Fillmore Night Caps Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

Fillmore's approach to short-term rentals reflects the city's small-town, agricultural character and its limited housing supply. With approximately 16,000 residents and roughly 5,000 housing units, the conversion of even a small number of homes to vacation rentals could materially impact the local rental market. The city's zoning code does not list short-term rentals — defined as residential stays of fewer than 30 consecutive days — as a permitted or conditionally permitted use in any residential zone. This omission creates an effective blanket prohibition, as uses not listed in the zoning code are not allowed. Unlike cities such as nearby Ventura (which operates a registration and TOT-collection framework) or Santa Barbara (which caps unhosted rentals), Fillmore has not adopted a night-cap model or any regulatory pathway for residential short-term rentals.

This means Fillmore property owners have no legal mechanism to rent a home, ADU, guest house, or any residential unit for fewer than 30 consecutive days, regardless of how many nights per year they intend to do so. There is no hosted exception for renting a spare bedroom while the owner is present, no special event allowance during the Fillmore May Festival or other community celebrations, and no seasonal permit. The 30-consecutive-day minimum applies uniformly to all residential rental activity within the city limits. The only entities legally authorized to offer short-term lodging in Fillmore are commercially zoned hotels and motels, which must collect and remit the Transient Occupancy Tax.

Enforcement is complaint-driven, handled by Fillmore's Code Enforcement Division. Staff may investigate listings discovered on platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO. Property owners found operating an unlawful short-term rental receive a notice of violation and a compliance period — typically 30 days — to remove the listing and cease rental activity. Given Fillmore's small size and close-knit community, unlawful STR operations are often identified quickly through neighbor awareness and complaints.