Short-Term Vacation Rentals


Short-Term Vacation Rental Program

A short-term vacation rental (STVR) is a "dwelling unit" other than a dwelling unit located in a "hotel", that is rented to a tenant for a period of not more than 30 consecutive days.  An STVR in the City of Ventura is required to: 1) have an active STVR Permit, 2) have an active City of Ventura business license, and 3) collect and remit Transient Occupancy Tax at 10% of the rents received (on stays of less than 30 days per tenant). 

It is important for owners to be familiar with and adhere to the Performance Standards for operating an STVR. Owners are also responsible to ensure their renters and their guests comply with these Performance Standards.  For a quick reference of highlights to the STVR ordinance click here: STVR Ordinance Quick Reference

For a full copy of the STVR ordinance select: San Buenaventura Municipal Code - 6.455  

 Current list of registered STVRs can be found here.

Summer Minimum 7 Day Stay Rules In Effect: June 9 - August 25

Sec. 6.455.125. Rental must be a minimum of seven nights beginning the second Friday in June and continuing to the last Friday in August of each year. At all other times the owner may rent a minimum stay of two nights no more than once in any consecutive seven-day period.

Summer Minimum 7 day Stay Rules Guidance

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)

According to Sec. 24.430.041 for properties with ADUs the primary dwelling unit and the ADU may only be rented for terms of longer than 30 days. STVR permits cannot be issued for either the house or the ADU. 

Apply for a Short-Term Vacation Rental Permit

Visit our FAQ page for more information about the application process

To apply for a Business License and STVR Permit, you must complete the Required Forms below. Forms must be submitted in PDF format. DO NOT send .jpegs or photos of the application pages. Email all completed forms in PDF format to the STVR Permit Administrator to Lee Sherman. Please put the street address of your property in the subject line of the email. 

When the application is processed, you will be contacted to pay the initial inspection fee (non-refundable),  After the payment is processed, the application information will be forwarded to Code Enforcement to schedule the initial inspection and ensure the safety of the STVR and compliance with City Codes.

Once inspection is passed the STVR permit fee, and business license fee will be collected by the Treasury office. The STVR permit, transient occupancy registration certificate, and Good Neighbor Guidelines for posting at the rental site will be mailed to the applicant.  A notice of the STVR permit will be mailed to the occupant and/or owner of properties located within a 300-foot radius of the permitted property.  A copy of the Nuisance Response Plan will be placed on the City’s website for public access.  NOTE: For multiple units (ie. duplex), a permit is required for each dwelling unit.

Required Forms 

Additional Related Information

How to Pay your STVR Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT)

For information about how to pay your TOT or to claim an exemption, click here: TOT Payment Information

How to Report a Short-Term Vacation Rental Violation

There are 2 ways to report an STVR violation:

1) Nuisance Response Plan

Directly contact the person designated by the property owner as responsible for resolving STVR complaints within 45 minutes.  This is often the owner or a manager and is available by phone 24-hours a day to respond to nuisance complaints caused by their tenants.  You may search the Nuisance Response Plan for an STVR by property address.  

If you would like to create a record of the violation with the City you should file a Violation Report (see below).  Please file a report close to the occurrence of the incident.  For after-hours violations, the following day is sufficient.

2) File a Violation Report

File a Violation Report with the City.  Please answer as many fields as possible as this assists the City with any follow up.  Include any relevant pictures or documents by using the upload feature.  Please note, any report filed when City offices are closed will not be responded to until the City offices are once again open.  If your concern is urgent and requires a more immediate response, please use one of the other methods listed above.