Merced County · checked 2026-09-13
Can you BnB it in Merced?
No STR ordinanceThe City of Merced has no short-term rental ordinance, so the code neither permits nor prohibits renting a home for fewer than 30 days. A host would still owe the city transient occupancy tax of ten percent on stays of thirty consecutive days or less.
The rules, with their sources
Permit or licenseNo permit is required; the code has no short-term rental permit program.L1No short-term rental ordinance. Transient occupancy tax chapter 3.08, sections 3.08.020 and 3.08.030. Bed and breakfast use standards at 20.44.030. Code current through Ord. No. 2589, March 2, 2026. · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Hosted onlyThe code does not limit rentals to hosted stays.L1No short-term rental ordinance. Transient occupancy tax chapter 3.08, sections 3.08.020 and 3.08.030. Bed and breakfast use standards at 20.44.030. Code current through Ord. No. 2589, March 2, 2026. · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Primary residenceThe code does not require the rental to be the operator's primary residence.L1No short-term rental ordinance. Transient occupancy tax chapter 3.08, sections 3.08.020 and 3.08.030. Bed and breakfast use standards at 20.44.030. Code current through Ord. No. 2589, March 2, 2026. · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Transfer when the home sellsNot applicable as written. The code creates no short-term rental permit or license, so nothing transfers on sale. Code silent on transfer. A bed and breakfast, which is a different use, is regulated under section 20.44.030 and would carry its own entitlement.L1No short-term rental ordinance. Transient occupancy tax chapter 3.08, sections 3.08.020 and 3.08.030. Bed and breakfast use standards at 20.44.030. Code current through Ord. No. 2589, March 2, 2026. · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Read the code text →
In the city's own words
3.08.020(F)“Transient means any person who exercises occupancy or is entitled to occupancy by reason of concession, permit, right of access, license or other agreement for a period of thirty (30) consecutive calendar days or less.” source
3.08.030“a tax in the amount of ten percent (10%) of the rent charged by the operator” source
Citation: No short-term rental ordinance. Transient occupancy tax chapter 3.08, sections 3.08.020 and 3.08.030. Bed and breakfast use standards at 20.44.030. Code current through Ord. No. 2589, March 2, 2026.
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How this page was verified
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.