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  1. Home
  2. ·
  3. Regulations
  4. ·
  5. California
  6. ·
  7. Napa County

Napa County

Moderate
CaliforniaUpdated Feb 13, 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

Unincorporated Napa County has some of the strictest STR regulations in California, effectively prohibiting new vacation rentals in the majority of Agricultural and Residential zones. Permitted units are mostly limited to specific commercial zones or legally non-conforming properties that were established before current bans.

Restriction level

Severity 25
Classification
Moderate
25
Severity

Why this classification

  • Limited to 1 property per owner
  • Tenants cannot host
  • No night cap
  • No primary residence requirement

In plain English

What this means for you

If you're looking to rent out your property for short periods in Napa County, be aware that the rules are quite strict. In the unincorporated areas of the county, short-term rentals are generally not allowed. Within the City of Napa, you'll need a permit to rent out your place for less than 31 days, and you typically must live on the property as your primary residence. Also, the number of permits available is limited, so there may be a waitlist.

At a glance

Key numbers
Permit requiredYes
Night limitNone
Primary residenceNot required
Total tax rate0.1%
Permit fee$1,133
Processing time3-6 months

Regulation details

Sourced from official code
Eligibility7 rules
  • Napa County does NOT require the property to be a primary residence. Investment properties are allowed.
  • Napa County does NOT allow tenants to host STRs. Only property owners may operate short-term rentals.
  • Napa County prohibits STRs in the following property types: ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units), Farmworker housing, Apartments, Multi-family units.
Requirements3 rules
  • Napa County requires liability insurance for STR hosts. Minimum coverage: $500,000. Must provide certificate of insurance specifically covering short-term rentals.
  • Napa County: You must display your permit/registration number on your listing. Platforms may remove non-compliant listings.
Application process1 rule
  • STR regulations overview for Napa County: Unincorporated Napa County has some of the strictest STR regulations in California, effectively prohibiting new vacation rentals in the majority of Agricultural and Residential zones. Permitted units are mostly limited to specific commercial zones or legally non-conforming properties that were established before current bans.
Fees & costs1 rule
  • Napa County charges a registration fee of $1133 (one_time).
Taxes1 rule
  • Napa County charges a Transient Occupancy Tax of 0.12%. Platforms like Airbnb collect and remit this tax.
Limits & restrictions1 rule
  • Napa County: Each person can only register ONE property for short-term rental. You cannot legally operate multiple STRs.
Safety requirements1 rule
  • Napa County requires: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, fire inspection.
Penalties1 rule
  • Napa County enforces penalties: First offense: $1,000.
Exemptions2 rules
  • Napa County: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).
  • Napa County exempts the following from STR regulations: long-term rentals 30+ days (county).

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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