Manhattan Beach Short-Term Rentals: Legal in the Coastal Zone, Banned Everywhere Else

Published August 10, 2026

Manhattan Beach bans rentals under 30 days in residential zones, but a 2022 Court of Appeal ruling carved out the Coastal Zone. Here is what the rule actually says, what the city can subpoena, and what you owe in transient occupancy tax.

The short answer

Manhattan Beach prohibits renting a home, unit, or room for less than 30 consecutive days in residential zones, with one exception: properties inside the city's Coastal Zone. That exception exists because of a 2022 Court of Appeal ruling, not because the city wanted it. Coastal Zone operators still need a business license and still owe 14% transient occupancy tax.

Last verified: August 10, 2026

What the ordinance actually prohibits

The rule lives in Manhattan Beach Municipal Code Chapter 4.88, "Transient Uses Including Short-Term Rentals." MBMC 4.88.010 defines a transient use as renting or leasing a single-family or multi-family dwelling unit for a period of less than thirty days.

MBMC 4.88.020 then makes three separate things unlawful in residential zones, "except with respect to properties located within the City's Coastal Zone":

• Offering or renting a dwelling, unit, or room for less than 30 consecutive days
• Occupying one on those terms
• Maintaining any advertisement for one

Read that third item twice. The listing itself is the violation. You do not need a guest in the house to be out of compliance outside the Coastal Zone. Current language comes from Ord. 19-0007 (eff. May 16, 2019) as amended by Ord. 22-0010 (eff. December 2, 2022).

Why the Coastal Zone is different

The carve-out traces to Keen v. City of Manhattan Beach (2022), a published Second District Court of Appeal decision issued April 6, 2022. The court affirmed an injunction blocking the city from enforcing its short-term rental ban inside the Coastal Zone.

The reasoning is narrow and worth understanding. The city's zoning code, as it existed before the ban, did not distinguish between short-term and long-term residential rentals. Because both were permitted, banning one changed the status quo, and under the California Coastal Act of 1976 that change qualified as an amendment to the city's local coastal program. Amendments require California Coastal Commission approval. The city did not have it.

So the Coastal Zone allowance is a consequence of process, not a policy the council chose. It stands until the Coastal Commission certifies something different.

Confirm your parcel before you list

There is no reliable street-by-street shorthand for the boundary. Check the parcel against the city's zoning map or the city's interactive GIS map, and keep a dated copy of what you pulled. If the property is a block on the wrong side of the line, everything below stops applying and the ban governs.

Hosting platforms, and what the city can demand

MBMC 4.88.030 puts duties on hosting platforms, and it applies "only with respect to properties outside the City's Coastal Zone." Platforms must disclose each listing in the city on a regular basis, including the responsible party, the address, the length of stay, and the price paid. They also may not complete booking transactions or collect fees for ancillary services on those properties. MBMC 4.88.040 gives an internet-only platform a safe harbor if it complies.

The provision owners tend to miss is MBMC 4.88.060(B). The city may issue and serve administrative subpoenas to obtain listing information, again including names, addresses, length of stay, and price paid per stay. A subpoena cannot require production sooner than 30 days from service, and the recipient may seek judicial review inside that window. Practically, this means enforcement does not depend on a neighbor filming your driveway. It can start with platform records.

Penalties under MBMC 4.88.060(A) are stacked. A violation is a public nuisance and a misdemeanor punishable under MBMC 1.04.010, though the City Prosecutor may charge it as an infraction instead. The city may also issue administrative citations under MBMC Chapter 1.06, in place of or in addition to other remedies. Courts may award attorney fees to the prevailing party in civil actions.

The tax side: 14%, and it is on you

Legal in the Coastal Zone does not mean untaxed. Manhattan Beach levies transient occupancy tax under MBMC Chapter 8.20 at 14% of rent, a rate set by Ord. 23-0007, adopted April 4, 2023 and effective July 1, 2023. That is still the rate as of this writing. A transient is anyone occupying for 30 consecutive days or less, which lines up exactly with the rental threshold in Chapter 4.88.

The tax is a debt owed by the guest, but the operator collects it at the time rent is paid and remits it to the city. Coastal Zone operators also need a business license through the city's Revenue Services Division before renting. If a platform collects tax on your behalf, that does not transfer the registration obligation.

What changed recently, and what did not

There was a real push to loosen this. On December 16, 2025, the City Council voted 3 to 2 to have staff draft a temporary ordinance allowing short-term rentals citywide during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. A community meeting followed on January 6, 2026. On January 20, 2026, the council voted 3 to 2 to drop the proposal.

The result: no temporary citywide allowance. The Coastal Zone exception and the ban everywhere else are the operating rules through the World Cup period.

FAQ

Can I rent my Manhattan Beach house for 30 days or more if it sits outside the Coastal Zone?

Yes. MBMC 4.88.020 reaches rentals of less than 30 consecutive days. A 30-day or longer tenancy is a conventional residential rental and falls outside Chapter 4.88 entirely. It also falls outside the transient definition in MBMC Chapter 8.20.

Is a listing that never gets booked still a violation outside the Coastal Zone?

Yes. MBMC 4.88.020(C) separately prohibits maintaining any advertisement for a stay of less than 30 consecutive days. Take the listing down rather than pausing it.

Does the Coastal Zone exception mean no permits are needed?

No. The exception addresses the zoning prohibition only. Coastal Zone operators still need a city business license and must collect and remit the 14% TOT under MBMC Chapter 8.20. Depending on the property, coastal permit requirements and any HOA or CC&R restrictions may also apply.

Could the Coastal Zone exception disappear?

It could. Keen held the ban was an unapproved amendment under the Coastal Act. If the city pursues and obtains California Coastal Commission certification of a conforming local coastal program amendment, the legal footing changes. Watch council agendas rather than assuming permanence.

Who enforces this, and how do they find out?

Code enforcement can act on complaints, but MBMC 4.88.060(B) also lets the city subpoena listing-level records, including addresses, stay lengths, and prices paid. Outside the Coastal Zone, platforms have standing disclosure duties under MBMC 4.88.030.

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This article is general information about Manhattan Beach ordinances as published, not legal or tax advice. Ordinances, fine schedules, and coastal program status change. Confirm your parcel's Coastal Zone status with the city and consult a licensed California attorney or CPA before listing, advertising, or relying on any of the above for your property.

Topics: Manhattan Beach, short-term rentals, coastal zone, MBMC 4.88, transient occupancy tax, California Coastal Act, property management, South Bay

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