley asks of you
Renting a dwelling unit, an authorized accessory dwelling unit or an accessory building for less than 14 consecutive days makes it a short-term rental.[4]
The same city page says the ordinance assumes most transient stays will be 14 consecutive days or less.[4]
Hosts are required to register under Municipal Code Section 23.314 to become a Certified Short-Term Rental Host.[4]
The application is a Short-Term Rental Zoning Certificate, completed online.[4]
There is a $451.25 non-refundable application fee, with an additional processing fee added upon submission of the application.[4]
The unit must be the host's primary residence, shown by three proof of residency documents.[4]
A tenant must have the approval of the property owner.[4]
Liability insurance of $1,000,000 must cover the unit.[4]
Eligible zones are the listed R, C and MUR districts, including those within the Hillside overlay.[4]
An accessory dwelling unit built after April 1, 2017 cannot be used. Neither can one used as a long-term rental since April 1, 2007.[4]
A Below Market Rate unit cannot be used. A unit with a no-fault eviction within the last five years is excluded as well.[4]
A host who is not present while guests are there may rent the home for 90 days each calendar year.[4]
The number of people who can occupy the rental is generally two per bedroom.[4]
The zoning certificate number must be listed on all advertisements for the rental.[4]
Residents of all adjacent properties must be notified that the home is leased as a short-term rental.[4]
Guests receive the Short-Term Rental Guest Requirements letter twice, on booking and on arrival.[4]
The tax form must be filed monthly even if no tax is due. Late payment adds a penalty of 10% of the tax, then a second 10% after 30 days.[5]
What California asks wherever you host
These rules apply at this address whatever the city decides.
No state license exists for short-term rentals in California. The state's 2025 act on booking platforms says it does not preempt a local short-term rental ordinance.[1]
Since July 1, 2024, every mandatory fee has to sit inside the rate you advertise. Only government taxes and fees may be added later.[2]
State law caps city fines when a short-term rental violation threatens health or safety. The first ceiling is $1,500. A second violation within the year reaches $3,000, each later one $5,000.[3]
What a guest pays on top of your nightly rate in Berkeley
Each layer is set by a different authority, and not all of them are collected by the platform.
| Layer | Rate | Remitted to |
|---|---|---|
| Berkeley transient occupancy tax[4] | 12% | The city |
| Berkeley short-term rental enforcement fee[5] | 2% | The city |
| Total on a taxable stay | 14% |
Customers pay the 12% tax to the business, which remits it monthly to the City of Berkeley. The Finance page includes short-term rentals rented through an online platform. Short-term rentals may pay monthly through the city's online portal.[6]
Airbnb taxes for hostsWhat the census counts
How much of Berkeley is already a second home
The Census Bureau counts 363 of Berkeley's 53,145 homes as vacant for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. That is 7 out of every 1,000. It ranks Berkeley 32nd of the 37 California cities on this site for the share of its housing stock kept for part-year use.
- Rank in the state
- 32nd of 37
- Share of housing
- 7 per 1,000
- Median home value
- $1,413,900
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates, tables B25004, B25001, B01003 and B25077.
Nearby and comparable
Where Berkeley sits among its neighbors
San Bernardino County, CA
Permit required
Only in the Mountain and Desert Regions. Anywhere else in unincorporated county land, short-term rentals are not allowed.
San Bernardino County short-term rental rulesOakland, CA
Allowed by zone
1,125 seasonal homes, 6 per 1,000 housing units.
Oakland short-term rental rulesLong Beach, CA
Registration required
1,292 seasonal homes, 7 per 1,000 housing units.
Long Beach short-term rental rulesPasadena, CA
Permit required
746 seasonal homes, 12 per 1,000 housing units.
Pasadena short-term rental rulesFAQ
Berkeley short-term rental questions
How much does the Berkeley short-term rental certificate cost?
Can I list a second home in Berkeley as a short-term rental?
How many days can I rent my Berkeley home while I am away?
Who pays Berkeley's 2% enforcement fee?
Sources
- Short-Term Rental Facilitator Act of 2025 (SB 346), Government Code sections 50990 to 50996, California Legislative Information, read on October 1, 2026
- Business and Professions Code section 17568.6, lodging price display, California Legislative Information, read on October 1, 2026
- Government Code section 36900, fines for city ordinance violations, California Legislative Information, read on October 1, 2026
- Short-Term Rentals, City of Berkeley, read on October 1, 2026
- Transient Occupancy Tax Remittance Form for Short-Term Rental, City of Berkeley, read on October 1, 2026
- Special Business Taxes, City of Berkeley, read on October 1, 2026
This page is not legal advice. It summarizes the official sources listed on this page as they read on October 1, 2026. Rules can change after that date, so check with the issuing office before you apply or publish a listing.
Before you list
Free tools for new hosts
Short-term rental agreement generator
Parties, dates, rent, deposit checked against your state's cap, and the house rules clauses you enforce. A signed-ready PDF for direct and Vrbo bookings.
Airbnb host fee calculator
What Airbnb takes on a booking under the 15.5% host-only fee or the old split fee, what the guest pays on top, and the payout that reaches you.
Airbnb house rules
Generate a complete PDF house rules document for your property: rules, schedule, amenities, emergency contacts.
Check-in instructions
The message a guest reads before getting in: access, keys, WiFi, parking, contact. English or bilingual output.