Renting your property out on Airbnb is more challenging in Chula Vista due to the new short-term rental laws. Gone are the days of making money hand over fist as an Airbnb host in this city. There is a new short-term rental ordinance in place that requires landlords to apply for a permit. While the short-term rental license application process in Chula Vista is more forgiving than in other cities, there is a limit per resident. Nevertheless, continue to hold onto hope and adapt if you are an Airbnb host.
Here is a comprehensive guide on how to navigate the Chula Vista short-term rental laws in 2025 and rent out your property on Airbnb with the proper permit.
Airbnb is Legal in Chula Vista
Phew!
Airbnb is legal in Chula Vista. What is considered a short-term rental unit in Chula Vista? If you rent out of a house, condo, townhome, room, or ADU for less than 30 days, it falls under the new short-term rental ordinance. To continue renting this unit out and raking in the cash flow, you’ll need to apply for a short-term rental license.
Airbnb hosts must apply for a short-term rental permit in Chula Vista to continue hosting legally. The same applies to other vacation rental platforms like VRBO. Chula Vista has pros and cons to the Airbnb rules it states in the recent ordinance. San Diego has strict short-term rental laws that limit the number of total licenses allowed per landlord.
Are you curious how Chula Vista limits short-term rental opportunities for Airbnb hosts?
Chula Vista Short-term Rental Ordinance: Limitations
Chula Vista Resident
According to the Chula Vista short-term rental ordinance, you must be a resident of the city to operate an STR. You cannot live in San Diego and rent out a short-term rental unit on Airbnb in Chula Vista. Yikes! This new short-term rental law has put many hopeful Airbnb hosts out of business.
Can it get any worse?! You could have forgotten about your Airbnb guests in a unit!
Limited Number of Short-term Rental Units Per Resident
Each Chula Vista resident is limited to renting out two total short-term rental properties. They include:
- 1 Primary Residence
- 1 Non-Primary Residence
You cannot legally own and operate more than 2 short-term rental properties in Chula Vista under your name. What is a primary residence considered? You must reside in/on the property for a minimum of 275 days out of the calendar year. Each person can only have 1 primary residence in Chula Vista.
Occupancy Limits for Airbnb’s
Each room is capped at 2 guests max that you can rent out to per night. Additionally, there is a cap of 10 people total per the entire property that you can rent out to. Essentially, Chula Vista is trying to protect neighbors of vacation rentals from noise, parties, and ruckus.
Trying to operate a large-scale Airbnb portfolio is much harder with the new Chula Vista short-term rental ordinance. Airbnb hosts are up against tons of new regulations with this ordinance. If you’re tired of dealing with strict Airbnb rules as a host, consider selling your Chula Vista property to a local homebuyer. We buy houses as-is and will pay you cash for your vacation rental.
There are also different rules for Airbnb hosts in Chula Vista operating a primary and non-primary short-term rental.
Primary Residence as a Short-term Rental
Whole-home STR
If you are renting out your whole-home (entire property) as an Airbnb host in Chula Vista, it’s not looking good. Here are the following short-term rental laws you must follow:
- Number of Rental Days: 90-day maximum per calendar year
- Minimum Night Stay: None
Partial-home STR
A partial-home STR is when you rent out part of your property, but not the entire thing. This short-term rental category is the most flexible in Chula Vista!
- Number of Rental Days: Unlimited
- Minimum Night Stay: None
Example 1: Single-family house where you live in one room and rent out the other rooms
Example 2: Single-family home with ADU that was built before 2020 where you live in the home or ADU, and rent out everything else
Example 3: Duplex where you live in one unit and rent out the other unit
Non-Primary Residence as a Short-term Rental
Whole-home STR
- Number of Rental Days: Unlimited
- Minimum Night Stay: 2-night minimum
Partial-home STR
While this category is also very flexible, it is not very common. Why wouldn’t you rent out the entire property or live there yourself, right?
- Number of Rental Days: Unlimited
- Minimum Night Stay: None
Steps to Airbnb Your House in Chula Vista
Now that you know the lay of the land, it’s time to Airbnb your house in Chula Vista. Residents must go through the formal application process online to get approved. Once you have your short-term rental license in Chula Vista, you’ll be off to the races.
1. Apply for Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Certificate
Every Airbnb or VRBO host in Chula Vista must obtain a Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Certificate. This allows you to pay your TOT – aka pay taxes to the city.
Apply here: https://secure.hostcompliance.com/chula-vista-ca/permit-registration/welcome
2. Apply for Business License
You’ll also need a business license number with the city of Chula Vista to operate a vacation rental legally.
Apply here: https://www.chulavistaca.gov/departments/finance/business-licenses-new/new-business-license
3. Apply for Short-term Rental License in Chula Vista
You made it! You’re ready to apply for a Chula Vista short-term rental license. To apply, you’ll need a photo ID and proof of residency. Since there are different short-term rental laws depending on the occupancy status of a property.
Apply here: https://chulavistaca.seamlessdocs.com/sc/unauthorized
4. Complete Primary Residency Declaration and Add License Number to Listing
These are the final steps in getting your short-term rental license cohesive with the city ordinance. You must complete the primary residency declaration and then add your license number to your Airbnb listing. After completing these steps, your registration will be complete. You can now Airbnb your property in Chula Vista legally with the proper short-term rental license.
TIP: Don’t forget to also post your “Good Neighbor Guest Guidelines” somewhere inside the short-term rental unit.
Cost of Short-term Rental License in Chula Vista
If you’ve wondered how much it costs to Airbnb my house in Chula Vista, it’s not too expensive. There is a $250 application fee when applying for a short-term rental permit. Once approved, you must renew your STR permit every 12 months. The license renewal fee is $175.
Another cost that comes along with renting out an Airbnb in Chula Vista is the tax you must pay. There is a 10% tax per night that you pay this city based on the rental income your unit (or room) generates). As Airbnb costs pile up, consider making your home energy-efficient to save money. Owning a vacation rental isn’t profit-only.
Airbnb My Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) in Chula Vista
The new short-term rental ordinance in Chula Vista changed how accessory dwelling units are viewed. An ADU or JADU (junior accessory dwelling unit) can only be listed on Airbnb if the construction permit was applied for before January 1st, 2020. The ADU can have been built after January 2020, as long as the permit was applied for before that date.
What does this mean? If you plan to build a new ADU and rent it out on Airbnb, it’s illegal. You cannot Airbnb an ADU in Chula Vista if it was built recently.
Short-term Rental Rules for Condos in Chula Vista
Condos fall under the same rules as other units in this guide. However, please note that your HOA (homeowners association) can dictate the legality of your vacation rental. Many HOAs sadly outlaw Airbnb rentals. Under the city rules, you can use your condo or townhome as a short-term rental in Chula Vista depending on the HOA ruling.
Units Chula Vista Does Not Allow as a Short-term Rental
It’s not all rainbows and butterflies within the Chula Vista short-term rental laws. Under the new STR ordinance, you can no longer rent out your RV, camper, shed, trailer, tent, tree house, or temporary structure as a vacation rental.
If the shed is also technically a permitted ADU built before 2020, that is considered an exception. Many homebuyers were house hacking campers via short-term rentals. The new STR ordinance now outlaws this.
Navigating Chula Vista Short-term Rental Rules
Chula Vista has cracked down on short-term rentals through its new ordinance. One of the city’s primary goals is to protect neighbors from loud Airbnb guests. While the new hoops are hard to jump through, you can still prosper as an Airbnb host. Research the short-term rental laws and apply for your license. Having the proper short-term rental permit in Chula Vista will keep you out of trouble so you can begin renting your property out on Airbnb.