Malibu, CA short-term rental permit
Malibu adopted a hosted-rental ordinance on November 23, 2020 that would require an onsite host during each stay. The California Coastal Commission voted to deny the related coastal amendment on August 12, 2022. Those hosted rules cannot take effect until the Commission certifies that amendment.[9]
Every rule below links to the official source it comes from, verified October 1, 2026.
Can you rent short term in Malibu?
Get a permit first
What you apply for: Short-term rental permit (STR Permit)
- Seasonal homes
- 964
- Housing units
- 6,434
- Residents
- 10,421
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates
- City rulePermit required
- City fee$372
- Tax on each stay15%
- Seasonal homes150 per 1,000
Malibu short-term rental permit
Malibu requires a short-term rental permit before a residential property is advertised or operated as a short-term rental. The permit system took effect on January 15, 2021 under Ordinance No. 468. Owners apply online through Host Compliance or by mail, with a $372 check for a mailed application. Proof of ownership is a copy of the Grant Deed. The application needs a wet signature, sent by post or delivered to City Hall. Since January 1, 2023, the owner also needs a valid operating permit for the onsite wastewater treatment system. A compliance agreement with the city can excuse it. A renewal application must reach the city at least 30 days before the permit expires.[4]
What Malibu asks of you
Ordinance No. 468 prohibits renting, advertising or facilitating a short-term rental unless the owner holds a valid short-term rental permit.[5]
The ordinance defines a short-term rental as a stay of thirty consecutive days at most, in a dwelling unit or part of one.[5]
Each legal lot needs its own permit. A condominium unit that is rented needs one too.[5]
Permits are issued for one year under the ordinance, with renewal due annually.[5]
The application form states a Short-Term Rental Permit Fee of $372, effective September 11, 2026. The form calls the fee non-refundable.[6]
Occupancy is two people more than twice the number of bedrooms on city or county records, up to fourteen people. A special event permit lifts that ceiling.[5]
An owner's agent with access to the home must pick up calls from the city or a guest around the clock.[5]
Ordinance No. 468 wants the permit number prominently posted on all advertisements for the property.[5]
Owners give every guest the city's Short-Term Rental Code of Conduct. They also post it inside the main entrance door, or right beside it.[4]
Quiet time starts at 10 PM under the Code of Conduct, then ends at 7 AM the next day.[7]
Events expecting 15 people or more need a Special Event Permit from the city. Guests are asked to park onsite whenever possible.[7]
Unpermitted renting is fined $1,000 per day or violation. When twice the advertised daily rental rate is higher, the fine is that amount instead.[4]
Every other violation of the chapter is fined $500 per day or violation. The advertised daily rate replaces that amount when it is higher.[5]
After a revocation, the property cannot be rented short term for twelve months.[5]
Hosting platforms may not complete a booking for a home missing from the city's registry of permitted rentals.[5]
Ordinance No. 468 carries no primary residence rule. The council had staff remove that requirement before adopting it.[5]
Ordinance No. 472, the Hosted STR Ordinance, adds an onsite host, primary residency requirements and multifamily restrictions. It is not in force.[9]
On January 9, 2023, the City Council set up a Short-Term Rental Ad Hoc Committee to bring back a recommendation. The city's page shows no later update.[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]
What a guest pays on top of your nightly rate in Malibu
Each layer is set by a different authority, and not all of them are collected by the platform.
| Layer | Rate | Remitted to |
|---|---|---|
| Malibu transient occupancy tax[8] | 15% | The city |
| Total on a taxable stay | 15% |
The city says Airbnb has collected the tax for its hosts since April 2015. Owners who rent through any other service collect it themselves. They file the required tax returns with the city for those stays.[8]
Airbnb taxes for hostsWhat the census counts
How much of Malibu is already a second home
The Census Bureau counts 964 of Malibu's 6,434 homes as vacant for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. That is 150 out of every 1,000. It ranks Malibu 13th of the 37 California cities on this site for the share of its housing stock kept for part-year use.
- Rank in the state
- 13th of 37
- Share of housing
- 150 per 1,000
- Median home value
- $2,000,001
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates, tables B25004, B25001, B01003 and B25077.
Nearby and comparable
Where Malibu sits among its neighbors
Los Angeles, CA
Primary residence only
With a Home-Sharing registration, for up to 120 days a year unless you hold Extended Home-Sharing.
Los Angeles short-term rental rulesAvalon, CA
License required
511 seasonal homes, 254 per 1,000 housing units.
Avalon short-term rental rulesWest Hollywood, CA
License required
465 seasonal homes, 18 per 1,000 housing units.
West Hollywood short-term rental rulesLaguna Beach, CA
Allowed by zone
1,842 seasonal homes, 136 per 1,000 housing units.
Laguna Beach short-term rental rulesFAQ
Malibu short-term rental questions
How much is a Malibu short-term rental permit?
Do I have to live in my Malibu rental to get a permit?
What is the tax on a short-term rental stay in Malibu?
Can I get a Malibu permit for a home on a septic system?
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 Rental Program, City of Malibu, read on October 1, 2026
- Ordinance No. 468, Short-Term Rental Enforcement Ordinance (adopted September 29, 2020), City of Malibu, read on October 1, 2026
- Short-Term Rental Permit Application/Attestation, revised September 11, 2026, City of Malibu, read on October 1, 2026
- Short-Term Rental Code of Conduct, City of Malibu, read on October 1, 2026
- Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) - Residential, City of Malibu, read on October 1, 2026
- Short-Term Rental Ordinances in Progress (updated January 19, 2023), City of Malibu, 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 profit calculator
Nightly rate, occupancy, Airbnb fee, management, mortgage, taxes and depreciation. You get cash flow, cash-on-cash return and what is left after the IRS.
Airbnb house rules
Generate a complete PDF house rules document for your property: rules, schedule, amenities, emergency contacts.