https://regulations.comparent.com/regulations/california/san-diego/ Recent short-term rental regulatory updates for San Diego, CA. Fri, 05 Jun 2026 22:16:30 GMT https://regulations.comparent.com/regulations/california/san-diego/ The first Tier 3 lottery in 2023 was heavily oversubscribed, with far more applicants than available permits. Many longtime operators who had operated legally under prior rules did not receive a license. Legal challenges from unsuccessful applicants alleged procedural irregularities in the lottery process. The city defended the process and subsequent lotteries have proceeded. Tue, 15 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMT california-san-diego-2023-08-15 https://regulations.comparent.com/regulations/california/san-diego/ San Diego's City Council approved a four-tier STR licensing system effective July 2023. Tier 1 covers hosted home-sharing (host present); Tier 2 covers primary-residence whole-home rentals when the host is away (limited nights); Tier 3 covers non-primary-residence whole-home rentals, capped at roughly 1% of the city's total housing units via annual lottery; and Tier 4 is a legacy status for Mission Beach properties. The transition was contentious, with thousands of operators losing the ability to legally operate. Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT california-san-diego-2023-07-01 https://regulations.comparent.com/regulations/california/san-diego/ Mission Beach was granted a separate Tier 4 license category acknowledging the beach community's historic reliance on vacation rentals as a primary source of income. Tier 4 permits are not subject to the citywide 1% cap, providing somewhat greater stability for Mission Beach operators. This special status reflects the unique character of the community where vacation rentals predate modern STR regulation. Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT california-san-diego-2023-07-01