Short-Term Rental (STR) Permits

The City adopted STR regulations in 2023 to allow the issuance of new STRs. The regulations establish a permit cap of 115 in the Coastal Zone and a cap of 115 outside the Coastal Zone with a sub-cap of 60 for Non-Primary STRs. Once the cap is met the applications that did not receive a permit will automatically be placed on a waitlist.

STR Permit Application

STR Inspection Checklist

Coastal Zone STR Regulations & Outside Coastal Zone STR Regulations

View the March 1, 2023, recorded STR Application Workshop with Interested Parties.

If you would like to be added to our interested parties list, please email: str@danapoint.org.

To submit a nuisance complaint for an STR, please see our Submit an STR Complaint webpage.

Coastal Zone STR Program

• Cap – Maximum 115 permits applies to Non-Primary, Multi-Family, and Mixed Use Parcel STRs
• No Cap – Home Stay and Primary STRs are not associated with the STR cap
• Cap Adjustment – Each time a Home Stay and Primary STR Permit is issued, the 115 cap is reduced by one (1)
• Existing STR Permits  - 69
• Available new Permits – 46

Outside Coastal Zone STR Program

• Cap – Total Cap of 115 for all STR types
• Non-Primary Cap – Maximum of 60 Non-Primary STRs

Prioritization/Compatibility

STR types that are less likely to result in a nuisance, and can be easily monitored will receive permit prioritization, with priority for permit issuance in and out of the Coastal Zone as follows:

1.  Primary STRs and Home Stay STRs
2.  Multi-Family Homestays
3.  Mixed-Use Parcel STRs
4.  Non-Primary STRs

The City of Dana Point recently received approval from the California Coastal Commission (CCC) to establish regulations for and to permit new short-term rentals (STRs) within the City’s Coastal Zone.  The City honors the desires of each community’s decision to prohibit or allow STRs. To ensure the regulations of an association is recognized, applications for an STR permit shall include a letter from the HOA confirming STRs are permitted within the community.  Without HOA approval, the City will not issue the STR permit. 

In the course of approving the STR program, the CCC took the position that HOAs may only deny an STR if its rule for doing so is "legal."  Coastal's position is the result of two recent California appellate court decisions in Greenfield v. Mandalay Shores Community Association and Kracke v. City of Santa Barbara.  There are a number of ways an HOA's prohibition may be considered legal, including if the prohibition predates 1976 or if the HOA has a coastal development permit (CDP) authorizing the ban on STRs.  No action is required for HOAs that allow STRs.

The City’s approved Program does not explicitly require a Coastal Development Permit (CDP) to prohibit STRs.  But for those HOAs seeking to ensure the regulations are legally defensible, the City is offering a streamlined CDP process with a reduced fee of $500. 

HOA CDP Application Prohibiting STRs

Additional application submittal items include:

1. Excerpt of CC&Rs or Rules and Regulations where is identifies the number of days a unit must be rented.
2. HOA Board letter authorizing the submittal for the Coastal Development Permit to prohibit STRs.
3. $500 check made out to the City of Dana Point.

View the February 28, 2023, recorded Webinar with HOA representatives discussing the City’s streamlined Coastal Development Permit.

A list the permitted STRs and the owner/manager phone numbers are available in the link below to contact if you are having an issue at the STR property. STR Owner/Manager Contact List (link)

PERMIT DISTRIBUTION