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California · El Dorado County

El Dorado County

county Restricted Verified · last verified 2026-07-15

Short-term / vacation rentals (rental of a dwelling unit for 30 consecutive calendar days or less) are permitted only in the unincorporated area of El Dorado County and only with a County-issued Vacation Home Rental (VHR) permit under El Dorado County Code Chapter 5.56. The chapter was originally adopted as Ord. 5135 (12-2-2020) and later consolidated/re-adopted (Ord. 5209); the county states there have been no changes to the VHR ordinance since 11/21/24. Non-hosted rentals require a VHR permit; hosted rentals (at least one primary owner resides and sleeps at the property during the stay) instead require a Hosted Home Rental (HHR) permit and are exempt from the VHR-permit provisions (Sec. 5.56.020). Density is tightly controlled: a hard cap of 900 VHR permits applies within the Lake Tahoe Basin portion of the unincorporated county, with a Planning & Building waiting list once the cap is reached (Sec. 5.56.055, Ord. 5135), and a county-wide rule prohibits any new VHR permit on a parcel within 500 feet of another parcel that already has a VHR permit (Sec. 5.56.056, added by Ord. 5146 sec. 1, dated 8-31-2021 in the codified ordinance history; reported effective 10-1-2021 per secondary reporting). The county confirms the 500-ft buffer 'remains in place' as of April 2026. One VHR is allowed per parcel and only a primary single-family residence, one unit of a duplex, or a single-unit condominium may be used (Sec. 5.56.090.A.6); VHRs are prohibited in accessory/second dwelling units, guest houses (except as hosted rentals), non-habitable/accessory structures, deed-restricted affordable/agricultural units, and in tents, yurts, or RVs (Sec. 5.56.020). Maximum overnight occupancy is two persons per permitted bedroom plus two additional persons per residence, with children five and under not counted (Sec. 5.56.090.A.1). Quiet hours are 10:00 p.m.-8:00 a.m. Escalating enforcement applies: fines not to exceed $500 / $750 / $1,000 for the 1st / 2nd / 3rd violation within any 18-month period (any additional violation up to $1,000), permit suspension of up to six months after at least 3 violations, and revocation after at least 4 violations on separate dates within any 18-month period (Sec. 5.56.140). Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) applies at 10% countywide plus an additional 4% (14% total) in the unincorporated Tahoe area (El Dorado County Code Sec. 3.28.030; the +4% Tahoe surcharge was voter-approved as Measure S in November 2022). Current fees (county VHR/HHR Division page, updated April 2026): new VHR $564.00, VHR renewal and new HHR $282.00, VHR/HHR sign $20.83, waitlist $141.00, plus a $31.00 technology surcharge on new/renewing VHR applications, a $71.00 permit-modification fee (local-contact changes), and a size-based fire-safety inspection fee.

Not legal advice. Last verified 2026-07-15 · sources linked below.

Requirements checklist

  • county Vacation Home Rental (VHR) Permit Required
    Fee: $564 / per new permit (application) · Renewal: Annual renewal fee $282.00; permit is not transferable and becomes void upon sale/transfer of the property (Sec. 5.56.050). Fire-safety inspection required with a new permit and every two years thereafter. · Applies to: Any owner renting a dwelling unit (primary single-family residence, one unit of a duplex, or a single-unit condominium) for 30 consecutive calendar days or less in the unincorporated area, other than hosted rentals. · official page ↗
  • county Hosted Home Rental (HHR) Permit Conditional
    Fee: $282 / per new permit · Renewal: HHR renewal $282.00 per county fee page. · Applies to: Hosted rentals - a rental property at which at least one of the primary owners resides and sleeps during the rental period (rental of a bedroom/bedrooms within a house, or of a guest house). · official page ↗
  • county Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Registration Certificate Required
    Fee: — · Renewal: — · Applies to: Every operator of any facility (including a vacation home rental) renting occupancy to transients in the unincorporated areas of El Dorado County. · official page ↗
  • county County Business License Required
    Fee: — · Renewal: — · Applies to: The separate business of operating a vacation home rental, unless expressly exempt from the business-license requirement under this Code. · official page ↗
  • county Certified Local Contact Required
    Fee: $71 / per modification · Renewal: Once certified, the local contact is not required to be re-certified but must remain compliant with Sec. 5.56.130 to stay certified. · Applies to: Every VHR; a designated local contact available 24 hours per day, seven days per week while the property is rented, who must abate a nuisance within 30 minutes of notification and has passed a County-administered certification test. · official page ↗
  • county Fire and Life Safety Inspection Required
    Fee: — · Renewal: Required with a new permit and every two years thereafter. · Applies to: Every VHR prior to permit issuance; conditions subject to inspection. · official page ↗
  • county Interior/Exterior Signage and Listing Disclosures Required
    Fee: $20.83 / per sign · Renewal: — · Applies to: Every VHR must post interior and exterior signage and include the VHR permit number, maximum occupancy, quiet hours, and TOT certificate number in all online advertisements and listings. · official page ↗

Taxes

TaxRateAdministered byAirbnb remitsVrbo remits
Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) - base 10% — — —
Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) - Tahoe area surcharge (Measure S) 414% — — —

Lodging-tax estimator

Estimate the combined transient/lodging tax (~424.0%) on a stay in El Dorado County. Estimate only — not tax advice.

Operating rules

Primary residence
—
Min stay (nights)
0
Max nights / year
—
Max occupancy
—
Zoning-restricted
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Cap on licenses
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Frequently asked questions

Is Airbnb legal in El Dorado County?
Short-term / vacation rentals (rental of a dwelling unit for 30 consecutive calendar days or less) are permitted only in the unincorporated area of El Dorado County and only with a County-issued Vacation Home Rental (VHR) permit under El Dorado County Code Chapter 5.56. The chapter was originally adopted as Ord. 5135 (12-2-2020) and later consolidated/re-adopted (Ord. 5209); the county states there have been no changes to the VHR ordinance since 11/21/24. Non-hosted rentals require a VHR permit; hosted rentals (at least one primary owner resides and sleeps at the property during the stay) instead require a Hosted Home Rental (HHR) permit and are exempt from the VHR-permit provisions (Sec. 5.56.020). Density is tightly controlled: a hard cap of 900 VHR permits applies within the Lake Tahoe Basin portion of the unincorporated county, with a Planning & Building waiting list once the cap is reached (Sec. 5.56.055, Ord. 5135), and a county-wide rule prohibits any new VHR permit on a parcel within 500 feet of another parcel that already has a VHR permit (Sec. 5.56.056, added by Ord. 5146 sec. 1, dated 8-31-2021 in the codified ordinance history; reported effective 10-1-2021 per secondary reporting). The county confirms the 500-ft buffer 'remains in place' as of April 2026. One VHR is allowed per parcel and only a primary single-family residence, one unit of a duplex, or a single-unit condominium may be used (Sec. 5.56.090.A.6); VHRs are prohibited in accessory/second dwelling units, guest houses (except as hosted rentals), non-habitable/accessory structures, deed-restricted affordable/agricultural units, and in tents, yurts, or RVs (Sec. 5.56.020). Maximum overnight occupancy is two persons per permitted bedroom plus two additional persons per residence, with children five and under not counted (Sec. 5.56.090.A.1). Quiet hours are 10:00 p.m.-8:00 a.m. Escalating enforcement applies: fines not to exceed $500 / $750 / $1,000 for the 1st / 2nd / 3rd violation within any 18-month period (any additional violation up to $1,000), permit suspension of up to six months after at least 3 violations, and revocation after at least 4 violations on separate dates within any 18-month period (Sec. 5.56.140). Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) applies at 10% countywide plus an additional 4% (14% total) in the unincorporated Tahoe area (El Dorado County Code Sec. 3.28.030; the +4% Tahoe surcharge was voter-approved as Measure S in November 2022). Current fees (county VHR/HHR Division page, updated April 2026): new VHR $564.00, VHR renewal and new HHR $282.00, VHR/HHR sign $20.83, waitlist $141.00, plus a $31.00 technology surcharge on new/renewing VHR applications, a $71.00 permit-modification fee (local-contact changes), and a size-based fire-safety inspection fee.
Do I need a license or registration for a short-term rental in El Dorado County?
Yes — El Dorado County requires: Vacation Home Rental (VHR) Permit; Hosted Home Rental (HHR) Permit; Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Registration Certificate. See the requirements checklist for fees, renewal, and official links.
What taxes apply to short-term rentals in El Dorado County?
Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) - base (10%), Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) - Tahoe area surcharge (Measure S) (414%) — roughly 424.0% combined. Use the lodging-tax estimator on this page for a specific stay.

Official sources

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Informational summary of publicly available sources; not legal advice. Verify against the linked official sources.