El Dorado County · checked 2026-09-13
Can you BnB it in South Lake Tahoe?
RestrictedSouth Lake Tahoe requires a city vacation home rental permit and caps permits in residential areas at 900, with a first come waitlist and a 150 permit monthly issuance limit. A permit does not follow the property at sale except to an existing co-owner or a family trust, so a buyer files a new application, and renters must be 25 or older.
The rules, with their sources
Permit or licenseA permit or license is required before operating.L13.50.380 · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Hosted onlyThe code does not limit rentals to hosted stays.L1City Code Chapter 3.50, Article V Vacation Home Rentals, sections 3.50.370 to 3.50.460; Ord. 1114 sec. 3; Ord. 1200 sec. 1; Ord. 1203, 3-24-2026. · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Primary residenceThe code does not require the rental to be the operator's primary residence.L1City Code Chapter 3.50, Article V Vacation Home Rentals, sections 3.50.370 to 3.50.460; Ord. 1114 sec. 3; Ord. 1200 sec. 1; Ord. 1203, 3-24-2026. · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Permit capPermits are capped at 900.L13.50.380 · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Caps and limitsThe total number of vacation home rental permits issued in residential areas shall not exceed 900 (3.50.380); the Tourist Core Area Plan area is outside the residential-area cap. Waitlist maintained in the order applications are deemed complete; no lottery; the city issues no more than 150 permits per month (3.50.390). Multifamily dwelling units are restricted; condominiums may operate unless their HOA prohibits it under Civil Code 4741.L13.50.380 · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Transfer when the home sellsPermits do not transfer between properties or owners. Exceptions: a permit may be transferred to another owner of the same vacation home rental if the transferee was already an owner when the application was submitted, and transfers into family trusts for estate planning are allowed (3.50.370/3.50.380 as read). Otherwise, upon change of ownership an initial vacation home rental application must be submitted, subject to the 900 residential cap and waitlist. No waiting period in days was found.L13.50.380(C) · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Read the code text →
In the city's own words
3.50.380“It shall be unlawful for any person or entity to rent, maintain, facilitate, advertise or list a dwelling unit as a short-term rental without a valid vacation home rental permit.” source
3.50.380“The total number of vacation home rental permits issued in residential areas shall not exceed 900.” source
3.50.380(C)“a permit may be transferred from one owner of a vacation home rental to another owner of the vacation home rental as long as the transferee was an owner of the vacation home rental at the time the vacation home rental application was submitted” source
3.50.370“the rent or rental of an entire dwelling unit by the owner or agent to another person or group of persons for occupancy, dwelling, lodging, or sleeping purposes for a period of less than 30 consecutive calendar days.” source
Citation: City Code Chapter 3.50, Article V Vacation Home Rentals, sections 3.50.370 to 3.50.460; Ord. 1114 sec. 3; Ord. 1200 sec. 1; Ord. 1203, 3-24-2026.
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How this page was verified
Verified from the municipal code (level 1), checked on 2026-09-13 by the CanIBnB research desk. Research is AI assisted and human reviewed; the method, the level system, and the re-check schedule are on the How we verify page. If anything here is wrong, report it and it goes in the public corrections log.