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

El Monte's zoning code (Title 17) does not include short-term rentals among the permitted or conditionally permitted uses in any residential zoning district, including R-1 (single-family), R-2, R-3 (multi-family), and mobile home zones. This omission functions as a de facto prohibition: because short-term rentals are not listed, they are not allowed. There is no permit application, no licensing fee, and no registration portal for would-be STR hosts. The 30-consecutive-day minimum rental period applies to all residential rental activity throughout the city.

The prohibition extends to all forms of short-stay accommodations in residential zones, including renting an entire home, a single room, an accessory dwelling unit (ADU), or a converted garage. It applies whether or not the property owner is present during the guest's stay — there is no hosted rental exception. El Monte's predominantly residential neighborhoods, many of which feature densely built single-family and multifamily housing, informed the city's decision to maintain the prohibition rather than develop a regulated STR program.

Platforms such as Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com may still display El Monte listings, but these listings operate in violation of the zoning code. The city's Community Preservation Division monitors online platforms and investigates complaints about suspected short-term rental operations. Property owners who receive a notice of violation must immediately remove their listing and cease rental activity. Only properties in commercial zones that are licensed as hotels or motels and that maintain a Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) account may legally offer lodging for periods shorter than 30 days.