Escondido

Owner permit

The code defines a host as an owner of a dwelling unit who rents it, and it says only an owner of a dwelling unit may rent it as a short-term rental.[1] It also lists as an ineligible unit any unit that a renter or lessee wants to rent short term.[1] The city's eligibility page says rentals may be hosted by the property owner or owners,[2] and a permit can't be transferred or moved to another site.[1]

If you manage for the owner

The application asks for the owner's details and for a responsible contact person if that's someone else.[1] Managing a rental for an owner for pay may need a California real estate license, since the law covers a person who rents or offers to rent real property for another for compensation.[6]

Three permits and fees

Get an Escondido business license, a short-term rental permit and a transient occupancy tax registration certificate before you advertise or rent.[1, 3] The application costs $250, plus a $231 inspection fee.[4] The city inspects before a new permit and before any renewal.[1]

Eligible homes

Permits are for single-family detached homes, duplexes, two- and three-family units and townhomes.[1] Apartments and condos in multifamily developments get 1 permit for 2 to 50 units, 2 for 51 to 99 units, and two percent of units or five permits, whichever is fewer, for 100 or more, with 25 citywide.[1] ADUs, junior ADUs, SB 9 units and income-restricted units are ineligible.[1]

Cap and school distance

Total permits are limited to two percent of the city's housing units, and the city keeps a waiting list if applications pass that.[1] No permit is issued if the parcel is within 500 feet of a parcel containing a school, and the city says home-based schools and daycares don't count.[1, 2]

Responsible contact

The host or a named responsible contact person must be reachable 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and respond to complaints within one hour.[1] The city's FAQ says that person must be 18 or older and able to be on site within the hour.[4]

Guests and events

No more than two guests per bedroom plus two more guests at one time, and one booking per property per day.[1] The home may be used only for overnight lodging, and events and large gatherings, including weddings, banquets and personal or corporate events, are prohibited.[1]

Ads and postings

Show the city-issued permit number on every ad.[1] Post the permit number, your contact details, the maximum number of overnight guests, the trash, noise and parking rules and emergency information inside the unit.[1]

Parking and noise

Guests may use only the on-site parking tied to the approved unit,[1] and the city says street parking isn't permitted.[3] The city's STR guide gives quiet hours as 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM.[3]

Safety and insurance

Your application must acknowledge that the unit meets Fire and Building Code standards, with smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and adequate egress, and that you have valid insurance that explicitly covers short-term rental activity.[1] The city's FAQ repeats the insurance requirement.[4]

City occupancy tax

Escondido charges a 10% transient occupancy tax on the rent.[5] The guest pays it to the operator when the rent is paid.[5]

Registration and filing

Register with the city's Finance Department for a Transient Occupancy Registration Certificate and post it in a conspicuous place on the premises.[5] The certificate can't be transferred.[5] Monthly reports and payment are due by the last day of the month after the month you're reporting.[5]

Who collects

The city's FAQ says anyone paid for occupancy of 30 consecutive days or less counts as an operator, whether the unit is rented directly by the owner, through a local property manager or through a listing service.[7] If the operator fails to collect the tax, the operator owes the city the amount due.[7]

Records

Keep your records for four years, and have them at the premises or deliver them within one business day of a request.[1]

Fines

Fines are up to $1,000 for a first violation, up to $3,000 for a second within a year and up to $5,000 for a third or later one.[1] Each day a violation occurs counts as a separate violation.[1]

Revocation

The city can revoke a permit at once for running without the required licenses, leaving the permit number off an ad, advertising more guests than allowed, misstating facts on an application, using an ineligible unit or not remitting taxes.[1] A major violation can bring a one-year revocation, and you must reapply after it ends.[1]

Three strikes

Lower-level problems such as noise and disorderly conduct each count as a strike.[1] On the third strike within a year, the permit is subject to immediate revocation.[1]

Hotline

The city's enforcement phase began Jan 1, 2026, and it says unpermitted rentals face administrative and criminal enforcement.[3] Problems can be reported to a 24/7 STR hotline at 760-291-8173.[3]

Renewals and program end

File your renewal at least 30 days before it expires, or you may be placed on a wait list.[1] The permit lasts as long as your business license,[1] which the city says is valid for one year and must be renewed annually.[8] The ordinance expires three years after its July 1, 2025 effective date unless the council extends it.[1]