San Francisco requires the host to be a permanent resident of the unit and caps un-hosted STR at 90 nights/year. Registration with the Office of Short-Term Rentals is mandatory; building / HOA consent is also typically required.
San Francisco short-let rules at a glance
How San Francisco's rules shape the market
There are currently 4,543 active short-term-rental listings operating in San Francisco (of 7,405 total). Median occupancy across those is 36.2%. The median nightly rate is £194. At that rate, the 90-night cap puts a ceiling of about £17,491 a year on gross revenue for an uncapped-by-licence listing, against a market median of £27,276 for listings that trade all year.
FAQ
Do I need a license to run an Airbnb in San Francisco?
How many nights can I rent my Airbnb in San Francisco?
See San Francisco's income, occupancy, and neighborhood data
View market data →Your guests are texting right now
HostPal answers them on WhatsApp 24/7 — in 50+ languages, from your own house rules and guidebook. Emergencies get escalated to you; the WiFi password doesn't. Live in under 10 minutes, no PMS required.
Try HostPal free for 7 days →Source: https://sf.gov/topics/short-term-rentals · Last verified July 2026