What SB 346 Really Means for Cities and Counties

New California law Senate Bill 346 expands local agencies’ regulation and enforcement powers regarding short-term rentals (aka STRs).

Local governments across California have long grappled with enforcing transient occupancy taxes (“TOTs” or “hotel taxes”) on short‑term rentals facilitated through online marketplaces.

SB 346 — known as the Short-Term Rental Facilitator Act — offers new statutory authority to empower cities and counties to better monitor and ensure compliance.

With this bill, your agency can adopt ordinances requiring short-term rental (STR) facilitators — typically, online platforms connecting hosts and guests, such as Airbnb or Vrbo — to submit property details during designated reporting periods.

This includes:

• the assessor’s parcel number
• physical address (with ZIP+4)
• any additional unique location identifiers

The bill also mandates STR facilitators to include any local license number or TOT certification in their listings. The bill strengthens local power to identify non-compliant properties, enabling more efficient targeting of enforcement actions.

Most importantly, SB 346 expressly states that its provisions do not preempt local governments from enacting broader short-term rental regulations — ensuring that agencies retain full flexibility over zoning, occupancy limits, health and safety, and licensing policies designed for their communities.

In summation, SB 346 delivers a practical solution to long-standing enforcement barriers and boosts municipal revenue integrity for your agency’s future. The bill is a valuable tool for municipalities, counties, and public agencies to enhance oversight, promote compliance, and protect vital TOT revenues, without restricting flexibility. The most successful agencies will leverage it effectively by adopting well-crafted ordinances that require STR facilitators to provide information on their listings and then use this information for effective enforcement.

Civica Law has years of expertise in all aspects of regulation and enforcement of short-term rentals. If your agency needs assistance, contact one of our code enforcement attorneys.

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