San Leandro Registration Rules Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

San Leandro's STR registration framework, established in Municipal Code Chapter 4-28, creates a comprehensive registration and tax compliance system designed to ensure that all short-term rental activity within the city is properly documented, taxed, and subject to the city's operational standards.

The registration process requires the following sequential steps. First, the operator must obtain a San Leandro Business License from the Finance Department. The Business License establishes the STR operation as a commercial activity and subjects it to the city's general business tax provisions. Second, the operator must register as a Transient Occupancy Tax collector with the Finance Department. San Leandro levies a TOT on all hotel, motel, and short-term rental stays of 30 days or fewer. The operator is responsible for collecting the TOT from each guest at the time of payment and remitting it to the City on a quarterly basis. Third, the operator must apply for and receive an STR Permit from the Community Development Department, which involves the application, safety inspection, and documentation requirements detailed in the permit requirements ordinance.

The TOT rate applies to the total rent charged for the accommodation, including cleaning fees and other mandatory charges, but excluding optional services. Operators who use platforms like Airbnb or Vrbo should verify whether the platform is collecting and remitting TOT on their behalf through a Voluntary Collection Agreement (VCA) with the City. If the platform does collect and remit the TOT, the operator must still register with the City but may not need to remit TOT separately for those platform-booked stays. For direct bookings or bookings through platforms without a VCA, the operator is solely responsible for TOT collection and remittance.

All listings on online platforms, websites, social media, and printed advertising must include the San Leandro STR permit number. Listings without a valid permit number are subject to removal requests from the City to the platform operator. The City has entered into information-sharing agreements with major booking platforms to verify that listed properties hold valid permits and to identify unpermitted listings.

Operators must maintain records of all rental transactions for a minimum of three years, including guest names, check-in and check-out dates, number of guests, total rent collected, and TOT collected and remitted. The Finance Department may audit STR operators to verify TOT compliance. Underpayment of TOT is subject to back taxes, interest, and penalties.

The registration process also requires operators to acknowledge and agree to the City's STR operational standards, including quiet hours compliance, maximum occupancy limits, parking requirements (at least one off-street parking space per rental unit), trash management, and the Good Neighbor Policy that must be provided to guests.