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  1. Home
  2. ·
  3. Regulations
  4. ·
  5. California
  6. ·
  7. Long Beach

Long Beach

Strict
CaliforniaUpdated Apr 8, 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

The City of Long Beach strictly regulates short-term rentals under Chapter 5.64, requiring all hosts to register for an annual permit and prioritize primary residency. Unhosted rentals are capped at 90 days per year, while hosted rentals (where the owner is present) have no annual night limit.

Restriction level

Severity 76
Classification
Strict
76
Severity

Why this classification

  • Primary residence required
  • Moderate night cap: 90 nights/year
  • Standard permit fee: $250
  • Limited to 1 property per owner
  • Permit required
  • Reporting required
  • Tenants can host

In plain English

What this means for you

To host an Airbnb in Long Beach, you must first ensure the home is your primary residence where you live at least 9 months of the year. You are required to pay an annual registration fee ($250 for most hosts) and display your permit number on your listing. If you aren't staying at the house while guests are there, you can only rent it out for a total of 90 days per year. You must also collect 12% in tourist taxes and file a report with the city every month, even if you had no bookings.

At a glance

Key numbers
Permit requiredYes
Night limit90/year
Primary residenceRequired
Total tax rate0.1%
Permit fee$250
Processing time2-4 weeks

7 things hosts often miss

Common compliance gaps
  1. 1Verify you are in the City of Long Beach incorporated limits; unincorporated LA County has different rules.
  2. 2ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units/Granny Flats) built after 2017 cannot be used as STRs.
  3. 3Unhosted rentals (entire home) are capped at exactly 90 days per year.
  4. 4You must file a TOT tax return monthly, even if the platform collects the tax for you.
  5. 5Tenants MUST have a notarized affidavit from their landlord to participate.
  6. 6Only one STR registration is allowed per person citywide.
  7. 7Operating without a permit triggers an automatic 12-month ban on applying for one.

Regulation details

Sourced from official code
Eligibility13 rules
  • Long Beach prohibits STRs in the following property types: ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units) built after 2017, Affordable housing units, Boats/Vessels, RV/Trailers.
  • Long Beach: Properties with affordable housing restrictions or subsidies cannot be used for short-term rentals.
  • Long Beach limits hosts to a maximum of 1 STR properties per owner.
Requirements20 rules
  • Long Beach STR warning: Verify you are in the City of Long Beach incorporated limits; unincorporated LA County has different rules.
  • Long Beach: Tenants CAN host STRs but must get written landlord approval first. Keep documentation.
  • Long Beach STR warning: Tenants MUST have a notarized affidavit from their landlord to participate.
Application process12 rules
  • Long Beach STR permit - Step 1: Verify Eligibility. Ensure the property is your primary residence (where you spend 275+ days/year) and is not an ADU built after 2017. Time: 1 day.
  • Long Beach, CA extended permit requirement: Non-primary residence registration fee is significantly higher ($1,000) than primary residence ($250).
Fees & costs1 rule
  • Long Beach charges a registration fee of $250 (annual). Extended/additional fee: $1000 (Non-primary residence registration fee is significantly higher ($1,000) than primary residence ($250).).
Taxes2 rules
  • Long Beach charges a Transient Occupancy Tax of 12%. This applies to stays under 30 days. Platforms like Airbnb collect and remit this tax. Note: Airbnb and VRBO have Voluntary Collection Agreements; however, hosts must still file monthly reports even if tax is zeroed out.
  • Long Beach: You must file a TOT tax return monthly, even if the platform collects the tax for you.
Limits & restrictions10 rules
  • Long Beach occupancy calculation: 2 guests per bedroom plus 2 additional guests, up to a maximum of 10.. Count your bedrooms to determine your max guest limit.
  • Long Beach limits STRs to 90 nights per year. This applies to unhosted rentals.
  • Long Beach enforces quiet hours: 10:00 PM - 7:00 AM.
  • Long Beach: Unhosted rentals (entire home) are capped at exactly 90 days per year.
Safety requirements1 rule
  • Long Beach requires the following safety measures for STRs: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, posted maximum occupancy, posted emergency contact, Self-certification of safety requirements during application, Visible notice of local quiet hours and parking rules.
Penalties5 rules
  • Long Beach: Operating an STR in a rent-controlled unit can result in permit denial and fines. STRs are prohibited in units subject to the City's Rent Control or Tenant Protection Act if they are non-primary residences.
Exemptions5 rules
  • Long Beach exempts the following from STR regulations: hosted rentals (where host is present), long-term rentals (30+ days).
  • Long Beach, CA: If you are present during the guest's stay (hosted rental), night caps may not apply to you.
  • Long Beach: 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

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