Do I need a permit for short-term rentals in Dana Point?

**Yes**, you need a Short-Term Rental Permit to legally operate in Dana Point. You need to obtain this annual permit, which costs $535, regardless of which zone your property resides in. There is a hard cap of 115 non-primary permits available in the Coastal Zone.

What is the TOT tax rate in Dana Point?

**10%** is the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) rate that applies to all short-term rentals in Dana Point. You need to collect this tax from your guests and remit it to the city quarterly, regardless of the zone where your rental is located. Check with the city for payment options.

Are short-term rentals allowed in Dana Point?

**Yes**, short-term rentals are allowed in Dana Point, but with certain restrictions. A hard cap of only 115 non-primary permits are available in the Coastal Zone. You must obtain an annual permit and adhere to all local regulations, including remitting the 10% TOT tax quarterly.

How much does an STR permit cost in Dana Point?

**$535** is the annual fee for the Short-Term Rental Permit in Dana Point. You need to obtain this permit before operating a short-term rental, regardless of the zone. This permit, along with a business license, is required to legally rent your property to guests for stays under 30 days.

Can renters host on Airbnb in Dana Point?

**No**, tenants are not allowed to host on Airbnb or other short-term rental platforms in Dana Point. Only property owners are eligible to apply for and obtain the required Short-Term Rental Permit. Renting out a property you do not own is considered an illegal operation and is subject to penalties.

Dana Point

Strict

CaliforniaUpdated Mar 27, 2026

Gold-standard verification1% sourced

Cross-referenced against 3 official sources — municipal codes, planning-department pages, and government registries.

Verified Jan 30, 2026Sources 3

Summary

Plain-english overview

Dana Point regulates short-term rentals under a cap-based system, with a hard limit of 115 non-primary permits in the Coastal Zone. All hosts must obtain an annual permit, a business license, and remit 10% TOT quarterly regardless of zone.

Restriction level

Severity 48

Classification

Strict

Severity

Why this classification

High permit fee: $535
Limited to 1 property per owner
Tenants cannot host
Permit required
Reporting required
No night cap
No primary residence requirement

In plain English

What this means for you

In Dana Point, you can rent out your property for short periods (2-30 days), but you'll need a permit from the city. There are a limited number of permits available, especially in the Coastal Zone. Make sure to follow the city's rules about occupancy, parking, and noise, and collect and pay the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT).

At a glance

Key numbers

Permit requiredYes

Night limitNone

Primary residenceNot required

Total tax rate0.1%

Permit fee$535

Processing timeVaries; Coastal Zone permits may involve waiting lists due to caps

Regulation details

Sourced from official code

Eligibility12 rules

Dana Point prohibits STRs in the following property types: ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units) built after 2020, Affordable housing units, Recreational vehicles.
Dana Point limits hosts to a maximum of 1 STR properties per owner.
Dana Point does NOT allow tenants to host STRs. Only property owners may operate short-term rentals.

Requirements20 rules

Dana Point: Your permit number must be clearly displayed in the first line of your listing description.
Dana Point: You must display your permit/registration number on your listing. Platforms may remove non-compliant listings.
Dana Point STR warning: Platforms like Airbnb do NOT collect or remit TOT for Dana Point; you must file yourself.

Application process11 rules

Dana Point STR permit - Step 4: Inspection. Schedule a fire safety and nuisance prevention inspection with city staff. Time: 1 week.
Dana Point STR permit - Step 1: Zoning Check. Determine if your property is in the Coastal Zone, Town Center, or a Residential zone via the City's online map. Time: 1 day.

Fees & costs1 rule

Dana Point charges a registration fee of $535 (annual).

Taxes2 rules

Dana Point: Platforms like Airbnb do NOT collect or remit TOT for Dana Point; you must file yourself.
Dana Point charges a Transient Occupancy Tax of 10%. This applies to stays under 30 days. Hosts are responsible for collecting and remitting this tax. Note: Airbnb and VRBO do not currently remit for Dana Point; hosts must file quarterly.

Limits & restrictions11 rules

Dana Point, CA: Each person can only register ONE property for short-term rental. You cannot legally operate multiple STRs.
Dana Point occupancy calculation: 2 persons per bedroom plus 2 additional, not to exceed 10 total. Count your bedrooms to determine your max guest limit.
Dana Point limits STRs to a maximum of 10 guests. Formula: 2 persons per bedroom plus 2 additional, not to exceed 10 total

Safety requirements1 rule

Dana Point requires the following safety measures for STRs: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, fire inspection, posted maximum occupancy, posted emergency contact, Interior notice of rules and local contact info, Visible address from the street.

Penalties3 rules

Dana Point enforces the following penalties for STR violations: First offense: $500. Second offense: $1,000. Third offense: $1,500 and revocation. Daily fine: Cumulative per day of violation. Maximum fine: Uncapped based on daily accrual. Permit may be revoked for violations.

Exemptions3 rules

Dana Point exempts the following from STR regulations: long-term rentals (30+ days).
Dana Point: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).
Dana Point, CA: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).

Frequently asked questions

5 answered

Disclaimer

Regulatory information is AI-researched from public city/county codes for educational purposes. Details may be outdated or incomplete. Always verify requirements directly with your city/county planning department before operating a short-term rental.

Researched & verified by Learn STR at GoStudioM

Dana Point

Strict

CaliforniaUpdated Mar 27, 2026

Gold-standard verification1% sourced

Cross-referenced against 3 official sources — municipal codes, planning-department pages, and government registries.

Verified Jan 30, 2026Sources 3

Summary

Plain-english overview

Restriction level

Severity 48

Classification

Strict

Severity

Why this classification

High permit fee: $535
Limited to 1 property per owner
Tenants cannot host
Permit required
Reporting required
No night cap
No primary residence requirement

In plain English

What this means for you

At a glance

Key numbers

Permit requiredYes

Night limitNone

Primary residenceNot required

Total tax rate0.1%

Permit fee$535

Processing timeVaries; Coastal Zone permits may involve waiting lists due to caps

Regulation details

Sourced from official code

Eligibility12 rules

Dana Point prohibits STRs in the following property types: ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units) built after 2020, Affordable housing units, Recreational vehicles.
Dana Point limits hosts to a maximum of 1 STR properties per owner.
Dana Point does NOT allow tenants to host STRs. Only property owners may operate short-term rentals.

Requirements20 rules

Dana Point: Your permit number must be clearly displayed in the first line of your listing description.
Dana Point: You must display your permit/registration number on your listing. Platforms may remove non-compliant listings.
Dana Point STR warning: Platforms like Airbnb do NOT collect or remit TOT for Dana Point; you must file yourself.

Application process11 rules

Dana Point STR permit - Step 4: Inspection. Schedule a fire safety and nuisance prevention inspection with city staff. Time: 1 week.
Dana Point STR permit - Step 1: Zoning Check. Determine if your property is in the Coastal Zone, Town Center, or a Residential zone via the City's online map. Time: 1 day.

Fees & costs1 rule

Dana Point charges a registration fee of $535 (annual).

Taxes2 rules

Dana Point: Platforms like Airbnb do NOT collect or remit TOT for Dana Point; you must file yourself.
Dana Point charges a Transient Occupancy Tax of 10%. This applies to stays under 30 days. Hosts are responsible for collecting and remitting this tax. Note: Airbnb and VRBO do not currently remit for Dana Point; hosts must file quarterly.

Limits & restrictions11 rules

Dana Point, CA: Each person can only register ONE property for short-term rental. You cannot legally operate multiple STRs.
Dana Point occupancy calculation: 2 persons per bedroom plus 2 additional, not to exceed 10 total. Count your bedrooms to determine your max guest limit.
Dana Point limits STRs to a maximum of 10 guests. Formula: 2 persons per bedroom plus 2 additional, not to exceed 10 total

Safety requirements1 rule

Dana Point requires the following safety measures for STRs: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, fire inspection, posted maximum occupancy, posted emergency contact, Interior notice of rules and local contact info, Visible address from the street.

Penalties3 rules

Dana Point enforces the following penalties for STR violations: First offense: $500. Second offense: $1,000. Third offense: $1,500 and revocation. Daily fine: Cumulative per day of violation. Maximum fine: Uncapped based on daily accrual. Permit may be revoked for violations.

Exemptions3 rules

Dana Point exempts the following from STR regulations: long-term rentals (30+ days).
Dana Point: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).
Dana Point, CA: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).

Frequently asked questions

5 answered

Disclaimer

Researched & verified by Learn STR at GoStudioM

Summary

Restriction level

Why this classification

In plain English

At a glance

Regulation details

Frequently asked questions

1Do I need a permit for short-term rentals in Dana Point?

2What is the TOT tax rate in Dana Point?

3Are short-term rentals allowed in Dana Point?

4How much does an STR permit cost in Dana Point?

5Can renters host on Airbnb in Dana Point?

Disclaimer

Summary

Restriction level

Why this classification

In plain English

At a glance

Regulation details

Frequently asked questions

1Do I need a permit for short-term rentals in Dana Point?

2What is the TOT tax rate in Dana Point?

3Are short-term rentals allowed in Dana Point?

4How much does an STR permit cost in Dana Point?

5Can renters host on Airbnb in Dana Point?

Disclaimer