The City of Half Moon Bay’s new Short-Term Vacation Rental Ordinance went into effect August 10, 2023. The City Council established this Ordinance with community and Planning Commission input following several years of public meetings and hearings. The Ordinance was crafted to protect housing stock and encourage neighborhood preservation, while also allowing short-term rentals to continue to accommodate coastal visitors.

All short-term rentals must now be registered under the new Ordinance as follows:  

• New Short-Term Rental Operators: Registration under the new Ordinance is required before commencing operations.
• Existing Short-Term Rental Operators: Registration must be completed by the end of the six-month grace period, which is now in effect and will end in February, 2024. Existing Short-Term Rental operators are encouraged to start the registration process as soon as possible, and at least two months before the end of the grace period. 

City staff are available to provide assistance throughout the registration process and can advise applicants as they seek to comply with the Ordinance. Some existing short-term rentals may need to make adjustments to their operations, or discontinue, if they do not conform to the new Ordinance. Additional information can be found on the City’s Short-Term Rental webpage. Please contact Joe Butcher, Community Preservation Specialist, at 650-726-8285 or [email protected] for questions about the Ordinance, the registration process, or to report concerns about a short-term rental operation.