San Diego County · checked 2026-09-16
Can you BnB it in Vista?
AllowedAllowed with permit. All rentals of 30 consecutive days or less need a business license, a TOT registration certificate, and a Short-Term Rental Permit before renting or advertising (8.34.050). Hosted and non-hosted categories; no primary residence requirement; owners capped at five STRs per council district; two-night minimum for non-hosted units except in multi-family dwellings; allowed in all zones permitting residential uses; ADUs, trailer coaches, and oversized RVs excluded. Permits are non-transferable: a new owner must file a new application within 14 days of the ownership change. TOT per Ch. 3.24, remitted quarterly per the city page. Ord. 2024-05, adopted May 28, 2024.
The rules, with their sources
Permit or licenseA permit or license is required before operating.L1Ordinance No. 2024-05 (adding VMC Ch. 8.34, Short-Term Rental Permit) · code text · checked 2026-09-16
Hosted onlyThe code does not limit rentals to hosted stays.L1Ordinance No. 2024-05 (adding VMC Ch. 8.34, Short-Term Rental Permit) · code text · checked 2026-09-16
Primary residenceThe code does not require the rental to be the operator's primary residence.L1Ordinance No. 2024-05 (adding VMC Ch. 8.34, Short-Term Rental Permit) · code text · checked 2026-09-16
Caps and limitsNo citywide cap on total permits. Per-owner cap: maximum of five short term rentals per City Council district (8.34.070.R). Non-hosted units have a two consecutive night minimum stay, which does not apply to hosted units or STRs in multi-family residential dwellings (8.34.070.Q).L1Ordinance No. 2024-05 (adding VMC Ch. 8.34, Short-Term Rental Permit) · code text · checked 2026-09-16
Transfer when the home sellsPermits apply only to the person(s) named on the application and are non-transferable; within 14 calendar days of a material change in property ownership or substitution of listed agent(s), a new application with the required fee must be submitted (8.34.060.E). Whole clause read; it contains no exceptions. Related provision: after a revocation, the 12-month ban on operating at the property can lift if the property has been sold and the new owner demonstrates the ownership change occurred in that period (8.34.090.E).L18.34.060.E · code text · checked 2026-09-16
Read the code text →
In the city's own words
8.34.050“Prior to renting or advertising the availability of a short-term rental, the owner or their agent shall obtain: (1) a business license pursuant to Chapter 5.04 of this Code; (2) a transient occupancy registration certificate pursuant to Chapter 3.24 of this Code; and (3) a short-term rental permit pursuant to this chapter.” source
8.34.020“the rental of any legally permitted dwelling unit or any portion of any legally permitted dwelling unit, including detached single-family residences, guesthouses, condominiums, duplexes, townhomes and multiple-family dwellings, for occupancy for dwelling, lodging or sleeping purposes for a period of 30 consecutive calendar days or less” source
8.34.020“a short-term rental where the owner remains and resides onsite or on a property immediately adjacent to the short-term rental property during the short-term rental period (except during daytime and/or working hours)” source
8.34.020“a short-term rental whereby the owner does not remain or reside on-site or on a property immediately adjacent to the short-term rental property during the short-term rental period” source
Citation: Ordinance No. 2024-05 (adding VMC Ch. 8.34, Short-Term Rental Permit)
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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.