County jurisdiction · checked 2026-09-13
Can you BnB it in unincorporated Humboldt County?
RestrictedUnincorporated Humboldt County allows short term rentals in districts where residential use is permitted, but an Administrative Permit is required and the number of permits is capped at two percent of housing stock in the Greater Humboldt Bay Area and five percent elsewhere, with Shelter Cove exempt. A permit does not pass to a buyer, since short term rental permits shall not be transferred between property owners, and every permit lapses two years after issuance unless the owner files a statement of continued operation with proof of no violations and tax clearance.
The rules, with their sources
Permit or licenseA permit or license is required before operating.L160.05.6 · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Hosted onlyThe code does not limit rentals to hosted stays.L1Humboldt County Code Sec. 314-60.05 (inland) and Sec. 313-61.05 (coastal). Inland history: Ord. 2472, Sec. 1, 2/14/2012; Ord. 2732, Sec. 2, 3/5/2024; Ord. 2756, Sec. 2, 3/11/2025. Coastal history: Ord. 2733, 3/5/2024; Ord. 2757, 3/11/2025. · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Primary residenceThe code does not require the rental to be the operator's primary residence.L1Humboldt County Code Sec. 314-60.05 (inland) and Sec. 313-61.05 (coastal). Inland history: Ord. 2472, Sec. 1, 2/14/2012; Ord. 2732, Sec. 2, 3/5/2024; Ord. 2756, Sec. 2, 3/11/2025. Coastal history: Ord. 2733, 3/5/2024; Ord. 2757, 3/11/2025. · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Caps and limitsCaps are percentages of housing stock, not fixed counts. Not more than two percent of the overall housing stock may be permitted as short term rentals in the Greater Humboldt Bay Area Short-Term Rental Cap Area, which is made up of the Trinidad Westhaven, McKinleyville, Fieldbrook Glendale, Blue Lake, Arcata, Jacoby Creek, Freshwater, Eureka, Fortuna, Hydesville Carlotta and Rio Dell Scotia Community Plan Areas; not more than two percent of housing stock within each individual Community Plan Area; not more than five percent of overall housing stock outside the Greater Humboldt Bay Area cap area, with the exception of Shelter Cove, which has no limit. The coastal ordinance applies the same two percent figure within each individual Coastal Area Plan. Farm stays and historically listed properties are exempt from the caps. Separately, an individual or business shall not own more than three parcels with Short-Term Rental Permits.L160.05.10 · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Transfer when the home sellsShort-Term Rental Permits shall not be transferred between property owners (inland Sec. 314-60.05.10.2.2; coastal Sec. 313-61.05.10.2.2). The codified text contains no family, heir, spouse, trust, or entity exception and no transfer application window, so a buyer must apply for a new permit and is subject to the caps in force at that time. Separately, all Short-Term Rental Permits, including nonconforming approvals, lapse two (2) years after the effective date of the permit unless a Statement of Continued Operation, proof of no violations, and tax clearance are submitted (Sec. 60.05.7). During Board consideration an Alternative 4 that would have made permits transferable was presented but the non transferable language is what appears in the codified section.L160.05.10.2.2 · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Read the code text →
In the county's own words
60.05.6“A short-term rental meeting the requirements herein shall be permitted with an Administrative Permit.” source
60.05.10.2.2“Short-Term Rental Permits shall not be transferred between property owners.” source
60.05.10“Not more than two percent (2%) of the overall housing stock may be permitted as short-term rentals in the Greater Humboldt Bay Area Short-Term Rental Cap Area which is comprised of the following Community Plan Areas: Trinidad-Westhaven Community Plan Area (CPA), McKinleyville CPA, Fieldbrook-Glendale CPA, Blue Lake CPA, Arcata CPA, Jacoby Creek CPA, Freshwater CPA, Eureka CPA, Fortuna CPA, Hydesville-Carlotta CPA and the Rio Dell-Scotia CPA.” source
60.05.10“Not more than five percent (5%) of the overall housing stock outside of the Greater Humboldt Bay Area Short-Term Rental Cap Area may be permitted as short-term rentals with the exception of Shelter Cove which has no limit.” source
Citation: Humboldt County Code Sec. 314-60.05 (inland) and Sec. 313-61.05 (coastal). Inland history: Ord. 2472, Sec. 1, 2/14/2012; Ord. 2732, Sec. 2, 3/5/2024; Ord. 2756, Sec. 2, 3/11/2025. Coastal history: Ord. 2733, 3/5/2024; Ord. 2757, 3/11/2025.
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Verified from the municipal code (level 1), checked on 2026-09-13 by the CanIBnB research desk. Research is AI assisted and human reviewed; the method, the level system, and the re-check schedule are on the How we verify page. If anything here is wrong, report it and it goes in the public corrections log.