Vacation rentals in the Santa Ynez Valley: what is legal where

The rules at a glance

Short-term means

30 days or less in all three codes. A stay of 31 days or more is not a short-term rental

Solvang

Only in the Village Mixed-Use (VMU) district downtown, plus older permits kept by the same owner. Cap of 40 permits, then a waiting list

Solvang listings

Every ad must show the permit number and the maximum overnight occupancy

Buellton

"Short-term lodging units are prohibited in all residential zoning districts" (Municipal Code § 19.02.150)

Santa Ynez, Ballard, Los Olivos

Unincorporated county: whole-house short-term rentals only in certain commercial zones; homestays (owner or long-term tenant on the lot) in residential zones. Either needs a county permit

Los Alamos

Unincorporated county; the CM-LA mixed-use zone along the Bell Street corridor allows both

Bed tax

14% of the rent in Solvang, Buellton and the unincorporated county, charged to the guest

Where are short-term rentals legal?

It depends on who governs the address, not on the name in the listing. Solvang and Buellton are cities with their own codes. Santa Ynez, Ballard and Los Olivos are unincorporated townships, and so is Los Alamos, so Santa Barbara County's rules apply there. Lompoc and Santa Maria are separate cities and are not covered here.

The county's rules cover its Inland Area, which includes the valley. The rules were adopted on October 3, 2017 and took effect on October 1, 2018. The county's Coastal Zone has no short-term rental permit rules yet, though bed tax still applies there; the county has an interactive map to check whether an address is in the Coastal Zone.

Spotting a legal listing

• In Solvang, look for the permit number. The code requires every short-term rental ad to include the permit number and the maximum overnight occupancy on the permit. No number in the listing is a reason to ask before you pay. The house should also be downtown, in the Village Mixed-Use district.
• In Buellton, skip the houses. A house, apartment or room in a residential zone can't be rented for 30 days or less. For a short stay, book one of the Buellton hotels.
• Around Santa Ynez and Los Olivos, ask which permit it has. The county says it is illegal to advertise or rent in the Inland Area for 30 days or less without a Short-Term Rental or Homestay permit. A house in a residential zone can only be a homestay, which means the owner or a long-term tenant lives on the same lot while you stay. The county's Find My Zoning tool shows an address's zone.
• Expect 14% on top. The county tells operators to include the 14% transient occupancy tax in the amount charged to guests, and both city codes make the tax a debt owed by the guest.

Solvang guest limits and house rules

Two official Solvang sources disagree. The city's Short Term Rental Permits page still says no new short-term rental ordinance has been adopted. The municipal code, which that same page links to, lists Ord. 26-0390, adopted March 9, 2026, with the downtown-only rule and the 40-permit cap. This page follows the code for now. Renters and owners: confirm with the city's Planning Division (805-688-5575 ext. 220, planningdept@cityofsolvang.com; see the Community Development page) before you book or list.

Solvang's code (Municipal Code § 11-12-20) sets the guest count by bedrooms. Daytime guests are allowed only from 7am to 10pm.

• A contact near the rental must be reachable 24 hours a day and able to get to the house within 60 minutes of a complaint.
• Guests must follow the city's noise ordinance at all times.
• No short-term rentals in accessory dwelling units (ADUs and JADUs), live-work units, SB-9 units, affordable-housing units or RVs and trailers.
• For a rental where the owner doesn't live on site, the city notifies every owner and occupant within 300 feet when the permit is issued, with the contact information and the guest limit.

Group of more than 10? No Solvang rental can sleep you all, so book rooms instead: see Solvang hotels.

Rental or hotel?

The bed tax is 14% either way, so it shouldn't decide anything. These things should:

• You want a kitchen. You don't need a house. WorldMark Solvang has two-bedroom condos with full kitchens, Hotel Ynez has a Kitchen Deluxe King, and the Royal Copenhagen Inn has family lofts. Visit Solvang lists 18 hotels and 11 vacation rentals; see the rentals section of our Solvang hotels guide.
• You want to walk to dinner. A legal Solvang rental is almost always in the Village Mixed-Use district downtown, so it is walkable, the same as the village hotels.
• You want vines out the window. In the county, a whole-house rental needs commercial zoning, so out among the vineyards look at homestays or a winery's own cottage. Our stay at a winery guide has the ones that publish rates.
• You're bringing the kids. Flying Flags in Buellton has cabins and vintage trailers with pools, and Lake Cachuma rents yurts: see camping and RV parks and our 2-day plan with kids.

Thinking of renting your place?

Start with the zone, then the permit, then the tax. In Solvang the 40-permit cap fills on a first-come, first-served basis, with a waiting list after that, and a permit lasts 12 months; renewal requires at least 30 stays in the past permit year, checked against bed tax filings. In the unincorporated county, the Planning & Development short-term rental page lists which zones allow each permit, and the Treasurer-Tax Collector wants a Transient Occupancy Registration Certificate within 30 days of starting. In Buellton's residential zones, the answer is no.

Good to know

Are Airbnbs legal in Solvang? Only some. Solvang allows short-term rentals of 30 days or less only in its downtown Village Mixed-Use district, plus older permits kept by the same owner, and caps permits at 40 citywide. Every listing must show its permit number and maximum overnight occupancy, so look for both. That is the municipal code (Ord. 26-0390, March 9, 2026); the city's short-term rental web page still says no new ordinance has been adopted, so confirm with Solvang's Planning Division at 805-688-5575 ext. 220 before you book or list.

Can you rent a house in Buellton for a weekend? Not in a residential neighborhood. Buellton's municipal code says short-term lodging units, meaning stays of 30 consecutive days or less, are prohibited in all residential zoning districts, and that covers part of a house too. Book a Buellton hotel instead.

What is the hotel tax in Solvang and Buellton? 14% of the rent in both cities, and the same 14% in the unincorporated county around Santa Ynez, Los Olivos and Los Alamos. In Solvang and the county, permitted short-term rentals and homestays owe it as well as hotels, and it is charged to the guest.

How many guests can stay in a Solvang vacation rental? Solvang's code sets overnight guests by bedrooms: 2 in a studio, 4 in one bedroom, 6 in two, 8 in three and 10 in four or more. Extra daytime guests are allowed from 7am to 10pm, up to 5 for the largest homes.

Do you need a permit to rent out a house in Santa Ynez? Yes. Santa Ynez is unincorporated, and the county says it is illegal to advertise or rent property in the Inland Area for 30 days or less without a Short-Term Rental or Homestay permit. In a residential zone only a homestay is possible, and you also need a bed tax registration certificate.

Nearby: eat, taste, stay

• Solvang hotels: condos and lofts: Kitchens and family lofts in hotels
• Buellton hotels: Where to stay instead of a house
• Santa Ynez hotels: Inns around the township
• Los Olivos hotels and rentals: A family-run chalet and two cabins
• Stay at a winery: Vineyard cottages with published rates
• Camping and RV parks: Cabins, trailers and yurts

Quick answers

What is a homestay in Santa Barbara County?

A short-term rental of 30 days or less where the owner or a long-term tenant lives on the same lot during the guest's stay. In the county's Inland Area, homestays are allowed in residential zones with a Homestay permit, while whole-house short-term rentals are limited to certain commercial zones.