Short Term Rental Regulations

Registration Requirement

As of August 3, 2026, the City contracts with consultant HdL to administer the registration and TOT collection for Redwood City's Short-Term Rental Program. This new platform streamlines the registration process, making it easier than ever for residents to register their short-term rental and pay their transient occupancy tax (TOT). 

REGISTRATION PORTAL: https://redwoodcity.hdlgov.com/

A signed Affidavit is required to be uploaded with the application.  

For information on how to pay TOT click here.

For questions on Registration Requirements, email shorttermrentals@redwoodcity.org

For questions on your active Registration application or questions about TOT: RedwoodCityTOT@HdLgov.com

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What are Short-Term Rentals?

Short term rentals are generally defined as lodging or overnight stays lasting less than 30 consecutive days in a residential dwelling. Common examples include renting a house or an apartment for a week or weekend for a short stay or for several weeks associated with business travel or longer vacations. Short term rentals are most commonly offered and rented through online hosting platforms such as Airbnb, VRBO and HomeAway.

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What are the Laws Regarding Other Types of Rentals?

Rentals for 30 or more consecutive nights (by the same visitors) are not subject to short-term rental regulations or subject to hotel (transient occupancy) taxes. In addition, rental/tenant protections and rent control provisions may apply to stays of 30 or more days.

If rentals are offered for 30 days or more nights per guest stay (for those dwelling units not authorized to offer short-term rentals by the Office of Short-Term Rentals), ensure that booking calendars and advertisements for all online listings clearly indicate a 30-day minimum stay.

Regulations

Administrative Guidelines can be found here.

An Affidavit must be signed and submitted with the registration to be approved. Please review that Affidavit document here.

Some highlights of the program are listed below, but please refer to the Administrative Guidelines for more information:

• Primary Residence.  A primary residence is a dwelling unit where a person has been physically present and that the person regards as home.  A person may only have one primary residence at any given time.

• Annual Limit for Un-hosted Rentals. A primary residence may be occupied as a short-term rental for no more than 120 days per calendar year where no host is present. 

• No Limit for Hosted Rentals. There shall be no limit on the number of days a primary residence may be occupied as a short-term rental where the host is present. 

• Local Contact Person. Hosts shall identify a local contact person to be available during the term of an unhosted stay. This person shall respond to complaints. 

• Parking. Existing on-site spaces shall be made available to short-term renters. 

• Special Events. Special events such as weddings and corporate retreats are prohibited. 

• Registration. Registration and payment of Transient Occupancy Tax are required.

• Accessory Dwelling Units. Short-term rental of accessory dwelling units shall NOT be permitted unless the unit was registered with the City prior to January 1, 2020.

These regulations do not apply to properties in unincorporated Redwood City.

Why regulate Short-Term Rentals?

The short-term rental industry has experienced tremendous growth in recent years. While short-term rentals can provide needed income to residents and broader lodging options than the existing hotel market, there can be downsides to these uses. The popularity and profitability of short term rentals has spurred an industry where dwellings are bought and used exclusively for short-term rentals, removing available housing stock. A rotating series of renters in residential neighborhoods can create traffic, noise, parking, and safety concerns for neighborhoods. Short term rentals can also introduce a commercial use into previously residential areas, as larger homes are now commonly rented for "corporate retreats" and other types of traditionally commercial and business uses. 

Objectives

1. Allow limited short term rental uses while preventing the loss of housing stock. 

2. Preserve residential character and establish operating standards to reduce potential noise, parking, traffic, property maintenance and safety impacts on adjacent neighbors. 

3. Provide a registration mechanism for the City to track and enforce these requirements as needed and ensure appropriate collection of transient occupancy taxes (TOT). 

The transient occupancy taxes collected from short-term rentals are dedicated towards construction and preservation of affordable housing.