Newport Beach allows short-term lodging only under a city permit system with a hard cap. The city limits active permits to 1,550 at any time. No new permits are being issued at this time until active permits fall below 1,550. You must check your address and permit status before you advertise or host.
BnBGenius answers guest messages on Airbnb and VRBO 24/7.
The owner keeps the permit, business license, advertising duties and city tax work. Any required local people and local rules stay the owner’s responsibility.
The city’s own definition of short-term lodging sets the scope of these rules.
“The City of Newport Beach defines short-term lodging as the rental of a residential unit for thirty (30) consecutive days or less. This also includes home sharing.”
What this means for you: The rule covers rentals of thirty consecutive days or less. It also covers home sharing in your own home. Stays longer than that fall outside this definition.
The city also caps how many permits can be active at one time.
“Yes – the maximum number of active short term lodging permits is limited to 1,550 at any time.”
Source: Permit cap
What this means for you: Only 1,550 permits can be active at any time. The cap applies citywide rather than to each owner.
The city states whether new permits are being issued right now.
“No new permits are being issued at this time until the number of active permits is below 1,550 active permits.”
Source: No new permits at present
What this means for you: No new permits are issued at this time. Issuing resumes only when active permits drop below 1,550. The city has not promised a date for this. A pending application is not permission to host.
What Is Restricted in Newport Beach
The city lists the zones where short-term lodging requires permits and the length threshold that triggers them.
“Any owner or agent renting a residential property in a R-1.5, R-2 or RM Zone for thirty (30) consecutive days or less required to apply for a Short Term Lodging Permit and a business license.”
Source: Zones and required permits
What this means for you: The rule applies in R-1.5, R-2 and RM zones. It covers rentals of thirty consecutive days or less. Owners or agents must apply for a lodging permit and business license. The city FAQ says to apply for these permits. Do not assume every zone allows rentals by right.
How to Check Your Address and Permit Path
The city provides an address lookup, and the 1,550 active permit cap governs new permits. New permits are not issued until active permits fall below 1,550.
“You can enter the address of any property in the City here to determine if the property can be used for short-term lodging.”
Source: Address check
What this means for you: Enter your property address in the city tool. The tool tells you if the property can be used for short-term lodging. Check this before you advertise or book guests.
The city FAQ also answers whether a permit can be transferred.
“Yes. For more information on transferring a short term lodging permit.”
Source: Permit transfer possible
What this means for you: The city says a permit transfer may be possible. It points to more city information for details. The city has not published transfer conditions, timelines or fees here. Do not assume a transfer creates new capacity under the cap.
What the City Requires Where Rentals Are Allowed
For short-term lodging of 30 consecutive days or less, standard permit conditions must be followed at all times. The city may also add property-specific conditions.
“Each short term lodging permit has a standard list of conditions that must be adhered to at all times. Additionally, a permit can be conditioned to address any problems or concerns specific to the property.”
Source: Standard and property conditions
What this means for you: Every permit has a standard list of conditions. You must follow these conditions at all times. The city can also add conditions for problems specific to your property. Read your own permit and follow each condition.
If your property is in a homeowners association, the city places the check on you.
“It is up to the owner as a member of the association to review their CC&R’s and to follow up with the HOA prior to advertising or applying for licenses and permits.”
What this means for you: You must review your CC&Rs as an association member. You must also follow up with your HOA first. Do this before you advertise or apply for licenses and permits.
Taxes
The city requires permit holders to pay a transient occupancy tax.
“Yes, the City requires all short term lodging permit holders to pay a transient occupancy tax . The transient occupancy tax is 10% of the lease amount.”
Source: City TOT
What this means for you: All short term lodging permit holders must pay this city tax. The city tax is 10% of the lease amount.
Airbnb and Vrbo both publish general tax responsibility help for hosts. The Airbnb California tax page and the Vrbo California table were checked. Neither list shows a Newport Beach city-specific entry. This absence does not prove either platform does not collect at your address. Use the general responsibility quotes and check your own listing settings.
| Platform | Host responsibility quote | What the quote means |
|---|---|---|
| Airbnb | “Hosts may need to manually collect and remit other applicable taxes on their stay or experience price.” (Source: Airbnb owner tax responsibility) | Hosts may need to manually collect and send in other applicable taxes. Those taxes may apply to the stay or experience price. |
| Airbnb | “If we collect taxes for your area, you’ll see a tax collection setting on the page. If there isn’t a section for local tax collection under Taxes , we don’t automatically collect and pay on your behalf for that listing.” (Source: Airbnb listing tax setting check) | Check your listing’s Taxes page for a local tax collection setting. If that section is missing, Airbnb does not automatically collect and pay for that listing. |
| Vrbo | “You’re also responsible for collecting and remitting lodging taxes when we’re not liable to do so.” (Source: Vrbo owner tax responsibility) | You are responsible for collecting and sending in lodging taxes when Vrbo is not liable to do so. |
What this means for you: Each quote keeps both duties, collecting and sending in. Check your own listing settings before you assume a platform collects. The checked lists do not establish city-specific collection for this page.
If Your Address Qualifies: What BnBGenius Does
This section is for an owner who checked the address and local permit rules with the city. BnBGenius does not know local rules and does not issue licenses or permits. The local permit, advertising duties, tax work and required local people remain the owner’s responsibility. The owner checks every stay against local rules.
Answers Guest Messages on Airbnb and VRBO 24/7
BnBGenius answers guest messages on Airbnb and VRBO 24/7.
Requests a Review from the Guest and Publishes the Host’s Review
BnBGenius requests a review from the guest and publishes the host’s review.
Kent Morgan shared this about reviews:
“We went from reviewing 40% of stays to 100% overnight. The AI even thanked guests for things we fixed mid-stay. Our review-to-review rate jumped immediately.”
Source: Kent reviews
Creates Cleaning and Repair Tasks After Checkout
BnBGenius creates cleaning and repair tasks after checkout.
Kent Morgan shared this about tasks:
“We used to find out about issues in post-stay reviews. Now BnBGenius flags them mid-stay, creates the task, and our cleaners respond in under 15 minutes.”
Source: Kent tasks
Answers Guest Calls with a Voice AI Agent
BnBGenius answers guest calls with a voice AI agent.
Kent Morgan shared this about voice:
“The concierge answered 84% of our after-hours calls last month without waking anyone up. Guests thought it was our in-house team the whole time.”
Source: Kent voice
Sells Gap Nights, Early Check-in and Late Checkout
BnBGenius sells gap nights, early check-in and late checkout.
Is Run from Telegram
BnBGenius is run from Telegram.
Airbnb and VRBO
This table compares what the product does and what the owner keeps. It is an editorial comparison, not new platform claims.
| Area | Airbnb | VRBO |
|---|---|---|
| Guest messages | BnBGenius answers guest messages on Airbnb and VRBO 24/7. The owner follows city permit and advertising rules. | BnBGenius answers guest messages on Airbnb and VRBO 24/7. The owner follows city permit and advertising rules. |
| Reviews | BnBGenius requests a review from the guest and publishes the host’s review. The owner follows permit conditions at all times. | BnBGenius requests a review from the guest and publishes the host’s review. The owner follows permit conditions at all times. |
| Check-in and checkout | BnBGenius sells gap nights, early check-in and late checkout. The owner checks each stay against local rules. | BnBGenius sells gap nights, early check-in and late checkout. The owner checks each stay against local rules. |
| Listing details and control | BnBGenius is run from Telegram. The owner keeps the permit and business license current. | BnBGenius is run from Telegram. The owner keeps the permit and business license current. |
The Airbnb automated messages guide is available here.
The VRBO automated messages guide is available here.
The late night messages guide is available here.
The reviews guide is available here.
The tasks guide is available here.
The voice guide is available here.
The Telegram guide is available here.
The Airbnb PMS guide is available here.
The accounting and tax software guide is available here.
How to Start
Rules and rates last checked on 23 October 2026.
