Wait List Requests
There is currently not a waitlist for Hosted Rentals. Please proceed to the following section for information on how to apply for a Hosted Rental Permit.
The County maintains a Wait List for Vacation Rental and Hosted Rental permits in the three Designated Areas (LODA, SALSDA, and DASDA). A County-wide cap of 250 Hosted Rentals also applies. Hosted Rental Permits are issued on a first-applied, first-issued system, with evaluation of permit availability occurring on a bi-annual basis (June 1st and December 1st). There is a $145.00 annual Wait List fee to maintain a space on the List.
To submit a Wait List request, please complete the Wait List Form and email it to: vacation.eplanreview@santacruzcountyca.gov for review and signature. Applications will not be accepted without signature. Following receipt of signature, please drop off the completed form with the cashier during the Unified Permit Center Counter business hours, or mail it, along with the annual Wait List Fee ($145.00 check made out to the County of Santa Cruz) to:
Santa Cruz County CDI, Unified Permit Center
Atten: Vacation/Hosted Rental Permit Processing
701 Ocean Street, 4th Floor
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Property owners must obtain a permit in order to operate a Hosted Rental in Santa Cruz County. Permits are valid for five years.
Application Requirements
New Hosted Rental Permits
- Hosted Rental Application Form - PLG155
- Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) certificate or signed application form from the County Tax Collector (701 Ocean St, Santa Cruz, CA; For more information, visit the County’s TOT Website, review the TOT Application Form or contact the Tax Collector at (831) 454-2510 or ttc.webmail@santacruzcountyca.gov.
- Copy of rental/lease agreement. For hosts who use an online hosting platform such as AirBnb where the rental/lease agreement may be integrated into the online platform website, a copy of the House Rules is sufficient. See the Application Form for a list of required items to include in rental/lease agreement or house rules. Applicants can start with the Sample Hosted Rental Agreement and fill in project-specific information.
- Nonrefundable application fee of $149.60
Permit Renewals
- Hosted Rental Permit Renewal Application Form - PLG160
- Proof of Significant Use: A summary of the dates the unit was used as a hosted rental, betwen the time of issuance of the existing permit and the date of renewal application, is required. See application form (PLG-160) for details.
- Nonrefundable application fee of $149.60
Apply for a Hosted Rental Permit
All Hosted Rental Permit application submittals are being taken in remotely via the department’s online “ePlan” portal. To submit a Hosted Rental application, please visit the ePlan Review Page.
For more information about the ePlan process, please refer to ePlan Overview & Application Process for Vacation and Hosted Rentals and Renewals.
Surrender a Hosted Rental Permit
If you wish to surrender your hosted rental permit, indicating your voluntary decision to cancel your short-term rental authorization, the property owner must send an email requesting the surrender of the permit to: vacation.eplanreview@santacruzcountyca.gov. Be sure to include the permit #, site address and/ or APN, and a clear request to surrender the permit approval. Upon surrendering the hosted rental permit, it will be rendered null and void as of the specified date.
Questions? Visit the Zoning Counter, email us at vacation.eplanreview@santacruzcountyca.gov or call the Zoning Information Line at (831) 454-2130.