Understanding Short-Term Rental Regulations in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is one of the biggest cities in the United States of America, and is a popular city for short-term rentals with over 40,000 Airbnb listings. The city’s home sharing ordinance was revised in 2018, with the new legislation put into effect on July 1st 2019. Below is a comprehensive guide to Los Angeles’ home sharing ordinance and short-term regulation so that anyone can host responsibly using platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com. 

Summary of Los Angeles’ Short-Term Rental Regulations

• Hosts must register for a Home-sharing permit for a yearly $89 fee.
• Hosts can only register one property with the city at a time.
• Hosts can only register their primary residence (where they reside at least six months of the year).
• Hosts are limited to a 120-day cap per year, and can sign up for “extended home sharing” if they would like to host beyond the 120-day cap. 
• Hosts must display a valid home-sharing registration number on all listings. 
• Rent-stabilised units cannot be used for home sharing, even if the host is the owner of the unit or property.
• Hosts currently operating short-term rentals have until October 31st, 2019 to register.

Home Sharing Regulations in Los Angeles

In December of 2018 the city of Los Angeles adopted the Home-Sharing Ordinance (CF 14-1635-S2) which outlines a clear set of regulations and requirements for short-term rental hosts. This set of regulations requires that hosts register for a home sharing permit with the city of Los Angeles, which costs a yearly fee of $89. In order to complete the application, hosts will need to provide a state-issued photo ID that shows their name, date of birth, and address of the rental unit, along with proof of primary residency such as a vehicle registration certificate with the name and home address.

Hosts can only register and operate one home-sharing unit at a time in the city which must be their primary residence, and temporary structures like tents, vehicles, storage sheds, trailers, or yurts are not eligible for registration. Rentors must have prior written approval from their landlord in order to register for a home sharing permit. Hosts must also preserve records regarding each home-sharing stay, including the length of stay for each booking, for a minimum period of three years. 

Once registered, a property is limited to hosting guests for up to 120 days a year, with hosts able to apply for extended home sharing in order to go beyond this limit. A property’s home-sharing registration number must be displayed on all listings, and hosts are responsible for providing a code of conduct to all guests with rules about amplified sound and evening outdoor congregations. Amplified sound is not permitted after 10 pm and evening outdoor congregations of more than eight people (excluding children) are not permitted, with hosts responsible for any nuisance violations even if committed by guests. Rent-stabilised units are not eligible for home sharing, even if the aspiring host is the owner of the unit.  

Extended Home Sharing in Los Angeles

With a home-sharing permit, hosts can short-term rent their home for up to 120 days a year, but can sign up for extended home sharing if they would like to host beyond the yearly limit. Hosts can apply for extended home sharing through the Los Angeles Home-Sharing system. 

To be eligible for extended home sharing, a host must:

• Have registered their home for at least six months or have evidence of at least 60 days of registered hosting. 
• Have no suspensions or revocations in the past two years.
• Have no more than one citation in the past three years.
• Provide proof of mailing a notification of their application for extended home sharing, along with information about the complaint process and complaints hotline to adjacent and abutting owners and occupants. 
• Pay an $850 fee for review of extending a home sharing application.

For hosts who have had more than one citation in the past three years, they can apply for further discretionary review of their application for a fee of $5,660. While the city of Los Angeles has not yet shared the link for discretionary review forms online, the form must be submitted in person at the Home-Sharing Unit at the Development Services Centre on the 5th floor at 201 N. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. 

We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the regulations discussed in this article. Regulations often change on a regular basis, and we advise you to research the current regulations for your location. While we do our best to keep the information updated, if you find an error, omission, or something that needs an update, please let us know.

Helpful Links related to Short-Term Rentals in Los Angeles

While this article covers the regulation and requirements for home-sharing and short-term rentals in Los Angeles, you might have further questions. It’s suggested you read this document which provides some background and answers to frequently asked questions regarding Los Angeles’ home-sharing ordinance. We’ve also compiled a list of helpful links which contain additional information. 

City of Los Angeles – Complete Home-Sharing Administrative Guidelines: https://planning.lacity.org/ordinances/docs/HomeSharing/adopted/AdminGuidelines.pdf

City of Los Angeles – Home Sharing Ordinance Webpage: https://planning.lacity.org/homesharingordinance

City of Los Angeles – Home-Sharing Ordinance Background and FAQs: https://planning.lacity.org/ordinances/docs/HomeSharing/adopted/FAQ.pdf 

City of Los Angeles – Home-Sharing Email Updates: https://lp.constantcontact.com/su/uwE9MAI 

City of Los Angeles – Home-Sharing Requirements: https://planning.lacity.org/HomeSharing/requirements.html 

City of Los Angeles – Home-Sharing Registration Criteria: https://planning.lacity.org/HomeSharing/criteriaChecklist.html 

City of Los Angeles – Landlord’s Authorization to Conduct Home-Sharing: https://planning.lacity.org/HomeSharing/files/affidavit_landlordauth.pdf 

Airbnb – Hosting Responsibly in Los Angeles: https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/864/los-angeles-ca 

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