County jurisdiction · checked 2026-09-13
Can you BnB it in unincorporated San Mateo County?
RestrictedUnincorporated San Mateo County allows short-term rentals only in the Coastal Zone, on parcels zoned R-1 or R-3, and only with a county short-term rental permit. The permit lasts three years and expires automatically when the holder no longer owns or leases the home, so a buyer must apply for a new one, and each rental is limited to 180 nights a year.
The rules, with their sources
Permit or licenseA permit or license is required before operating.L16401.3 · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Hosted onlyThe code does not limit rentals to hosted stays.L1San Mateo County Ordinance Code Sections 6161(m), 6181(f) and 6401.3, added by Ordinance No. 4777, adopted June 6, 2017; transient occupancy tax at Chapter 5.136 · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Primary residenceThe code does not require the rental to be the operator's primary residence.L1San Mateo County Ordinance Code Sections 6161(m), 6181(f) and 6401.3, added by Ordinance No. 4777, adopted June 6, 2017; transient occupancy tax at Chapter 5.136 · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Night capUnhosted rentals are capped at 180 nights per year.L1San Mateo County Ordinance Code Sections 6161(m), 6181(f) and 6401.3, added by Ordinance No. 4777, adopted June 6, 2017; transient occupancy tax at Chapter 5.136 · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Caps and limitsNo cap on the number of permits appears in Ordinance No. 4777. The 180 night per calendar year limit in Section 6401.3 applies to every short-term rental, not only unhosted ones; the ordinance does not distinguish hosted from unhosted operation. Permits are available only in the unincorporated Coastal Zone.L16401.3 · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Transfer when the home sellsSection 6401.3(e) provides that a short-term rental permit shall automatically expire three years after the date of issuance, or when the permit holder no longer has legal ownership or a leasehold of the short-term rental, whichever occurs first. The ordinance states no exception for family members, heirs, spouses, trusts, or entity or LLC membership changes, and no transfer application window or grace period. A buyer must apply for a new permit in their own name.L16401.3(e) · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Read the code text →
In the county's own words
6401.3“Each short-term rental requires a valid short-term rental permit as set forth in, and subject to, the requirements of this Section.” source
6401.3“'Short-term rental' means a single-family dwelling unit or multifamily unit, or portion(s) thereof, rented for the purpose of overnight lodging for a period of less than thirty (30) consecutive days other than (a) ongoing month-to-month tenancy granted to the same renter for the same unit or (b) a house exchange for which there is no rental payment.” source
6401.3“A short-term rental cannot be rented for more than one hundred eighty (180) nights per calendar year.” source
6401.3(e)“Expiration. A short-term rental permit shall automatically expire three (3) years after the date of issuance, or when the permit holder no longer has legal ownership or a leasehold of the short-term rental, whichever occurs first.” source
Citation: San Mateo County Ordinance Code Sections 6161(m), 6181(f) and 6401.3, added by Ordinance No. 4777, adopted June 6, 2017; transient occupancy tax at Chapter 5.136
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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.