Palomar Mountain, California

Palomar Mountain is an unincorporated community in San Diego County, so it is governed by county rules, not a city short-term-rental ordinance like the City of San Diego’s STRO license-and-lottery system that applies within city limits. The County of San Diego does not require a specific STR business license or operating permit to run a short-term rental in unincorporated areas. However, operators must register with the County Treasurer-Tax Collector and obtain a Transient Occupancy Tax Certificate, then collect an 8% TOT on stays of 30 days or fewer and remit it, generally quarterly. The county stood up a formal STR registration process on June 11, 2024, issuing registration numbers with reporting beginning July 1, 2024; the TOT certificate is a tax-registration requirement, not a cap-limited operating permit. There are currently no county-imposed annual night caps, owner-occupancy requirements, or primary-residence requirements for unincorporated STRs. Operators must still confirm their zoning allows short-term rental use and follow general county land-use rules. Enforcement in unincorporated areas is lighter than in incorporated cities and is classified as minimal. The county has signaled it is exploring additional STR regulations, such as guest limits and quiet-hours rules, so requirements could tighten; investors should confirm current status directly with the county before relying on this.