Short-term rentals in National City, explained properly.

The definition covers detached single-family residences, guesthouses, condominiums, duplexes, townhomes and multiple-family dwellings. It excludes accessory dwelling units permitted under Chapter 18.30.380, junior accessory dwelling units permitted under Chapter 18.30.390 and recreational vehicles as defined in Chapter 18.60.

Section 6.30.040(A) sets this at the time of applying. The chapter defines Primary Residence as a person's permanent residence or usual place of return, documented by at least two of: motor vehicle registration, driver's license, voter registration, tax documents showing the unit as the person's residence, or a utility bill. A person may have only one Primary Residence and must live there at least 275 days during the calendar year. For properties with two or more existing legally permitted dwelling units (for example a duplex), the term applies to each unit that meets the criteria. Accessory dwelling units or junior accessory dwelling units with a construction permit applied for before January 1, 2020, and other accessory habitable structures on the property that don't meet the criteria, count as part of the primary single-family residence.

Section 6.30.040(B) and (C) apply at the time of applying. The definition in Sec. 6.30.020 separately excludes any accessory dwelling unit permitted under Chapter 18.30.380 and any junior accessory dwelling unit permitted under Chapter 18.30.390 from the term short-term rental, while Sec. 6.30.040(B) ties the bar to an ADU or JADU for which a construction permit was applied for on January 1, 2020 or later, and the Primary Residence definition treats ADUs and JADUs permitted before 2020 as part of the primary single-family residence. Confirm with the City how an older ADU or JADU is treated.

Section 6.30.040(D) says a long-term tenant (greater than thirty days) shall not operate a short-term rental without the owner's prior written approval, provided to the City at the time of application. An owner may prohibit short-term rental subletting by tenants at any or all of their properties by written notice to the community development department. Subletting of a short-term rental is separately prohibited (see the subletting rule).

Section 6.30.040(F). The chapter's cap of 180 units citywide also applies (see the cap rule). The excerpt uses the term Nonprimary Residence without defining it in Sec. 6.30.020.

Section 6.30.040(E) bars an applicant who was subject to a short-term rental permit revocation during the previous twenty-four-month period. Section 6.30.100(E) says that after a revocation no short-term rental may operate at the property for 12 months from the revocation date, unless the property has been sold and the new owner can show the City that a change of ownership occurred in that period.

Section 6.30.070(B). A permit may also be denied or suspended while a felony prosecution tied to the property is pending, and it is revoked on a final determination that a felony violation relating to the use or occupancy of the property occurred (Sec. 6.30.100).

Section 6.30.080(BB). The text doesn't define no-fault eviction.

Section 6.30.080(S) and (T). A hosted unit is one where the owner remains and resides on site, or on an immediately adjacent property, during the rental, except during daytime or working hours.

Section 6.30.080(U).

Section 6.30.070(E) says the City grants or renews a permit if the application meets the requirements of the section and there are no grounds for denial. The owner or agent must also file the written agent authorization with each permit and renewal application (Sec. 6.30.050). The chapter's cross-references to the grounds for denial point to Sec. 6.30.090, while the grounds for denial, suspension and revocation are set out in Sec. 6.30.100.

Section 6.30.070(F). Section 6.30.080(Z) refers to the approval of a transfer application when it sets the good neighbor letter duty, and Sec. 6.30.100(E) lets a new owner show a change of ownership after a revocation, so how a buyer's new application is handled isn't fully shown in the chapter. Confirm with the City before relying on a purchase.

Section 6.30.070(D) says the fee is paid with initial and renewal applications. The fee resolution and the business license and transient occupancy registration fees haven't been reviewed, so confirm current amounts with the City.

Section 6.30.070(A) also asks for written authorization of any agent and other standardized information the city manager considers reasonably necessary. All owners listed on the deed must sign (Sec. 6.30.070(C)). The fire-safety self-certification is subject to review and approval by the city's fire marshal. False statements are grounds for denial or, after issue, revocation or penalties, and by accepting the permit the permittee agrees to defend and indemnify the City (Sec. 6.30.070(H), (I)).

Section 6.30.080(D). Guests of the occupants may visit only between 10:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. (Sec. 6.30.080(Q)). The maximum number of occupants must appear in every advertisement and in the posted notices. Gatherings that exceed the number on the permit count as an unruly gathering (Sec. 6.30.080(B)).

Section 6.30.080(E) and (F). All designated on-site spaces must be available to occupants, vehicles may not block sidewalks, neighboring properties or driveways or park in fire lanes, and parking of motor vehicles, trailers and recreational vehicles must comply with Sec. 7.20.140. Trash may be left in public view only from sunset the day before pickup until midnight on pickup day, and must comply with Chapter 7.10 and Sec. 7.14.100. The rental agreement must state the permitted occupancy, parking capacity and trash disposal rules.

Section 6.30.080(N), (O) and (P). Short-term rentals are for residential purposes only.

Section 6.30.080(AA) says it is not a violation merely to be outdoors during quiet time if no conduct disturbs the neighborhood. Other outdoor conduct that disturbs the peace in those hours is a minor violation. The permittee must post quiet-time signs near all doors leading outside, in a form acceptable to the Director of Community Development. Noise violations identified in Title 12 are separately prohibited (Sec. 6.30.080(C)).

Section 6.30.080(R). Advertising without a valid and current permit is unlawful.

The Local Contact Person may be the owner or an agent (Sec. 6.30.020). The responsible person must respond to a notice of a violation as soon as practically possible and within one hour at the latest, and prevent a recurrence (Sec. 6.30.080(X)); failure to respond may lead to enforcement. A City inspection may follow any complaint.

Section 6.30.080(V), (W), (Y) and (Z). The letter goes to owners and occupants on all sides of and directly across the street from the rental. Within 30 days the permittee certifies under penalty of perjury that the mailing or delivery was done, and any change to the contact information requires an updated letter within one week.

Section 6.30.080(H) to (K). Grills and barbeques may not be under a flammable source (trees, umbrellas, decks) and must be at least ten feet from structures and flammable materials. The prohibition on roof access doesn't include permitted roof decks. The property must meet life/safety requirements under the California Health & Safety Code and the City's building and fire codes. The City may inspect in response to any complaint, regardless of the time of day (Sec. 6.30.080(L)).

Section 6.30.080(M). Tenants who want to run a short-term rental need the owner's written approval at application (see the tenant approval rule).

Section 6.30.090(C) applies notwithstanding Sec. 1.44.050. A person who violates the chapter is also subject to enforcement under Chapter 1.44 and any other enforcement mechanism the City has, including revocation of the permit. A short-term rental operating in violation is declared a public nuisance that may be abated or enjoined under Section 1.36.

Section 6.30.100. Grounds for denial or suspension are: an application that doesn't meet Sec. 6.30.060; a material misrepresentation or false or misleading information on the application; an outstanding health or safety citation; a felony citation with prosecution pending; and a delinquency in fees, assessments or taxes owed to the City for the property, including transient occupancy tax. A denial, suspension or revocation is made by the city manager or designee in writing and can be appealed under Sec. 6.04.160. After a revocation, no short-term rental may operate at the property for 12 months unless it is sold to a new owner who shows the change of ownership. The cross-references in Sec. 6.30.070 point to Sec. 6.30.090 for these grounds, but they appear in Sec. 6.30.100.

California Revenue and Taxation Code section 7280 lets the legislative body of any city, county, or city and county levy a tax on the privilege of occupying a room or other living space in a hotel, inn, tourist home or house, motel or other lodging, unless the stay is longer than 30 days. A county's tax applies only in its unincorporated areas. The rate, registration and filing rules are set by each city or county, so the local tax is shown in the city's own section of this page.

Government Code sections 50990 to 50996 (Senate Bill 346, 2025) apply only in a city or county that adopts an ordinance making them apply. Where they apply, a booking platform must, on the local agency's request, report the physical address with nine-digit ZIP code of each short-term rental it facilitated (no more often than every 3 months, or monthly if the local tax is remitted monthly), and must include in each listing any applicable local license number and any transient occupancy tax certification issued by the local agency. The local agency may fine a platform that does not report. The act does not stop a city or county from regulating short-term rentals, platforms or tax collection in other ways.

Government Code section 66333(g) requires a city's junior accessory dwelling unit ordinance to require that a rental of a junior ADU be for a term longer than 30 days (as amended by Assembly Bill 1154, in force January 1, 2026). Section 66323(e) requires a city to require that a rental of an ADU created under that section (the ministerial, by-right approvals) be for a term longer than 30 days. For other ADUs on a lot with a single-family home, section 66315 bars standards beyond section 66314, including owner occupancy, except that a city may require that the property be used for rentals of terms 30 days or longer. Cities can be stricter in their own codes; see the city section.

Civil Code section 4741 says an owner in a common interest development is not subject to a governing-document provision that prohibits, has the effect of prohibiting, or unreasonably restricts renting or leasing a separate interest, ADU or junior ADU, and an association may not cap rentals below 25 percent of the separate interests. The same section says it does not prohibit an association from adopting and enforcing a provision that prohibits transient or short-term rental of a separate property interest for 30 days or less. Check your association's governing documents.

Civil Code section 1940 applies the chapter on hiring of real property (Civil Code sections 1940 to 1954.071) to tenants, lessees, boarders, lodgers and others who hire dwelling units, but excludes a person in transient occupancy in a hotel, motel, residence club or other facility when the stay is or would be subject to a transient occupancy tax under Revenue and Taxation Code section 7280 (stays of 30 days or less). Stays longer than that are not covered by this exclusion.