Curious about San Francisco short-term rental rules? Having trouble understanding the OSTR registration process? Get the basic breakdown from the Guesthop team. 

sf short term rental rules

Guesthop is a property management company specializing in Airbnb and short-term rentals in the Bay Area. We are all too familiar with the constantly-changing laws around home sharing. And yet, we’ve helped hundreds of homeowners in San Francisco prosper in spite of difficult legislation. 

While dealing with the Office of Short-Term Rentals (OSTR) in San Francisco is not exactly a walk in the park, you can get ahead of some common pain points by knowing what to expect and how to properly register your home.

We are not lawyers and we do not know your specific situation. Use this article as a general guide and entry point for your education on San Francisco home sharing rules. But please consult with your own counsel and the SF OSTR website for more pertinent information.

San Francisco Short-Term Rental Qualifications

These qualifications must be met in order to rent your home for the short-term in San Francisco:

  • It must be your primary residence. You must live there at least 275 days a year. 
  • You must have moved in at least 60 days prior to registering.

SF OSTR Time Limits

The San Francisco OSTR defines a short-term rental as a rental for less than 30 days.

It’s important to note that rentals for more than 30 days are not subject to SF OSTR regulations.

There are two types of short-term rentals:

  1. Hosted
    • Hosted means you are present during your guests stay. 
    • There is no limit to this type of hosting, you can rent year-round.
  2. Unhosted
    • Unhosted means you are not present during your guests stay.
    • This type of hosting is limited to 90 days per year. 

To Do’s for Future San Francisco Airbnb Hosts  

If everything above applies to your San Francisco home, then you can move on to getting your paperwork in order. You’ll need two certificates:

San Francisco home sharing rules can be confusing, but not impossible, to understand. We’ve helped so many homeowners reap the benefits of home sharing. Although it takes time and patience to go through all the legislation, it’s often worth it.

When you’re ready to share your space, review the guidelines above to get a head start. And reach out to us for all your management needs!

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