San Mateo County · checked 2026-09-13
Can you BnB it in Redwood City?
RestrictedRedwood City allows short-term rentals only in a host's primary residence, and the host must register with the city before advertising. The registration is personal to the host and ends automatically when the home is sold, so a buyer must obtain a new registration and can rent unhosted for no more than 120 days a year.
The rules, with their sources
Permit or licenseA permit or license is required before operating.L131.3(E)(1) · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Hosted onlyThe code does not limit rentals to hosted stays.L1Redwood City Zoning Code Article 31, section 31.3 Short-Term Rental Use Incidental to a Primary Residence (Ord. No. 1130-371, s 5, 3-26-18; Ord. No. 1130-385, s 3(Exh. A), 9-13-21; Ord. No. 1130-890, s 4(Exh. A), 8-26-24); Article 4, section 4.2(D)(1)(d) · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Primary residenceThe rental must be the operator's primary residence.L131.3(C) · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Night capUnhosted rentals are capped at 120 nights per year.L1Redwood City Zoning Code Article 31, section 31.3 Short-Term Rental Use Incidental to a Primary Residence (Ord. No. 1130-371, s 5, 3-26-18; Ord. No. 1130-385, s 3(Exh. A), 9-13-21; Ord. No. 1130-890, s 4(Exh. A), 8-26-24); Article 4, section 4.2(D)(1)(d) · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Caps and limitsNo citywide numeric cap on registrations. Limits are per property: a maximum of two listings for the same property on the same days, and no more than 120 days per calendar year of unhosted short-term rental (section 31.3(D)). Hosted stays are not capped by day count in the text read.L131.3(D)(3) · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Transfer when the home sellsSection 31.3(E)(5) states that an approved registration is personal to the host and automatically expires when the dwelling unit is sold or transferred. The code text read contains no exception for family, heirs, trusts, or entity reorganizations, and no transfer application window or grace period. A buyer must apply for a new registration in their own name and must be able to show the home is their primary residence.L131.3(E)(5) · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Read the code text →
In the city's own words
31.3(E)(1)“Prior to advertising or making available the primary residence for renting, hosts shall register their primary residence as a short-term rental with the City.” source
31.3(C)“Short-term rental uses shall be permitted in any primary residence except Single Room Occupancy Facilities and Group Homes subject to the requirements of this Section, including compliance with the operating standards, registration, Transient Occupancy Tax payments, and recordkeeping obligations.” source
31.3(E)(5)“An approved registration shall be personal to the host and shall automatically expire upon sale or transfer of the dwelling unit.” source
31.3(D)(3)“A primary residence may be occupied as a short-term rental for no more than one hundred twenty (120) days per calendar year where no host is present.” source
Citation: Redwood City Zoning Code Article 31, section 31.3 Short-Term Rental Use Incidental to a Primary Residence (Ord. No. 1130-371, s 5, 3-26-18; Ord. No. 1130-385, s 3(Exh. A), 9-13-21; Ord. No. 1130-890, s 4(Exh. A), 8-26-24); Article 4, section 4.2(D)(1)(d)
Check a specific address
The checker resolves any California address to its jurisdiction and returns these rules with their verification level. Where a county or city publishes a licensed-rental registry or parcel map (Riverside County, San Diego, Palm Springs, and a growing list), it also runs parcel spacing, permit cap, and registry checks.
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.