Los Angeles County · checked 2026-09-13
Can you BnB it in Santa Monica?
RestrictedSanta Monica bans whole-home vacation rentals citywide and allows only home-sharing, where the host lives on site in their primary residence throughout the stay, with a city permit and business license. The permit cannot be assigned or transferred, so it never passes to a buyer.
The rules, with their sources
Permit or licenseA permit or license is required before operating.L16.20.020(a)(1) · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Hosted onlyOnly hosted rentals are allowed; the host must be present.L1SMMC Ch. 6.20 (Ord. No. 2484CCS § 1, adopted 2015-05-12; last amended Ord. No. 2748CCS § 1, adopted 2023-05-23); TOT Ch. 6.68 (Measure CS, 2022-11-08) · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Primary residenceThe rental must be the operator's primary residence.L1SMMC Ch. 6.20 (Ord. No. 2484CCS § 1, adopted 2015-05-12; last amended Ord. No. 2748CCS § 1, adopted 2023-05-23); TOT Ch. 6.68 (Measure CS, 2022-11-08) · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Caps and limitsNo numeric caps. Vacation rentals (whole unit, host absent) banned citywide; only hosted home-sharing allowed. No host may be the host for more than one home-share (6.20.030(b)).L1SMMC Ch. 6.20 (Ord. No. 2484CCS § 1, adopted 2015-05-12; last amended Ord. No. 2748CCS § 1, adopted 2023-05-23); TOT Ch. 6.68 (Measure CS, 2022-11-08) · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Transfer when the home sellsExplicit: a home-sharing permit may not be assigned or transferred to any other person (6.20.021(f)). No exceptions for family, trusts, or entities. A buyer must make the unit their primary residence and obtain their own permit and business license.L16.20.021(f) · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Read the code text →
In the city's own words
6.20.030(a)“No person shall undertake, maintain, authorize, aid, facilitate or advertise any vacation rental [...] that does not comply with this Chapter” source
6.20.020(a)(1)“Obtains and maintains at all times a City home-sharing permit issued pursuant to this Chapter and a business license” source
6.20.021(f)“A home-sharing permit may not be assigned or transferred to any other person” source
6.20.010(f)“Renting for a period of thirty consecutive days or less, one or more bedrooms in a dwelling unit that is the primary residence of the host, while the host lives on site” source
Citation: SMMC Ch. 6.20 (Ord. No. 2484CCS § 1, adopted 2015-05-12; last amended Ord. No. 2748CCS § 1, adopted 2023-05-23); TOT Ch. 6.68 (Measure CS, 2022-11-08)
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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.