Is it legal to rent out a room without a permit in San Francisco, USA?

In San Francisco, the legality of renting out a room without a permit depends on several factors, including the duration of the rental and the type of property. For short-term rentals (less than 30 days), a permit is required under San Francisco’s Short-Term Residential Rental Ordinance. Hosts must register with the Office of Short-Term Rentals and ensure their property meets specific safety and insurance requirements. For long-term rentals, different regulations may apply, focusing more on landlord-tenant laws rather than short-term rental ordinances.

Trivia: San Francisco was one of the first cities to regulate short-term rentals like those offered through platforms such as Airbnb, largely due to concerns about the impact of these rentals on local housing markets and community dynamics.