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Permit Sonoma › Regulations and Initiatives › Vacation Rentals › Vacation Rental Permit and License Application
Vacation Rentals & Hosted Rentals

Step-by-Step: How to Apply for a Vacation Rental Permit or License

Vacation Rental Applications

The following requirements apply to all vacation rentals in the unincorporated County, including those in the Coastal Zone.

  1. Property Manager Certification. The owner or the designated operator become a a Certified Vacation Rental Property Manager. A person must pass a County of Sonoma certification exam to become a Certified Vacation Property Manager.

    Additional Time Allowance: Vacation Rentals in the Coastal Zone that were legally operating prior to April 11, 2024 (legally operating means those registered for payment of Transient Occupancy Tax prior to April 11, 2024) have until April 11, 2025 to obtain this certification.
  2. Transient Vacation Rental Permit. A property owner must obtain a Transient Vacation Rental (TVR) Permit (also known as “Zoning Permit”) for each vacation rental by registering for a Permits Online Account, submitting complete application forms and application materials, and paying the fee.

    Exception: Vacation Rentals in the Coastal Zone that were legally operating prior to April 11, 2024 (legally operating means those registered for payment of Transient Occupancy Tax prior to April 11, 2024) are exempt from this requirement, but must obtain all other permits.
  3. Transient Occupancy Tax. All Vacation Rentals must secure a Transient Occupancy Tax Number from the Auditor-Controller Treasurer-Tax Collector (ACTTC) Department prior to operation.
  4. Annual Vacation Rental License. All Vacation Rentals must obtain a Vacation Rental License prior to operating a Vacation Rental, unless additional time is allowed, as described below. A Vacation Rental License lasts for one year, and an operator must apply to renew their license annually to continue to run a Vacation Rental.

    Additional Time Allowance:
    • Outside the Coastal Zone: If a Vacation Rental was legally operating before June 15, 2023, a Vacation Rental License is required to operate after June 14, 2024.
    • In the Coastal Zone: For Vacation Rentals that were registered for payment of Transient Occupancy Tax prior to April 11, 2024, a Vacation Rental License is required to legally operate after April 10, 2025. Applications are recommended to be submitted at least 3 months in advance of this date to support timely processing.

Step 1: Identifying or Becoming a Certified Vacation Rental Property Manager

A property manager who is certified by Sonoma County is required for all vacation rental properties. View information on the property manager requirement, certification process and materials, updating property manager contact information, and reporting forms: Vacation Rental Property Manager

Step 2: Transient Vacation Rental Permit (also known as TVR or Zoning Permit)

A complete Transient Vacation Rental Permit application must be submitted electronically by following the steps outlined below. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. All forms listed must be filled out completely (no blank spaces).

  1. Register for a Permits Online Account
    1. Before applying for your permit, you must register for a Permits Online account if you do not already have one. A Permits Online account is needed so you can check the status of your permits, pay permit fees, schedule inspections (if applicable), etc.
  2. Ensure You Have a Complete Application

    Note: All documents must be submitted electronically. Permit Sonoma staff may, upon request, provide some assistance with electronic submission if required.
    1. Application Forms:
      1. PJR-001 Planning Application (PDF). This application must be signed by all owners.
      2. PJR-011 Indemnification Agreement (PDF), signed by the owner or agent with the owner’s written authorization.
      3. PJR-096 Vacation Rentals Application (PDF)
    2. Required Application Materials:
      1. Site plan. A site plan is required for vacation rental permit and vacation rental license applications. These plans must comply with the following:
        1. Format. All site plans must be legible and drawn to scale. All site plans must include a bar scale, north arrow, project name/applicant, name of preparer, date prepared, and date of last revision. The plan must be saved as a PDF.
        2. Existing Structures and Features. Show and label the use of all existing structures and outdoor use areas including pool/spa, patios, parking areas, accessory structures, fences and outdoor burning areas (e.g. gas grill or gas firepit), and recycling/garbage bin storage location. Include addresses, dimensions and total square footage of structures. Identify existing roads, driveways, access gate, waterways, drainage features, wells, and similar features.
        3. Parking and Access. Identify the location, types and total number of parking spaces for vehicles on an off the site, and access to the property (e.g. public or private road, driveway).
      2. Floor plan identifying all rooms in the home or structures, including the number and location of guest rooms to be used as a part of the Vacation Rental. Exits must be clearly shown.
      3. If the vacation rental is to be served by a septic system, provide proof of septic capacity. Applicants may need to visit the Permit Sonoma Records Division for this documentation.
    3. Upload Complete Applications:
      1. Applications are required to be submitted as one merged PDF. View Instructions: Combining PDFs
      2. Email your complete application to: PlanningApplications@sonoma-county.org
      3. Provide the email address you use to log into your Permits Online account.
      4. If the application is determined to be complete for submission, you will receive an email with an invoice for the required application fees.
      5. If the application is incomplete for submission, you will be notified of the required revisions or missing materials.
    4. Due to a significant influx of applications, it may take 7-10 days before we can confirm receipt of your application and begin processing. We appreciate your patience as we continue to process permits in the order that they are received.
    5. Pay the Filing fee:
      See the current Permit Sonoma Project Review Fee Schedule. Fees will be determined once the full scope of a project is evaluated by Permit Sonoma staff at the time of application submittal. If paying by check, please do not fill in amounts on checks prior to application acceptance.
      1. An application will be considered accepted upon receipt of payment.
      2. Once you receive the application invoice, please visit our online permitting website and select ‘Pay Fees’ on the home page. Enter the Record Number and click ‘Search’. Select the ‘Payments’ Tab at the top and then ‘Pay Fee’ on the right side of the invoice line. Follow the instructions from there.
      3. Please email PlanningApplications@sonoma-county.org to notify us that you have paid.
      4. Once we have received payment, we will begin to process your permit and contact you by email regarding the status of your application.

Step 3: Transient Occupancy Tax Number

A Transient Occupancy Tax Registration Form for Short Term Rentals must be submitted by a vacation rental operator to acquire a Transient Occupancy Tax Number. The form can either be emailed to TOT@sonoma-county.org or physically mailed to 585 Fiscal Drive, Suite 100, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. An applicant must wait for the issuance of a Transient Occupancy Tax Number before seeking a Transient Vacation Rental License.

Step 4: Acquiring or Renewing a Vacation Rental License

To operate a Vacation Rental in Sonoma County, you must obtain a Vacation Rental License. A Vacation Rental License lasts for one year, and an operator must apply to renew their license annually to continue to run a Vacation Rental.

Only after receiving approval for a Transient Vacation Rental Permit and Transient Occupancy Tax Number can a property owner seek a Vacation Rental License. Please note that submitting a new PJR-001 and PJR-011 are required for this step.

  1. Application Forms:
    1. PJR-001 Planning Application (PDF), signed by the applicant and property owner.
    2. PJR-011 Indemnification Agreement (PDF), signed by the owner or agent with the owner’s written authorization.
    3. PJR-146 Vacation Rental License Application and Affidavit (PDF)
  2. Required Application Materials:
    1. Site plan. A site plan is required for vacation rental permit and vacation rental license applications. These plans must comply with the following:
      1. Format. All site plans must be legible and drawn to scale. All site plans must include a bar scale, north arrow, project name/applicant, name of preparer, date prepared, and date of last revision. The plan must be saved as a PDF.
      2. Existing Structures and Features. Show and label the use of all existing structures and outdoor use areas including pool/spa, patios, parking areas, accessory structures, fences and outdoor burning areas (e.g. gas grill or gas firepit), and recycling/garbage bin storage location. Include addresses, dimensions and total square footage of structures. Identify existing roads, driveways, access gate, waterways, drainage features, wells, and similar features.
      3. Parking and Access. Identify the location, types and total number of parking spaces for vehicles on an off the site, and access to the property (e.g. public or private road, driveway).
      4. Lighting. Identify the location of all exterior light fixtures.
    2. Ownership Verification. In addition to the application materials listed above, license applicants who had their Transient Vacation Rental Permit (TVR) application accepted on or after June 16, 2023, must provide the following:
      1. Copy of current ownership deed(s):
        The licensee must be a property owner, except if the vacation rental property is held in trust, in which case the trustee may apply for a license on behalf of the trust beneficiaries. All property owners must be individuals, and each property owner must consent to the application.
      2. In addition to a current ownership deed, Permit Sonoma staff may request the following additional items to verify current property ownership:
        1. Title Report. A current title report setting forth the names and recorded document numbers of all owners and holders of beneficial interests in the parcel. Detailed ownership must be provided, including a full listing of all ”et al” owners.
        2. Trust Certification. By all currently acting trustees of the trust pursuant to section 18100.5 of the California Probate Code.
  3. Upload Complete Applications:
    1. Applications are required to be submitted as one merged PDF.
      View Instructions: Combining PDFs.
    2. Email your complete application to: PlanningApplications@sonoma-county.org
    3. Provide the email address you use to log into your Permits Online account (see Step 1 above).
    4. If the application is determined to be complete for submission, you will receive an email with an invoice for the required application fees.
    5. If the application is incomplete for submission, you will be notified of the required revisions or missing materials.
  4. If you do not receive a response within two (2) business days, please email: PlanningApplications@sonoma-county.org
  5. Filing fee:
    See the current Permit Sonoma Project Review Fee Schedule. Fees will be determined once the full scope of a project is evaluated by Permit Sonoma staff at the time of application submittal. If paying by check, please do not fill in amounts on checks prior to application acceptance.

Vacation Rental License Renewal

A vacation rental license expires one year from the date of issuance and must be renewed annually in accordance with the process described on this page.

A license or renewal will not be issued if there is an open code violation associated with a vacation rental on the parcel. An open code violation means a notice and order or administrative citation has been issued and the violation has not been abated, or the costs and civil penalties have not been paid, or both. Check for and pay outstanding fees listed below.

Fee Information

Fee amounts will be calculated by Permit Sonoma staff when preparing your invoices. For estimates of expected fees, please review the following information and View Fee Schedule for Fee Amounts.

Transient Vacation Rental Permit Fees

Vacation rental permits require payment of the following fees:

  • 1166 Zoning Permit Level II 
  • 1052 Environmental Review CEQA Exemption
  • 0140 Technology Enhancement Surcharge: 1.3% of permit fees

Vacation Rental License Fees

Vacation rental license applications are required to pay the following fees:

  • 1163 Vacation Rental Annual Monitoring
  • 1162 Vacation Rental Noticing
  • 0140 Technology Enhancement Surcharge: 1.3% of permit fees

Vacation Rental License Renewal Fees

Vacation rental license renewal applications are required to pay the following fees:

  • 1163 Vacation Rental Annual Monitoring
  • 1162 Vacation Rental Noticing
  • 0140 Technology Enhancement Surcharge: 1.3% of permit fees