Overview: Are Short-Term Rentals Allowed in Cambria, CA?

• Yes. Short-term rentals (STRs) are allowed in Cambria under San Luis Obispo County rules for the unincorporated coastal zone. Cambria falls within the County’s jurisdiction, not an incorporated city. The legal framework is the San Luis Obispo County Coastal Zone Land Use Ordinance (CZLUO) Section 23.08.165, “Residential Vacation Rentals,” which governs the use of an existing residence as a transient rental for fewer than 30 days.
• Key points:
  • Vacations rentals are “whole-home” rentals for fewer than 30 days and are subject to County approvals, local proximity standards, parking, occupancy, and noise controls.
  • Rentals of one room within a home (i.e., a homestay) are not processed as a “vacation rental” under Section 23.08.165; they follow a different commercial business zoning clearance process.
  • STRs are not permitted in ADUs, guesthouses, or farmworker housing (Agricultural Worker Housing), regardless of zoning.
  • Cambria’s “distance standards” are among the strictest in SLO County and must be verified at pre-application.
  • State-level restrictions: Under California Civil Code § 1946.2/1954.53 (2023), an owner/operator cannot evict or refuse to renew a tenant solely to convert the unit to an STR. Local ordinances still govern whether and how STRs may operate.
• Operational assumptions: This guide assumes a standard “whole-home” STR on a fee-simple parcel in Cambria within the County’s coastal zone, and that water/sewer is provided by a community system. If using private well/septic, confirm permitting with Planning & Building before proceeding.

How to Start a Vacation Rental Business in Cambria (Step-by-Step) The County uses a two-agency process: Planning & Building (zoning clearance/land use authorization) and the Tax Collector (business license and Transient Occupancy Tax certificate). Below is the coastal-zone procedure.

1. Confirm your property’s status

• Check if the parcel is in the County’s Coastal Zone using SLO County GIS (Land Use View). If your parcel is inland within unincorporated SLO County (outside the coastal zone), follow the inland vacation rental clearance process instead of the coastal process.
• Verify no Williamson Act restriction applies; if present, there is a separate “Willamson Act Vacation Rental Zoning Clearance” pathway in addition to the coastal process.
• Confirm STRs are allowed at the subject property: STRs are not allowed in ADUs, guesthouses, or Agricultural Worker Housing.

2. Pre-application: Verify STR eligibility under Cambria’s proximity rules

• Cambria STRs must satisfy location standards (distances from other STRs and visitor-serving accommodations) specified in CZLUO Section 23.08.165. Location standards may be modified only by a Minor Use Permit where allowed.
• Engage Planning & Building early to verify whether your site meets Cambria’s proximity standards or qualifies for a Minor Use Permit modification.

3. Business License pre-check with Tax Collector

• Contact the Tax Collector at (805) 781-5831 or by emailing the provided Tax Collector address (see Contact section) to initiate the business license process. Planning requires Tax Collector involvement, and Tax Collector staff will confirm the next steps before you proceed to application submittal.

4. Assemble the required documents You must prepare and upload the following to your PermitSLO application (see Apply section):

• Grant Deed.
  • If you are not the owner or an agent is applying, include a completed Land Use Consent of Property Owner Form.
• Site plan (hand-drawn is acceptable; not required to be to scale).
  • Show the structure proposed for a vacation rental and all parking spaces (garage, driveway, on-site).
• Floor plan (hand-drawn is acceptable; not required to be to scale).
  • Show all rooms and floors for the structure proposed for the vacation rental.
• Will-Serve Letter from the community water and sewer supplier.
• Completed Coastal Vacation Rental Certification Form.
• Notification letter using the County sample template.
  • Mail this to all property owners within 200 feet of the proposed STR and to: the County Sheriff’s Office, the local fire agency, and the local sheriff substation. Generate the 200-foot mailing list using SLO County GIS (Land Use View).
• Copy of the mailing list used to send notification letters.

5. Apply online through PermitSLO

• Submit a Vacation Rental Zoning Clearance application through the County’s PermitSLO portal.
• Upload all required documents (Step 4) before submitting.
• Staff will review for completeness and eligibility.

6. Pay the invoice

• After submittal, Planning staff will email a billing contact with an invoice.
• Pay the invoice via the PermitSLO portal. Applications are voided for non-payment after 15 days; a resubmittal would then be required.

7. Final approvals and licensing

• Once the Zoning Clearance is approved, the Tax Collector will mail the business license. You will also receive the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Certificate information and reporting instructions.

Ongoing renewals and compliance

• Business licenses expire after 12 months. If a license becomes inactive, a new Zoning Clearance is required to reactivate the STR. If the prior license is still active at the time of sale, a new owner may obtain a new license without a new Zoning Clearance. If the license has expired, the property must requalify and obtain a new Zoning Clearance.
• When a STR license is transferred to a new owner prior to expiration, the new owner can obtain a new license without re-verifying the full ordinance standards; after expiration, full requalification is required.

Required Documents, Permits, Licenses, and Guidelines

• County Zoning Clearance (Planning & Building, coastal zone)
• County Business License (Tax Collector)
• Transient Occupancy Tax Certificate (Tax Collector)
• Local proximity compliance per CZLUO 23.08.165 (Cambria-specific)
• Neighbor notification within 200 feet (mailing list generated via County GIS)
• Will-Serve Letter (community water and sewer)
• Local contact person designation and 24/7 response capacity

Specific Regulations for Short-Term Rentals (Cambria within SLO County Coastal Zone) Definitions and basic standards

• Residential Vacation Rental definition (CZLUO 23.08.165): The use of an existing residence (or a new residence that was built in conformance with residential standards) as a rental for transient use, not including the rental of the entire residence for 30 days or more.
• Tenancy limits: Rental of a residence shall not exceed four individual tenancies per calendar month (the first day of each tenancy determines the month).
• Occupancy: Maximum number of occupants is tied to on-site parking capacity and shall not exceed two persons per bedroom plus two additional persons. The Zoning Clearance will specify the maximum occupants.

Location standards (Cambria) and Minor Use Permit

• Cambria: Within all residential land use categories, no new STR shall be located:
  • 200 linear feet from a parcel on the same side of the street as the vacation rental;
  • 200 linear feet from a parcel on the opposite side of the street;
  • 150-foot radius around the vacation rental.
• Distances are measured between the closest property lines (existing STR/visitor-serving accommodation vs. proposed STR). These same standards apply to other visitor-serving accommodations (e.g., bed and breakfasts, homestays).
• Cambria’s location standards may be modified only through approval of a Minor Use Permit where allowed by ordinance. Confirm eligibility with Planning.

On-site parking

• All parking must be entirely on-site (garage, driveway, or otherwise out of the roadway).
• No on-street parking by STR guests is allowed at any time.

Appearance and neighborhood character

• STRs must not change the residential character of the building through colors, materials, lighting, or accessory structures visible off-site that are not architecturally consistent with the residence.
• No operation of equipment producing noise, dust, odors, or vibration beyond typical residential use (110/220-volt standard household current).

Signs

• Availability of the rental unit shall not be advertised on-site.

Traffic

• Vehicles and traffic generated by the STR must not exceed normal residential traffic volumes (interpreted as up to approximately 10 trips per day).

Noise

• Comply with County Noise Standards (Section 23.06.040 et seq.).
• Loud or unreasonable noise is prohibited if audible 50 feet from property lines, as determined by field observations from the County Sheriff or Code Enforcement.

Local contact person (property manager)

• Each STR must designate a local property manager available 24/7 to respond to tenant and neighborhood concerns. If the owner lives within the same urban/village area as the STR, the owner may self-designate.
• Notice requirements:
  • Before issuance of the business license, provide notice to: the County Sheriff’s Office, local fire agency, local sheriff substation, and all property owners within 200 feet.
  • The notice must include the local contact person’s name, address, and phone number and summarize key standards (parking, occupancy, and noise).
  • Provide a certification that notices were sent and a list of the property owners notified, to the Planning & Building Department.
• Posting and contract requirements:
  • Post the name, address, and 24/7 phone number(s) of the local contact person prominently inside the STR unit.
  • Post the parking, occupancy, and noise standards inside the unit and incorporate them into rental contracts.
  • Any change to the local contact person or contact information must be promptly furnished to the agencies and neighboring property owners.

Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT)

• Each STR unit is subject to County TOT regulations. The TOT Certificate number must be included in all STR advertising.

Complaints and enforcement

• Complaints should first be directed to the local contact person; if unavailable or unresponsive, contact the County Sheriff’s Dispatch.
• Three verified violations within any six-month period may result in revocation of the Zoning Clearance and Business License. Violations include:
  • Failure to notify County staff of contact person or contact information changes.
  • Violation of tenancy, occupancy, parking, or noise standards.
  • Inability of County staff or Sheriff Dispatch to reach the contact person.
  • Failure to respond to complaints.
• Revocation follows the same process as land use permit revocation in Section 23.10.160 of the CZLUO.

Prohibited locations and units

• STRs are not allowed in ADUs, guesthouses, or Agricultural Worker Housing.

Transient Occupancy Tax and Assessments (Countywide)

• The Tax Collector administers the County Business License and TOT certificate for unincorporated SLO County.
• As of the sources cited, a County Business License is required with an annual fee; confirm current fees with the Tax Collector.
• If your listing platform does not collect and remit taxes on your behalf, you must register to collect and remit TOT (and any other assessments) directly.

State-Level Regulations (California) Relevant to STRs

• Anti-displacement protections (Civil Code § 1946.2/1954.53, 2023): An owner/operator cannot terminate or refuse to renew a tenancy solely to convert the property to an STR. This does not change whether STRs are allowed locally; it restricts using STR conversions to displace tenants.
• Local primacy: California allows local governments to regulate or prohibit STRs. In Cambria, County rules govern; home-rule cities (e.g., Pismo Beach, Arroyo Grande) impose additional or different controls.

Local Authority Contacts (Cambria/County)

• SLO County Planning & Building (Permit Center)
  • Phone: (805) 781-5600
  • Main office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM (closed 12:00–1:30 PM for lunch; hours can vary)
  • Address: County Government Center, 1055 Monterey Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93408
  • Permits/Inspections: (805) 788-6602
  • PermitSLO portal (applications): see link below
• County Tax Collector
  • Phone: (805) 781-5831
  • Business License and TOT processing
  • Address: 1055 Monterey Street, Suite D290, San Luis Obispo, CA 93408
• County Sheriff (dispatch/non-emergency)
  • Main number via Sheriff Dispatch (for complaint escalation when the local contact person is unavailable): confirm current dispatch number with the Sheriff’s Office; the Planning page references directing complaints to the Sheriff when the contact person is unavailable.
• Local Fire Agency
  • The applicable fire agency is determined by your property’s location; include the fire agency in notifications and contact Planning if you need confirmation of the agency for your address.
• Online Mapping
  • Land Use View (GIS) for coastal zone verification and 200-foot radius mailing list: see link below

Source Pages (Links)

• SLO County Planning & Building: Coastal Vacation Rental Clearance (full process and application steps)
  • www.slocounty.ca.gov/departments/planning-building/how-to-apply-for-a-permit-in-unincorporated-slo-co/business-license-clearance/vacation-rental-zoning-clearance/coastal-vacation-rental-clearance
• SLO County Tax Collector: Vacation Rentals Licensing (business license and TOT overview)
  • www.slocounty.ca.gov/departments/auditor-controller-treasurer-tax-collector-public/tax-collector/services/licensing-vacation-rentals
• SLO County Coastal Zone Land Use Ordinance (CZLUO) Section 23.08.165 – Residential Vacation Rentals (Cambria proximity standards, occupancy, parking, noise, etc.)
  • library.municode.com/ca/san_luis_obispo_county/codes/county_code?nodeId=TIT23COZOLAUS_CH23.08SPUS_23.08.165REVARE
• SLO County GIS (Land Use View) – Coastal Zone and 200-foot radius mailing list generation
  • gis.slocounty.ca.gov/Html5Viewer/Index.html?configBase=https://gis.slocounty.ca.gov/Geocortex/Essentials/REST/sites/PL_LandUseView/viewers/PL_LandUseView/virtualdirectory/Resources/Config/Default&layertheme=12
• PermitSLO Portal – Apply for a Vacation Rental Zoning Clearance and pay invoices
  • sanluisobispocountyca-energovweb.tylerhost.net/apps/selfservice#/applicationAssistant?sectionName=All&moduleId=3&categoryName=Vacation%20Rental%20Clearance&showTemplates=false
  • Invoice Payment Portal: sanluisobispocountyca-energovweb.tylerhost.net/apps/selfservice#/payinvoice
• Planning Forms
  • Land Use Consent of Property Owner Form (if applicant is not the owner): www.slocounty.ca.gov/departments/planning-building/forms-documents/land-division-%28subdivision%29-forms-and-documents/sb-330-prelim