Irvine Short-Term Rental Regulations

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Permit & Licensing

Irvine does not require a specific STR permit at this time. Check with local government for any zoning or business license requirements.

Tax Obligations

Combined rate: 10% of gross rental income.

Collection: Hotel/motel operator collects the TOT and IHID assessment from each guest and remits monthly to the City of Irvine Fiscal Services.

Filing: Monthly; tax return forms and payments are due on or before the last day of the subsequent month.

Rental Limits

Irvine does not impose an annual cap on the number of nights you can rent.

Zoning & Restrictions

Short-term rentals (occupancy of 30 consecutive calendar days or less) are a prohibited use citywide in all residential zoning districts, and in any other zoning district — including underlying/base zones, overlay zones, and adopted specific plans — in which residential use is a permitted or conditionally permitted use. The only properties exempt from the prohibition are those in hotel-motel zones. Posting, publishing, circulating, broadcasting, or maintaining any advertisement (including listings on Airbnb, HomeAway, or VRBO) of a short-term rental in a residential zoning district is also prohibited. Any violation is declared a public nuisance subject to summary abatement by the City.

Insurance & Safety

Insurance

Irvine does not require short-term rental operators to carry specific insurance. Standard homeowner policies often exclude short-term rental activity, so many hosts obtain dedicated short-term rental or landlord liability coverage.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Administrative fines of $1,500 per day the violation continues. A responsible party who violates or fails to comply with short-term rental requirements may also be guilty of an infraction or misdemeanor. Violations are declared a public nuisance and may be summarily abated by the City.

Platform Requirements

Hosting platforms may not complete any booking transaction for a short-term rental in the City, and may not collect or receive compensation (monetary or non-monetary) for facilitating or providing a short-term rental. Within 30 days of any person seeking to use a hosting platform for a short-term rental in the City, the platform must provide the City's Neighborhood Services Administrator with the responsible party's name and contact information, listing address, length of stay, and quoted price.

Compliance Checklist

Follow these steps to legally operate a short-term rental in Irvine:

1. Register for tax accounts. Set up lodging tax accounts with City of Irvine Fiscal Services (Administrative Services Department).
2. Collect and remit taxes. 10% on all bookings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need a permit to run an Airbnb in Irvine?

Irvine does not require a dedicated short-term rental permit, but you must still register for and remit applicable lodging taxes. Confirm local zoning rules still allow short-term rentals at your property before listing.

Does Irvine require a short-term rental to be your primary residence?

No. Irvine does not impose a primary-residence requirement, so non-owner-occupied rentals are allowed.

How many days a year can you short-term rent in Irvine?

Irvine does not cap the number of nights per year you can short-term rent, though permitting, zoning, and occupancy rules still apply.

What taxes do you pay on a short-term rental in Irvine?

Short-term rental stays in Irvine are subject to a combined 10% in lodging taxes. This combines 8% Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) + 2% Irvine Hotel Improvement District Assessment (IHID). The host is responsible for collecting and remitting them.