Do I need a permit for short-term rentals in Newport Beach?

**Yes**, Newport Beach requires a Short-Term Lodging Permit for rentals. You need to obtain this permit, which costs $100 annually, to legally operate a short-term rental within the city. This permit ensures compliance with local regulations and safety standards, so make sure to apply.

What is the TOT tax rate in Newport Beach?

**10% TOT** is the current Transient Occupancy Tax rate in Newport Beach. You need to collect this tax from your guests for all stays and remit it to the city. This tax applies to all short-term rentals operating within Newport Beach, so factor it into your pricing.

Are short-term rentals allowed in Newport Beach?

**Yes**, short-term rentals are permitted in Newport Beach. However, you need to adhere to strict zoning limits. The city imposes a 2-night minimum stay and caps occupancy based on bedroom count up to a maximum of 10 guests. Always check local zoning.

How much does an STR permit cost in Newport Beach?

**The STR permit costs $100** annually in Newport Beach. You need to renew this permit each year to continue operating your short-term rental legally. This fee helps the city manage and regulate short-term rentals, ensuring compliance with local ordinances, so make sure to budget.

Can renters host on Airbnb in Newport Beach?

**No**, tenants are generally not allowed to host on Airbnb in Newport Beach. The ability to host is typically restricted to property owners. Always verify with your landlord or property management company and review your lease agreement to confirm whether you are allowed.

Newport Beach

Moderate

CaliforniaUpdated Mar 26, 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

Short-term rentals are permitted in Newport Beach subject to strict zoning limits, a mandatory $100 annual permit, and a 10% Transient Occupancy Tax. The city imposes a 2-night minimum stay and caps occupancy based on bedroom count up to a maximum of 10 guests.

Restriction level

Severity 18

Classification

Moderate

Severity

Why this classification

Tenants cannot host
Permit required
Reporting required
No night cap
No primary residence requirement

In plain English

What this means for you

To host an Airbnb in Newport Beach, you must first secure a city business license and a Short-Term Lodging (STL) permit, which costs $100 annually. You cannot use an ADU (granny flat) built after 2020 as a rental. You are required to have a local contact who can respond to complaints 24/7 within 30 minutes. Taxes (10%) are usually collected by Airbnb, but you must still file monthly reports to the city even if you had zero bookings.

At a glance

Key numbers

Permit requiredYes

Night limitNone

Primary residenceNot required

Total tax rate0.1%

Permit fee$100

Processing time2-4 weeks

7 things hosts often miss

Common compliance gaps

1ADUs built after January 1, 2020, are strictly prohibited from being used as STRs.
2A 2-night minimum stay is required for all short-term rentals.
3Maximum occupancy is 2 people per bedroom plus 2, capped at 10 people total, regardless of home size.
4You must designate a 'Local Contact' who can respond to the property within 30 minutes at any time of day.
5Trash must be kept in bins and cannot be visible from the street except on pickup days; violations lead to heavy fines.
6Monthly TOT reports are required even if the property was not rented during that month.
7Newport Island has a specific cap on the number of permits issued; expect a waiting list there.

Regulation details

Sourced from official code

Eligibility10 rules

Newport Beach, CA: Properties with affordable housing restrictions or subsidies cannot be used for short-term rentals.
Newport Beach, CA: You can have a co-host or property manager help manage your listing.
Newport Beach: Properties with affordable housing restrictions or subsidies cannot be used for short-term rentals.

Requirements16 rules

Common mistakes and gotchas for STR hosts in Newport Beach: 1. ADUs built after January 1, 2020, are strictly prohibited from being used as STRs. 2. A 2-night minimum stay is required for all short-term rentals. 3. Maximum occupancy is 2 people per bedroom plus 2, capped at 10 people total, regardless of home size. 4. You must designate a 'Local Contact' who can respond to the property within 30 minutes at any time of day. 5. Trash must be kept in bins and cannot be visible from the street except on pickup days; violations lead to heavy fines. 6. Monthly TOT reports are required even if the property was not rented during that month. 7. Newport Island has a specific cap on the number of permits issued; expect a waiting list there.

Application process9 rules

Newport Beach STR permit - Step 1: Verify Zoning. Ensure your property is in a zone that allows short-term lodging and check for neighborhood-specific caps. Time: 1 day.
Newport Beach, CA: To apply for an STR permit, you'll need: Business License, Proof of Ownership, Contact Information for 24-hour responder, Floor Plan/Parking Plan.

Fees & costs1 rule

Newport Beach charges a registration fee of $100 (annual).

Taxes2 rules

Newport Beach: Monthly TOT reports are required even if the property was not rented during that month.
Newport Beach charges a Transient Occupancy Tax of 10%. This applies to stays under 30 days. Platforms like Airbnb collect and remit this tax. Note: Airbnb and VRBO remit TOT on behalf of hosts in Newport Beach.

Limits & restrictions8 rules

Newport Beach limits stays to a maximum of 29 nights.
Newport Beach, CA occupancy calculation: 2 people per bedroom plus 2 additional people, not to exceed 10 total.. Count your bedrooms to determine your max guest limit.
Newport Beach limits STRs to a maximum of 10 guests. Formula: 2 people per bedroom plus 2 additional people, not to exceed 10 total.

Safety requirements1 rule

Newport Beach requires the following safety measures for STRs: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, posted maximum occupancy, posted emergency contact, Trash management plan required, Parking requirements must be posted inside unit.

Penalties4 rules

Newport Beach: Repeated violations can result in permanent permit revocation. You would lose the ability to operate any STR.
Newport Beach, CA: Repeated violations can result in permanent permit revocation. You would lose the ability to operate any STR.

Exemptions3 rules

Newport Beach, CA: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).
Newport 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

Newport Beach

Moderate

CaliforniaUpdated Mar 26, 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 18

Classification

Moderate

Severity

Why this classification

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$100

Processing time2-4 weeks

7 things hosts often miss

Common compliance gaps

1ADUs built after January 1, 2020, are strictly prohibited from being used as STRs.
2A 2-night minimum stay is required for all short-term rentals.
3Maximum occupancy is 2 people per bedroom plus 2, capped at 10 people total, regardless of home size.
4You must designate a 'Local Contact' who can respond to the property within 30 minutes at any time of day.
5Trash must be kept in bins and cannot be visible from the street except on pickup days; violations lead to heavy fines.
6Monthly TOT reports are required even if the property was not rented during that month.
7Newport Island has a specific cap on the number of permits issued; expect a waiting list there.

Regulation details

Sourced from official code

Eligibility10 rules

Newport Beach, CA: Properties with affordable housing restrictions or subsidies cannot be used for short-term rentals.
Newport Beach, CA: You can have a co-host or property manager help manage your listing.
Newport Beach: Properties with affordable housing restrictions or subsidies cannot be used for short-term rentals.

Requirements16 rules

Common mistakes and gotchas for STR hosts in Newport Beach: 1. ADUs built after January 1, 2020, are strictly prohibited from being used as STRs. 2. A 2-night minimum stay is required for all short-term rentals. 3. Maximum occupancy is 2 people per bedroom plus 2, capped at 10 people total, regardless of home size. 4. You must designate a 'Local Contact' who can respond to the property within 30 minutes at any time of day. 5. Trash must be kept in bins and cannot be visible from the street except on pickup days; violations lead to heavy fines. 6. Monthly TOT reports are required even if the property was not rented during that month. 7. Newport Island has a specific cap on the number of permits issued; expect a waiting list there.

Application process9 rules

Newport Beach STR permit - Step 1: Verify Zoning. Ensure your property is in a zone that allows short-term lodging and check for neighborhood-specific caps. Time: 1 day.
Newport Beach, CA: To apply for an STR permit, you'll need: Business License, Proof of Ownership, Contact Information for 24-hour responder, Floor Plan/Parking Plan.

Fees & costs1 rule

Newport Beach charges a registration fee of $100 (annual).

Taxes2 rules

Newport Beach: Monthly TOT reports are required even if the property was not rented during that month.
Newport Beach charges a Transient Occupancy Tax of 10%. This applies to stays under 30 days. Platforms like Airbnb collect and remit this tax. Note: Airbnb and VRBO remit TOT on behalf of hosts in Newport Beach.

Limits & restrictions8 rules

Newport Beach limits stays to a maximum of 29 nights.
Newport Beach, CA occupancy calculation: 2 people per bedroom plus 2 additional people, not to exceed 10 total.. Count your bedrooms to determine your max guest limit.
Newport Beach limits STRs to a maximum of 10 guests. Formula: 2 people per bedroom plus 2 additional people, not to exceed 10 total.

Safety requirements1 rule

Newport Beach requires the following safety measures for STRs: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, posted maximum occupancy, posted emergency contact, Trash management plan required, Parking requirements must be posted inside unit.

Penalties4 rules

Newport Beach: Repeated violations can result in permanent permit revocation. You would lose the ability to operate any STR.
Newport Beach, CA: Repeated violations can result in permanent permit revocation. You would lose the ability to operate any STR.

Exemptions3 rules

Newport Beach, CA: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).
Newport 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

Researched & verified by Learn STR at GoStudioM

Summary

Restriction level

Why this classification

In plain English

At a glance

7 things hosts often miss

Regulation details

Frequently asked questions

1Do I need a permit for short-term rentals in Newport Beach?

2What is the TOT tax rate in Newport Beach?

3Are short-term rentals allowed in Newport Beach?

4How much does an STR permit cost in Newport Beach?

5Can renters host on Airbnb in Newport Beach?

Disclaimer

Summary

Restriction level

Why this classification

In plain English

At a glance

7 things hosts often miss

Regulation details

Frequently asked questions

1Do I need a permit for short-term rentals in Newport Beach?

2What is the TOT tax rate in Newport Beach?

3Are short-term rentals allowed in Newport Beach?

4How much does an STR permit cost in Newport Beach?

5Can renters host on Airbnb in Newport Beach?

Disclaimer