Compton Permit Requirements Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

Compton's zoning code under Title 10 governs permitted land uses in each zoning district. Short-term rentals — defined as the rental of a dwelling unit or room for a period of fewer than 30 consecutive days — are not included in the list of permitted, conditionally permitted, or accessory uses for any residential zone (R-1 through R-4). Because no use permit pathway exists, there is no mechanism by which a property owner can obtain legal authorization to operate a short-term rental in a residential area.

This absence of an STR framework places Compton among the growing number of LA County cities that have effectively prohibited short-term rentals through zoning rather than through a specific STR ordinance. Unlike Los Angeles (which licenses and regulates home-sharing) or Long Beach (which has a registration program), Compton simply does not acknowledge short-term rentals as a residential use. Property owners who list their homes on platforms such as Airbnb or VRBO are operating in violation of the zoning code and are subject to code enforcement action.

The prohibition extends to all forms of short-term rental activity: entire-home rentals, single-room rentals, ADU rentals, and hosted stays where the owner remains present. There is no distinction between hosted and un-hosted rentals because the use itself is not recognized. Only hotels, motels, and transient lodging facilities operating in commercially zoned areas with a valid business license and Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) account may legally offer stays shorter than 30 days. Residents with questions should contact Compton's Community Development Department at (310) 605-5532.