Vacation Rental and Short-Term Rental Permits

The City has developed the online application portal as a way to streamline the application process, reduce paper waste, and provide an expedited way for processing your application. 

Effective November 7, 2023, new Short-Term Rental licenses in the City are not being issued per Ordinance (O-2023-006). Vacation rentals can be permitted in certain zoning districts. See below for more information.

Getting Started

  • Login/Create Account - If you have not used the Online Portal system before, you will need to register as a New User. Save your information, as you will need to access your account during this application process.
  • Required Documents - Have all documents prepared prior to starting the application process. See list and examples below.
  • Submit Planning Application - The Project Type: Vacation Rental. Enter the property address. If the property owner information is not up-to-date, staff can update on the back end. Complete the fillable application and upload required documents where applicable. Click on "Save For Later" if you need to come back to your application at a later time.
  • Payment of Fees - An application is not deemed submitted until payment of fees is received. Fees may be paid through the online portal with a credit card or e-check. Processing fees apply.
  • Application Review - Staff will review the application and required documents for completeness. Staff may reach out to the applicant for clarifications or other comments. The timeline on the review process can vary depending on the completeness of the documents and response times from the applicant.
  • Inspection - A rental inspection is required as part of the application process. Please review the checklist and be sure the property is in compliance prior to the inspection. Code Compliance staff will contact and schedule the inspection with either the Applicant or Responsible Party.
  • Permit Issuance - Once the application and inspection process is complete, staff will send the Vacation Rental Permit through Docusign for all involved parties to review and digitally sign. All signatures must be completed within a timely manner to deem the permit "Issued."

Required Documents

Contact Information

Property Address, Property Owner and Responsible Party. The Responsible Party must be located within 25 miles of the rental property and P.O. boxes are not a verifiable location.

Site Plan

Vacation Rental Site Plan Example

Detailed aerial photo of the site plan (see example) to include:

  • Parking Locations

  • Unit location (if in a multi-unit property)

  • Trash Enclosure location





Floor Plans

Detailed floor plans with dimensions. Can be hand drawn. Does not require to be drawn by a professional.

Photos

Photos showing all interior bedrooms and all parking locations. Two on-site parking spots are required.

Proposed Notices

Proposed Notices - To be posted inside the rental.

Written (Mailed) Notification

300 Foot Radius Example

Proof of Written Notification to all Property Owners and Residents within 300' feet (Vacation Rental) or 500' feet (Short-Term Rental) of rental. Proof will consist of the entire list of legible addresses, both in city and out of town/state. The radius map used to create the address list. (See example)
Contact a Title Report Company to obtain the radius map and list of addresses.

Consent of Landowner

Consent of Landowner Form - To be completed if Property Management Company is applying on behalf of the Property Owner.

Affidavit

Signed Affidavit - Applies to Short-Term Rentals only.

Inspection Checklist

Please review the checklist prior to the rental inspection appointment.

Zoning Verification

Vacation Rentals are allowed in the C-1, RR, and R-4 zones. Verify the zoning use of your property in the Interactive Land Use and Zoning map.


Payment of Application Fees

Fees may be made through the online portal. After the application has been submitted, click on View My Requests, select permit number, then Make A Payment.

  • Vacation Rental Permit: $781.24, plus 5% digital archiving fee of $39.06 for a total of $820.30.
  • Short-Term Rental renewal: $781.24, plus $121.46 noticing fee, plus 5% digital archiving fee of $45.14 for a total of $947.84.

What's the difference between a Vacation Rental and Short-Term Rental?

Vacation Rentals (VR) are rentals permitted within C-1, RR, or R-4 zone districts located in the downtown core and which do not require the owner to live in the rental.

Short-Term Rentals (STR) are rentals for less than 30 consecutive days permitted primarily in residential zones and are limited to only those addresses shown on this webpage. Chapters 17.09, 17.113, and 5.22 of the Pismo Beach Municipal Code (PBMC) provide a set of standards regulating the renting or leasing of residential properties. Ordinance No. O-2023-006 adopted by the City Council in November 2023 establishes regulations to ensure that Vacation Rentals, Short-Term Rentals, and Homestays do not become a nuisance to the community and that negative impacts are minimized. These regulations require application approval by the Planning Division prior to issuance of a business license.

All owners of both vacation rentals and short-term rental units are required to obtain a business license and Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Certificate from the Finance Department for the operation of a VR or STR. Hosting platforms such as Airbnb, and VRBO must follow the VR/STR Ordinance. Business license/TOT applications are accepted online here.

Vacation Rental and Short-Term Rental Resources

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