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

Moorpark's short-term rental regulatory framework prioritizes registration, tax compliance, and behavioral conduct over imposing a ceiling on how many nights a unit may be rented in a calendar year. Unlike larger coastal cities in Ventura County and Southern California — such as Santa Monica, which bans unhosted rentals, or Los Angeles, which caps unhosted rentals at 120 nights per year — Moorpark allows holders of a valid Short-Term Rental Permit to rent their property throughout the year without restriction on the number of rental nights. This approach reflects the city's small and relatively low-controversy STR market: Moorpark lacks the beachfront tourism draw of coastal communities and has a more stable residential neighborhood character in its foothills and valley-floor subdivisions.

To operate legally, STR hosts in Moorpark must obtain a Short-Term Rental Permit and a city Business License from the Community Development and Finance departments before listing on any platform. The city's Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) ordinance requires hosts to collect the applicable TOT rate on all rental income from stays of 30 consecutive days or fewer and remit the collected tax to the city on the schedule prescribed by the Finance Department. Online booking platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO may have agreements with the city to facilitate TOT collection on behalf of hosts, but the host retains legal responsibility for ensuring full compliance. Maximum guest occupancy is established at the time of permit issuance based on the number of bedrooms and the property's parking and infrastructure capacity, generally set at 2 persons per bedroom plus up to 2 additional occupants.

Although Moorpark imposes no annual night cap, operational requirements function as practical constraints on problem properties. Hosts are responsible for ensuring their guests comply with the city's noise ordinance — which requires quiet after 10 PM — as well as on-street parking regulations and solid waste rules. Guest violations may be attributed to the host as permit holder for enforcement purposes. Accumulated nuisance complaints at a registered STR address can lead to permit suspension or non-renewal, effectively ending rental activity at that property. Moorpark residents in HOA-governed communities should also consult their CC&Rs, as private deed restrictions may prohibit or further limit short-term rentals beyond what city rules require.