San Diego County · checked 2026-09-16
Can you BnB it in Imperial Beach?
RestrictedImperial Beach lists short-term rentals as a permitted use only in its three commercial and mixed-use zones; residential zones do not list the use, and an old allowance in the R-1500 zone expired in 2007. Operators owe the 14 percent transient occupancy tax.
The rules, with their sources
Permit or licenseNo permit is required; the code has no short-term rental permit program.L119.23.010 · code text · checked 2026-09-16
Hosted onlyThe code does not limit rentals to hosted stays.L1IBMC 19.04.692 (definition), 19.23.010 (use regulations), 19.02.060A, 19.17.020C (Ord. 94-884; Ord. 97-917; Ord. 2002-983; Ord. 2003-1013); Chapter 3.24 TOT (Ord. 2001-963; Ord. 2022-1216) · code text · checked 2026-09-16
Primary residenceThe code does not require the rental to be the operator's primary residence.L1IBMC 19.04.692 (definition), 19.23.010 (use regulations), 19.02.060A, 19.17.020C (Ord. 94-884; Ord. 97-917; Ord. 2002-983; Ord. 2003-1013); Chapter 3.24 TOT (Ord. 2001-963; Ord. 2022-1216) · code text · checked 2026-09-16
Transfer when the home sellsCode silent on transfer; there is no STR permit chapter. Where STRs are permitted by right in the C/MU zones, the use continues with the property; TOT registration certificates and business licenses are issued to the operator.L1IBMC 19.04.692 (definition), 19.23.010 (use regulations), 19.02.060A, 19.17.020C (Ord. 94-884; Ord. 97-917; Ord. 2002-983; Ord. 2003-1013); Chapter 3.24 TOT (Ord. 2001-963; Ord. 2022-1216) · code text · checked 2026-09-16
Read the code text →
In the city's own words
19.04.692“Short-term rental means the renting, leasing or letting of residential property for transient lodging, where the term of occupancy, possession or tenancy is less than thirty consecutive calendar days.” source
19.23.010“Short-term rental | P | P | P | See definition.” source
19.02.060A“No building or part thereof or other structure shall be erected, altered, reconstructed, moved in, added to or enlarged, nor shall any land, building, structure or premises be used, designated or intended to be used for any purpose or in any manner other than as permitted in the zone” source
19.17.020C“Short-term rentals to which all of the following apply are permitted in the R-1500 zone until January 1, 2007” source
Citation: IBMC 19.04.692 (definition), 19.23.010 (use regulations), 19.02.060A, 19.17.020C (Ord. 94-884; Ord. 97-917; Ord. 2002-983; Ord. 2003-1013); Chapter 3.24 TOT (Ord. 2001-963; Ord. 2022-1216)
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How this page was verified
Verified from the municipal code (level 1), checked on 2026-09-16 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.