Morro Bay, California

When deciding whether to become an Airbnb Host, it is important for you to understand the laws in your city. We recommend that you do your own research as this article isn’t fully comprehensive and, as a platform and online marketplace, we do not provide legal or tax advice. Nonetheless, we want to provide resources that may help you better understand the laws and regulations in Morro Bay. This list is not exhaustive, but it may give you a good start in understanding your local laws. If you have questions, you can contact the Morro Bay Licensing Department directly at Morrobay@hdlgov.com, by calling (805) 339-2649, or consult a local lawyer or tax professional.

Airbnb doesn’t update this article in real time and isn’t responsible for the reliability or correctness of the information contained in any links to third party sites. Please check each source and make sure that the information provided hasn’t recently changed.

Short-term rental regulations

The City of Morro Bay allows short-term rentals (rented for 30 days to less) to operate with a rental permit, as mentioned in section 17.41.010 of the Municipal Code.

This permit needs to be renewed every 12 months, and the city requires that you include your permit number in your listing. The application requires an inspection upon original application and re-inspection every 4 years afterwards.

Short-term vacation rentals are permitted in residential, mixed use, and commercial zones only. Full-home short-term vacation rentals in residential zones shall be subject to the density limitations outlined in the regulation.

Additional information

Payment

The total cost for a short term rental fee starts at $600 and you can begin the application by submitting your application here.

Renewals

You’ll need to renew your license annually. Licenses expire 12 months from the date they are issued.

Taxes

Please refer to the city's tax collection page found here.

Other contracts and rules

It's also important to understand and abide by other contracts or rules that bind you, such as leases, condo board or co-op rules, HOA rules, or rules established by tenant organizations. Please read your lease agreement and check with your landlord if applicable.

You must also provide guests with the Good Neighbor Brochure, the name and number of the local contact person where problems can be reported, the city's hotline number, and the short-term vacation rental's house rules.