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California · South Lake Tahoe

South Lake Tahoe

city Allowed with registration Needs review · last verified 2026-07-15

Short-term rentals (rentals of an entire dwelling for fewer than 30 consecutive calendar days, called "Vacation Home Rentals" / VHRs) are LEGAL in the City of South Lake Tahoe but require a city VHR permit to operate and/or advertise. The governing law is the Vacation Home Rental Ordinance 2026-1203, adopted by the City Council on second reading on March 24, 2026 (3-2 vote) and effective April 23, 2026, 12:00 am. This "cap ordinance" replaced the prior 150-foot buffer rule (Ord. 2025-1200, adopted June 17, 2025 / effective July 17, 2025 through April 22, 2026) with a hard cap of no more than 900 VHR permits in residential zones, with a waitlist once the cap is reached; all other zones (Tourist Core Area Plan / commercial / recreation) are NOT subject to a cap. This regulatory reopening of residential VHRs followed the March 13, 2025 El Dorado County Superior Court ruling (Judge Gary S. Slossberg) striking down the 2018 voter-approved Measure T in its entirety (the "permanent resident exception" was found unconstitutional under the Dormant Commerce Clause and not severable); the City Council voted April 1, 2025 (4-1) not to appeal. Key rules: a valid VHR permit is required; permits renew annually (within 30 days before expiration, SLTCC 3.50.400(B)); minimum renter age 25; multifamily dwellings are prohibited as VHRs while attached condominiums are eligible unless the HOA prohibits STRs; occupancy is limited by BOTH bedroom count and paved parking; no weddings/large parties. A separate "Hosted Rental" permit ($281) covers home-sharing where an entire dwelling is NOT rented. Lodging taxes: Transient Occupancy Tax is effectively 12% for VHRs (10% base + 2% Measure P since Jan 1, 2017; 14% at specific redevelopment properties), plus a $5.50/night SLT Tourism Improvement District fee on timeshares and agent-managed VHRs.

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

Requirements checklist

  • city Vacation Home Rental (VHR) Permit Required
    Fee: $548 / application · Renewal: Annual; must be renewed within 30 days prior to expiration (SLTCC 3.50.400(B)). Owner is responsible for renewal. · Applies to: Any rental of an entire dwelling (single-family residence or eligible attached condominium) for fewer than 30 consecutive calendar days. Multifamily dwellings are ineligible. · official page ↗
  • city On-site VHR / defensible space inspection Conditional
    Fee: $285 / per inspection · Renewal: — · Applies to: Required for VHR properties NOT within the Tourist Core Area Plan (i.e., residential-area VHRs) prior to permit issuance. There is no deadline to complete the inspection, but permits are issued first-come, first-served. · official page ↗
  • city Hosted Rental Permit Conditional
    Fee: $281 / application · Renewal: Required for every renewal period (annual application). · Applies to: Home-sharing / hosted rentals where an entire dwelling is NOT rented (host present). Regulated under City Code Section 6.55.295; a separate track from the VHR permit and not subject to the VHR (Measure-T-era) regulations. · official page ↗
  • city Local property manager (24/7 response) + monitoring Conditional
    Fee: — · Renewal: — · Applies to: Required for VHRs in residential areas / outside the Tourist Core Area Plan. The owner may serve as the property manager. Must maintain a 24/7 local contact number and be available to respond in person within 60 minutes, 24/7. Indoor noise and outdoor video monitoring devices are required in residential-area VHRs to alert the property manager in real time. · official page ↗
  • city Transient Occupancy Tax registration & filing Required
    Fee: — · Renewal: Ongoing; VHR owners file quarterly; tax remitted to the City by the 15th day of the month. · Applies to: All VHRs must assess and remit Transient Occupancy Tax and the SLT Tourism Improvement District fee. VHR owners file quarterly (forms sent Mar/Jun/Sep/Dec) via the City's online TOT portal. · official page ↗

Taxes

TaxRateAdministered byAirbnb remitsVrbo remits
Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) — — — —
SLT Tourism Improvement District (TID) Fee — — — —

Operating rules

Primary residence
No
Min stay (nights)
—
Max nights / year
—
Max occupancy
Occupancy is limited by BOTH (1) the number of paved parking spaces on the property AND (2) the number of bedrooms (both constraints apply, so the more restrictive governs). By bedrooms IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS: studio 2, 1-bd 2, 2-bd 4, 3-bd 6, 4-bd 8, 5-bd 10. By bedrooms OUTSIDE RESIDENTIAL AREAS (Tourist Core etc.): studio 4, 1-bd 6, 2-bd 8, 3-bd 10, 4-bd 12, 5-bd 14. By paved parking spaces: 1 space=4, 2=8, 3=12, 4=16, 5=20. For units with one or more bedrooms, up to five children aged 13 and under do not count toward the maximum (up to two children for studios).
Zoning-restricted
Yes
Cap on licenses
Yes - no more than 900 VHR permits in residential zones, with a waitlist established once the cap is reached (Ord. 2026-1203, adopted March 24, 2026 by 3-2 vote, effective April 23, 2026, 12:00 am). No cap outside residential zones.

Grandfathering: Applicants previously disqualified ('buffered out') by the old 150-foot buffer rule may reapply beginning April 23, 2026, 12:00 am (applications filed earlier are processed under the old buffer rules and denied). NEEDS REVIEW: the draft's claims of a permitting 'preference' for prior VHR/QVHR permit holders in good standing, a closed 'preferred application period,' and a prohibition on permit transfers except into a family trust for estate planning could NOT be confirmed against a primary source and are treated as unverified.

Zoning: It is unlawful to operate a multifamily dwelling unit as a VHR. Attached condominiums ARE eligible for VHR permits unless the applicable HOA prohibits short-term rentals. Residential zones (shown yellow on the City's Plan Area / VHR zoning map) are subject to the 900-permit cap; all other zones (Tourist Core Area Plan, commercial, recreation) are not capped. Timeshares are excluded from VHR regulation.

  • Minimum renter age is 25 to rent a VHR (verified).
  • Quiet hours: no noise and no hot tub/spa use between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. (verified).
  • Indoor noise + outdoor video monitoring required in residential-area VHRs (verified).
  • NEEDS REVIEW (not primary-source verified for the current 2026-1203 ordinance): no weddings/receptions/large parties or commercial activity; only one VHR per parcel; camping/sleeping in tents/RVs on a VHR property prohibited; bear-aware / animal-resistant trash storage mandatory.

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Frequently asked questions

Is Airbnb legal in South Lake Tahoe?
Short-term rentals (rentals of an entire dwelling for fewer than 30 consecutive calendar days, called "Vacation Home Rentals" / VHRs) are LEGAL in the City of South Lake Tahoe but require a city VHR permit to operate and/or advertise. The governing law is the Vacation Home Rental Ordinance 2026-1203, adopted by the City Council on second reading on March 24, 2026 (3-2 vote) and effective April 23, 2026, 12:00 am. This "cap ordinance" replaced the prior 150-foot buffer rule (Ord. 2025-1200, adopted June 17, 2025 / effective July 17, 2025 through April 22, 2026) with a hard cap of no more than 900 VHR permits in residential zones, with a waitlist once the cap is reached; all other zones (Tourist Core Area Plan / commercial / recreation) are NOT subject to a cap. This regulatory reopening of residential VHRs followed the March 13, 2025 El Dorado County Superior Court ruling (Judge Gary S. Slossberg) striking down the 2018 voter-approved Measure T in its entirety (the "permanent resident exception" was found unconstitutional under the Dormant Commerce Clause and not severable); the City Council voted April 1, 2025 (4-1) not to appeal. Key rules: a valid VHR permit is required; permits renew annually (within 30 days before expiration, SLTCC 3.50.400(B)); minimum renter age 25; multifamily dwellings are prohibited as VHRs while attached condominiums are eligible unless the HOA prohibits STRs; occupancy is limited by BOTH bedroom count and paved parking; no weddings/large parties. A separate "Hosted Rental" permit ($281) covers home-sharing where an entire dwelling is NOT rented. Lodging taxes: Transient Occupancy Tax is effectively 12% for VHRs (10% base + 2% Measure P since Jan 1, 2017; 14% at specific redevelopment properties), plus a $5.50/night SLT Tourism Improvement District fee on timeshares and agent-managed VHRs.
Do I need a license or registration for a short-term rental in South Lake Tahoe?
Yes — South Lake Tahoe requires: Vacation Home Rental (VHR) Permit; On-site VHR / defensible space inspection; Hosted Rental Permit. See the requirements checklist for fees, renewal, and official links.
What taxes apply to short-term rentals in South Lake Tahoe?
Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT), SLT Tourism Improvement District (TID) Fee. 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.