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/STAY · LOCAL RULES · SAN BERNARDINO CO., CA

San Bernardino County short-term rental rules

Renting a house in the county's mountain or desert areas (outside any city) takes a county short-term rental permit. The county also spells out exactly what has to be posted inside. This page covers unincorporated county land only; a house inside a city follows that city's rules. In the City of Big Bear Lake? See Big Bear Lake's rules.

Checked on Nov 11 2026 against the official pages below

The three things to know

PERMIT

A county STR permit before you advertise or rent, renewed every year. Fees from July 1 2026: $1,144 new, $550 renewal with no changes. One permit on a lot under 2 acres, two owners max per permit holder, and the permit doesn't transfer when the house sells.

DOOR NOTICE

The permit and an exit/evacuation map on or next to the front door, plus a notice with 10 required items: address, 24-hour contact, most guests, most cars, snow removal, trash, utility shutoffs, emergency numbers, a no-disturbing-the-peace warning and a parking map.

TAX

7% county transient occupancy tax (the county code, checked Nov 11 2026). Register with the Treasurer-Tax Collector within 30 days of starting and post the TOT certificate. A platform that takes the payment collects it; otherwise you do.

Print the door notice

The county lists exactly what this notice must say (sec. 84.28.070(e)). Fill what you know; anything left empty prints as a line to write on. Two things you add by hand: a property map showing where guests may park, and the exit/evacuation map that goes by the front door with your permit.

Type what you know. Anything left empty prints as a line to write on, so it works as a blank form too. What you type stays on this phone.

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY SHORT-TERM RENTAL

Rental notice

Posted as required by San Bernardino County Development Code sec. 84.28.070(e).

    San Bernardino County Development Code sec. 84.28.070(e). Notice made free at headedin.com/stay/rules/san-bernardino-county/

    Prints one letter page. Post it somewhere guests can't miss, with your property/parking map. The county permit and an exit/evacuation map go on or beside the front door.

    What the rules say

    Who needs the permit

    Anyone who advertises or rents a home for short stays in the county's unincorporated mountain and desert areas.

    "Rental permits are required for owners of private homes located in the mountain and desert areas."County STR program, str.sbcounty.gov
    • How many: one permit on a lot under 2 acres, two on 2 acres or more; one owner can hold two at most. Units in apartment projects can't get one (sec. 84.28.040).
    • No transfer: a new owner applies again (sec. 84.28.040).
    • Before the permit: an exterior inspection, then a 20-day neighbor comment period (sec. 84.28.050; county getting-started page).
    • Renewal: every year. More than 45 days late on the renewal payment and the permit expires (sec. 84.28.050).
    • Fees (county FAQ, effective July 1 2026): $1,144 new; $550 renewal with no changes; $859 to $1,144 with changes.
    • Apply: through the county's online permit system, linked from getting started.
    What has to be posted, and where
    "The County-issued STR permit shall be posted inside the unit on or adjacent to the front door, along with an exit/emergency evacuation map."Sec. 84.28.070(e)

    The same section asks for a "clearly visible and legible notice posted in a prominent location within the unit" with:

    1. The rental's address.
    2. The manager, agent or owner and a 24-hour phone number.
    3. The most overnight guests.
    4. The most vehicles allowed on the property.
    5. A snow removal contact and phone.
    6. Trash instructions.
    7. A warning that breaking the rules leads to enforcement, and, in a prominent format, that disturbing the neighborhood's peace is prohibited.
    8. Where the utility shutoffs are, how to reach them and any tool needed.
    9. Local emergency medical and law enforcement numbers.
    10. A property boundary map showing the approved parking.

    The county FAQ adds that the permit and the county's Good Neighbor brochure stay posted in a visible spot at all times. The TOT certificate is posted too (County Code sec. 14.0203).

    Guests, parking and quiet hours
    • Most guests (sec. 84.28.060): studio or 1 bedroom 4, 2 bedrooms 6, 3 bedrooms 8, 4 bedrooms 10, 5 bedrooms 12. Never more than 12, and also limited by on-site parking.
    • Parking: on the property only; no street or neighbor parking (sec. 84.28.060).
    • Quiet hours: 10 PM to 7 AM, per the county's Operational Standards Guide.
    • No weddings, parties or commercial events. In the mountain region, no outdoor wood or charcoal fire pits or grills. Hot tubs locked when not in use.
    Your response time and the guest sign-off
    • Reachable by phone within 30 minutes and on the property within one hour, and check within an hour whether a complaint is real. Keep a written complaint log (sec. 84.28.070(g)).
    • Review the rules with an adult renter and get a signed acknowledgement (sec. 84.28.070(c)).
    • Every ad shows the most guests and vehicles; no ads before the permit or while it's suspended (sec. 84.28.070(d)). Platforms show the permit number (sec. 84.28.110).
    • The county's 24/7 STR hotline for neighbors: 1-833-722-7871.
    Transient occupancy tax
    "seven percent of the rent charged by the operator"County Code sec. 14.0203, as shown Nov 11 2026
    • Register with the Treasurer-Tax Collector within 30 days of your first rental; the county issues a Transient Occupancy Registration Certificate, posted "in a conspicuous place."
    • Returns are due by the last day of the month after each quarter.
    • If the platform takes the guest's payment, it collects and sends the TOT (sec. 84.28.110). If you take payment yourself, you do.
    • Before you file, confirm the current rate with the Tax Collector: county voters were asked in Nov 2024 about raising it, and we could not find an official page with the result.

    House rules go in your listing

    For bookings made from Nov 20 2026, Airbnb wants every house rule in the listing itself; signs in the house can only repeat them. This notice only carries what San Bernardino County requires, so it adds no new rules. Put quiet hours, parking and the rest in your listing first.

    Official sources, read Nov 11 2026

    Plain-words summary, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, and the official page always wins. Checked Nov 11 2026.

    Help us get it right

    Host in San Bernardino County? If a rule, fee or form here has changed, or we missed something, tell us. We check every note against the official source before we change a page, and we put the new checked date on it.

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