Sonoma County · checked 2026-09-16
Can you BnB it in Petaluma?
RestrictedPetaluma allows short-term vacation rentals only in residential, planned unit development, and mixed use districts with a city permit, business license, and transient occupancy tax registration. Hosted rentals may furnish at most two bedrooms, and whole-home non-hosted rentals are limited to 90 days per calendar year.
The rules, with their sources
Permit or licenseA permit or license is required before operating.L17.110.B · code text · checked 2026-09-16
Hosted onlyThe code does not limit rentals to hosted stays.L1IZO section 7.110; Ord. 2811 section 4, 2022; Ord. 2785 section 2, 2021; Ord. 2690 section 3, 2019 · code text · checked 2026-09-16
Primary residenceThe code does not require the rental to be the operator's primary residence.L17.110.D and 7.110.E · code text · checked 2026-09-16
Night capUnhosted rentals are capped at 90 nights per year.L1IZO section 7.110; Ord. 2811 section 4, 2022; Ord. 2785 section 2, 2021; Ord. 2690 section 3, 2019 · code text · checked 2026-09-16
Caps and limitsNo citywide numeric permit cap. Hosted rentals: no more than two bedrooms in the dwelling may be furnished for compensation (7.110.D.1.a). Non-hosted rentals: the dwelling may be furnished for compensation no more than 90 days per calendar year (7.110.E.2). Accessory dwelling units permitted after September 7, 2017 may not be short-term vacation rentals (7.110.C.6).L17.110.E.2 · code text · checked 2026-09-16
Transfer when the home sellsCode silent on transfer. Section 7.110 was read in full via the live code publisher and contains no sentence about transfer, sale of the property, or the permit being personal, though hosted rentals are defined by the permittee occupying the property with guests, which ties the hosted category to the permittee. Practical implication: a buyer should assume a new permit application is needed; confirm with the Planning Division.L1IZO section 7.110; Ord. 2811 section 4, 2022; Ord. 2785 section 2, 2021; Ord. 2690 section 3, 2019 · code text · checked 2026-09-16
Read the code text →
In the city's own words
7.110.B“Short-term vacation rentals are a permitted use only in residential, planned unit development, and mixed use zoning districts and only pursuant to a valid Short-Term Vacation Rental Permit issued in accordance with this section by the Planning Director or designee of the Planning Director.” source
7.110.E.2“The dwelling as a non-hosted vacation rental may be furnished for compensation for no more than 90 days during any calendar year.” source
7.110.D.1.a“No more than two bedrooms in the dwelling may be furnished for compensation.” source
7.110.D and 7.110.E“A Short-Term Vacation Rental in which the permittee occupies the property with the guests” source
Citation: IZO section 7.110; Ord. 2811 section 4, 2022; Ord. 2785 section 2, 2021; Ord. 2690 section 3, 2019
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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.