Encinitas, CA short-term rental permit

What Encinitas asks of you

• A permit is required for any entity renting a single-family home or duplex for 30 consecutive days at a time at most.^[4]

• Multi-family dwellings may not be rented short term.^[4]

• Short-term rentals are prohibited in accessory dwelling units. A few permitted before the ordinance continue until their permits expire.^[4]

• Only one short-term rental is allowed within a dwelling, with multiple rentals of the unit at the same time prohibited.^[7]

• The application fee is $425, non-refundable, for a new permit as for a renewal.^[6]

• Business registration costs $39 when new, then $24 to renew.^[6]

• Planning, Code Enforcement and Finance review each application concurrently, in a cycle of about two weeks.^[4]

• Code Enforcement checks bedrooms, alarms and parking spaces during a site inspection. Unpermitted improvements can result in immediate failure of the application.^[4]

• Each kitchen needs a fire extinguisher rated 2-A:10-B:C.^[4]

• Liability coverage on the property stays at $1,000,000 minimum for the length of the permit.^[4]

• After approval, a good neighbor letter goes to all owners within a 300-foot radius. The permit is issued once that mailing is certified.^[4]

• The permit document is displayed on the interior of the rental as well as its exterior.^[4]

• The permit is valid one year. If the renewal application with its fee arrives after expiration, a new application is needed.^[4]

• Each advertisement shows the City issued permit number, the bedroom count and the maximum occupancy.^[4]

• Overnight occupancy stops at two persons per bedroom, with one additional person allowed per dwelling unit.^[7]

• Guest vehicles may not exceed the designated on-site spaces, and street parking is prohibited.^[7]

• The operator has one hour from a complaint to resolve the issue, under Municipal Code Section 9.38.050(D).^[4]

• A staff report of September 23, 2026 describes a three-night minimum stay for non-hosted rentals, currently regulated in Title 9.^[9]

• The city's history of the 2021 update says a hosted unit is not subject to a minimum stay.^[5]

• That staff report says fines specific to short-term rentals can reach $1,500 for a first violation under State law. It gives $3,000 for the second, then $5,000 for any later one.^[9]

• Ordinance No. 2022-16 holds a 2.5% citywide cap and a 4% cap west of Interstate 5. The city says staff will bring those amendments back at a later date.^[5]

• On February 5, 2026 the California Coastal Commission approved the 2022 ordinances with a two-night minimum for non-hosted rentals. On April 22, 2026 the City Council declined that change by a 3-2 vote.^[5]

• The City Council agenda of September 23, 2026 carried the introduction of Ordinance 2026-15, which remains under consideration. It would move renewals to a three-year cycle.^[9]

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]