Monterey County Vacation Rental Alliance

Notes:

• Commercial Vacation Rentals (CVRs) are capped at 4% of housing in each planning area.

• CVRs are banned in Big Sur.

• CVRs are banned in the low density residential (LDR) zoned portions of the Carmel Area.

• CVRs are banned in all residential (RDR, LDR, MDR, HDR) zoned portions of the Carmel Valley Area.

• CVRs are banned in the low & medium density residential (LDR, MDR) zoned portions of Moss Landing.

• Homestays and Limited Vacation Rentals (LVRs) are allowed in and not capped in all planning areas. MCVRA’s lawsuit challenged the Homestay requirement that the home is the primary residence of the owner. The County has not removed that requirement but has waived the requirement for now.

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How to find your planning area?

• Go to Mounterey County GIS.

• Scroll down to the "Maps" section.

• Click on one or more of the inland or coastal land use maps and locate your property. The name of the map is your planning area.

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How to find your zoning?

• Go to Mounterey County GIS.

• Scroll down to the "GIS Webapps" section.

• Click on the "Zoning Look-Up" tool and enter your address in the search bar to go to your parcel.

• Use the "Zoning Designation" color code on the left to match the color of your parcel to its zoning. If you are in the coastal zone, a CZ will follow the zoning.

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Vacation Rental Operation License (VROL)

• A ministerial license.

• Issued for 1 year.

• One vacation rental permit or license per parcel with the following exceptions:

  • A dwelling may have both a Homestay license and an LVR license.

  • Two dwellings on a parcel, with one permitted & licensed as a CVR and one licensed as a Homestay.

  • Relevant section of Monterey County Code Sub-Section 7.120.040.A.

• The initial fee is approximately $1,100, and the annual renewal fee is TBD but expected to be lower than the initial fee.

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Business License

• A separate Business License is also required from the County for an additional fee of $207 for the first year, and $115 annually after that.

• Applies to any type of STR.

Inland Use Permit/Coastal Development Permit (CDP)

• A discretionary permit.

• Issued for up to 7 years.

• One permit per parcel.

• The fee for an Inland Use Permit is approximately $8,000.

• The fee for a CDP is approximately $14,000.

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ADUs

• Have cooking facilities.

• Cannot get license or permit.

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Guesthouses

• Can NOT have cooking facilities.

• Must share utilities with main house.

• Guest houses are treated as if they are merely additional bedrooms in the main house.

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Duplexes

• Cannot get license or permit.

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License/Permit Application Requirements

• Site and Floor Plans to scale (see examples).

• Home inspection report:

  • Printable checklist provided by the County.

  • Requires proof of annual fire extinguisher servicing.

• Operations Plan:

  • Printable form provided by the County.​

  • Requires selection of desired type of license/permit (CVR, LVR, Homestay).

  • Requires designation of nearest fire station, police station, emergency room, and 24-hour clinic.

  • Evacuation Maps (if not included as a part of the Site Plan or Floor Plan).

  • On-site Parking Plan (if not included as a part of the Site Plan or Floor Plan).

• Most recent bill for water service or recent water test proving you meet water quality standards.

• Most recent bill for waste services.

• Most recent bill for public sewer services unless you're on a septic system.

• Homestays must also submit at least two of the following to prove residency:

  • ​Motor Vehicle Registration, Voter Registration, Property Tax Bill with the Homeowner’s Exemption, or utility bill.

• ​CVRs must also submit the following:

  • ​If you are on a Private Road, you must comply with Monterey County Code Chapter 16.80.

  • If you have a septic system, you must provide proof your septic system is in good working order.

• Property manager available 24/7 to arrive at the site within 30 minutes.

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Del Monte Forest, Homeowner’s Associations (HOAs), and CC&Rs

• The ordinances do NOT refer to HOAs or CC&Rs. 

• A permit/license can be granted by the County even if the HOA objects. 

• The HOA may choose to enforce their rules.

• In Del Monte Forest, the Pebble Beach Company has gone on record opposing all CVR permits and Homestay licenses based upon the Pebble Beach Company’s interpretation of CC&Rs and its ownership of the private roads. The County is granting “conditional” CVR permits in the Del Monte Forest, but the condition is that the owner obtain consent from the Pebble Beach Company.

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Existing STR permit holders

• New regulations apply upon the termination of the existing permit.

• If the permit has no termination (was granted in perpetuity), the new regulations will apply in 7 years.

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Time to seek license or permit

• The ordinances allow existing STR owners to continue operating but must apply for a permit within 6 months after the ordinance goes into effect.

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Fines & Enforcement

• If you do not have a CVR permit, or a LVR or Homestay license, you face citation and fines:

  • First day not exceeding 175% of the maximum advertised rental rate per day, or $1,000.

  • Second day not exceeding 275% of the maximum advertised rental rate per day, or $2,500.

  • Third day and beyond not exceeding 375% of the maximum advertised rental rate per day, or $5,000.

• If you do have a permit/license, and you violate any requirements of your license/permit, the license/permit can be revoked.​​