Not as a short-term rental. As of October 2026, the City of Long Beach states that short-term rentals are not allowed in ADUs, and California law requires junior ADU rentals to be longer than 30 days. You can still rent your ADU to a tenant, including furnished stays that run longer than 30 days.
What does Long Beach say about ADUs and short-term rentals?
The city's short-term rental FAQ says state laws effective January 1, 2020 (AB 68 and AB 881) limit short-term rentals in ADUs, and that the city's own short-term rental ordinance bans them in ADUs. Platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo fall under these rules when the stay is short-term. Rules as of October 2026.
What does state law say about ADU rental terms?
As of October 2026, state law requires rentals of junior ADUs, and of ADUs built under the state's "by-right" category (Government Code §66323), to be for terms longer than 30 days. AB 1154, effective January 1, 2026, confirmed this for junior ADUs. For other ADUs, state law lets cities require rentals of 30 days or longer.
Can I rent my ADU for 30 days or more?
Yes. A standard lease, or a furnished medium-term stay that runs longer than 30 days, is allowed. That suits tenants such as students, people relocating for work, or family members. A longer-term tenant also means the usual California landlord-tenant rules apply.
Do I have to live on the property to rent out my ADU?
For a regular ADU, no. As of October 2026, state law bars cities from imposing owner-occupancy requirements on ADUs. For a junior ADU, the owner must live in the main home or the junior ADU only if the two share a bathroom.
Can ADU rent help me qualify for a mortgage?
Sometimes. Freddie Mac allows lease-documented ADU rental income on eligible one-unit primary residence purchase and no-cash-out refinance loans. As of October 2026, its fact sheet counts up to 75% of the lease amount, caps rental income at 30% of qualifying income, and excludes income from illegal ADUs. A permitted unit matters.
When does it depend?
It depends on the unit and the stay. Renting your main house short-term, while you live on the property, is a separate question handled by the city's short-term rental registration program; check its current rules before planning on it. Rules also change, so if short-term income is central to your plan, confirm with the city before you design.
Related
Sources, as of October 2026: City of Long Beach Short-Term Rental FAQs; California Government Code §§66315, 66323 and 66333; Best Best & Krieger summary of AB 1154 (2025); Freddie Mac ADU fact sheet.
Updated October 2026