Santa Clara County · Land use · Bed and breakfast
Where is a bed and breakfast allowed in Santa Clara County?
In Santa Clara County, a bed and breakfast is needs an use permit and architecture and site approval in 6 (A, AR, HS, RR, A1 and 1 more, 4 with a condition) and not allowed in 2 (Santa Clara County use tables, read October 2026).
Key points
- Needs a permit: A, AR, HS, RR, A1 and RS
- Not allowed: OS/F and SCA
Find your lot's zone on the city zoning map, then read its row. Every status below was read from the Santa Clara County Municipal Code use tables (read October 2026). Base zones only. General information, not legal advice — check with the city before you apply.
Zones where a bed and breakfast can go
Santa Clara County's code calls this use “Bed and Breakfast Inns”. Each row links to the use table it comes from. A zone marked “see note” has a condition in the code, for example upper floors only or a larger lot.
| Zone | Status | Code |
|---|---|---|
| A Exclusive Agriculture | Needs an use permit and architecture and site approval — see note Note 3: Bed and breakfast inns ancillary to on-site wineries, agricultural sales operations or other agriculturally related uses shall be subject to a special permit, in lieu of a use permit, provided they are situated within the primary residence on the property. Bed and breakfast inns are prohibited within the Los Gatos Hillside Specific Plan area, except as provided under the classification Historic Structures-Use Conversion. | § 2.20.020 |
| AR | Needs an use permit and architecture and site approval — see note Note 3: Bed and breakfast inns ancillary to on-site wineries, agricultural sales operations or other agriculturally related uses shall be subject to a special permit, in lieu of a use permit, provided they are situated within the primary residence on the property. Bed and breakfast inns are prohibited within the Los Gatos Hillside Specific Plan area, except as provided under the classification Historic Structures-Use Conversion. | § 2.20.020 |
| HS | Needs an use permit and architecture and site approval — see note Note 3: Bed and breakfast inns ancillary to on-site wineries, agricultural sales operations or other agriculturally related uses shall be subject to a special permit, in lieu of a use permit, provided they are situated within the primary residence on the property. Bed and breakfast inns are prohibited within the Los Gatos Hillside Specific Plan area, except as provided under the classification Historic Structures-Use Conversion. | § 2.20.020 |
| RR Rural Residential | Needs an use permit and architecture and site approval — see note Note 3: Bed and breakfast inns ancillary to on-site wineries, agricultural sales operations or other agriculturally related uses shall be subject to a special permit, in lieu of a use permit, provided they are situated within the primary residence on the property. Bed and breakfast inns are prohibited within the Los Gatos Hillside Specific Plan area, except as provided under the classification Historic Structures-Use Conversion. | § 2.20.020 |
| A1 | Needs an use permit and architecture and site approval | § 2.50.020 |
| RS | Needs an use permit and architecture and site approval | § 2.50.020 |
Zones where it is not allowed
What else applies
- Standards for this use: § 4.10.060 Bed and breakfast inns.
- Not covered here: Combining districts (-os, -sm, -h, -bw, -d1, -d2 etc.) can change allowed uses; Chapter 2.10 use classification definitions are not in the packet; Other base districts of the county outside Chapters 2.20-2.50, if any. Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.
Other uses in Santa Clara County
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a bed and breakfast in the A zone in Santa Clara County?
Only with an use permit and architecture and site approval. Santa Clara County's use table lists it that way in A (Exclusive Agriculture) (§ 2.20.020). The code adds a condition: “Bed and breakfast inns ancillary to on-site wineries, agricultural sales operations or other agriculturally related uses shall be subject to a special permit, in lieu of a use permit, provided they are situated…”
Can I have a bed and breakfast in the OS/F zone in Santa Clara County?
No. Santa Clara County's use table does not allow it in OS/F (§ 2.50.020).
General information, not legal advice.
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