With The Lake Tahoe and Truckee area seeing a continued influx of short-term rentals and as the popularity of rental market places such as VRBO and Airbnb continues to grow communities around Lake Tahoe have voiced concern including the impact it has on workforce housing affordability and the price of homes. With this in mind each county has implemented its own set of restrictions on vacation/short-term rentals.
Incline Village (Unincorporated portions of Washoe County) STR’s are allowed in Incline Village, Nevada. The Incline Village General Improvement District (IVGID) does not restrict STRs however some Home Owner Associations do not allow STRs, others do.
- Every STR must have a designated 24/7 responsible party who can respond to issues within a 30-minute time frame.
- Limit of one STR per parcel
- Snow removal and parking
- Annual renewal of STR permit required
- Applicable room taxes must be paid
For operational standards and more information see the Washoe County STR Page
North Lake Tahoe, Placer County
STR’s are allowed in North Lake Tahoe and part of West Shore (in Placer County) but permit applications are subjected to a cap of 3,900 permits. As of June 1, 2026 there 3,511 current permits , therefore the cap has not been reached yet and there are approximately 300 remaining permits.
Definition: Short-term rentals are defined as any unit, or portion thereof, permitted for residential use and rented for occupancy, dwelling, lodging, or sleeping purposes for a period of not less than one night and not more than thirty (30) days. Commercial lodging use (hotel, motel, condo-hotel [as defined in the ordinance] or timeshare) is not included in the short-term rental definition and not subject to the ordinance.
Owner-occupied property with a STR unit in good standing and a current TOT certificate is exempt from the cap.
A change of ownership of property with a permitted STR unit shall result in the automatic termination of the STR permit. The new owner may apply for a new STR permit. The Agency will continually maintain the overall cap inventory as permits are not renewed or revoked and on a quarterly basis
- Local Contact 24/7
- On-site parking
- Bear box
- Passing defensible space inspection
- Occupancy requirements
- Snow removal services
- Short-term rental of tiny homes or mobile or manufactured home units is prohibited.
- Only one STR unit per property is permitted, including single-family and multi-family properties.
- Pets shall be secured within the boundaries of the STR parcel at all times. If the STR parcel is not fenced, pets must be kept on a leash and accompanied by the owner at all times while outside.
For operational standards and more information see Placer County STR Page
Town of Truckee
STR’s are allowed in Truckee CA (Nevada County), however they do not carry over with the sale of the home and there is a 365-Day Waiting Period after a home sale before the new owner may register for a STR permit and a cap of 1,255 permits, which has already been reached.
The STR Ordinance modifications include:
- Registration Certificate Cap of 1,255 (Cap has already been reached)
- Phase out STRs in Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Multi-Family Dwelling Units
- 365-Day Waiting Period after a home sale before the new owner may register as an STR
- Increase Penalties for Violation of the ordinance
- Two-part Waitlist Application Process including a $100 non-refundable deposit
For more information visit the Town of Truckee website on STR permitting.
South Lake Tahoe, California Side
South Lake Tahoe allows vacation home rentals (VHRs) in many areas of the city, but all properties rented for fewer than 30 consecutive days must have a valid Vacation Home Rental permit and comply with the City’s regulations. Residential areas are subject to a cap of 900 VHR permits, with a waitlist established once the cap is reached. Condominiums are eligible for permits unless prohibited by their HOA, while accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and most multifamily properties are not eligible.
The current VHR regulations include:
- 900 VHR permit cap in residential zones
- Waitlist established once the permit cap is reached
- Minimum renter age of 25
- Condominiums eligible for VHR permits unless prohibited by the HOA
- VHRs prohibited in ADUs and most multifamily dwellings
- Occupancy, parking, noise monitoring, and defensible space requirements for properties in residential areas
- Annual permit renewal required
Vacation rentals are allowed in all the South Lake Tahoe neighborhoods considered county neighborhoods with some restrictions. In El Dorado County a property requires a 500 ft buffer zone from a permitted property, it is not eligible for a VHR permit. If it is in the Tahoe area, it is subject to the 900 permit cap and there are not any permits available at this time. You can be added to a waitlist once you purchase a property. Properties that have an active permit when a house changes ownership do not transfer. When the house sells, the permit becomes null and void.
For more information visit;
South Lake Tahoe, Nevada Side
Lake Tahoe Nevada (Douglas County) VHR’s are allowed with no more than 600 permits issued in the Tahoe Township with a limit on density, (the total percentage of VHRs that may be permitted) per neighborhood area.
Douglas County is using a waitlist process. Neighborhoods with available permits will not have to follow this waitlist process. Full neighborhoods where no permits are available, the waitlist is administered first come first serve.
For more information visit the The Douglas County website on STR permitting.
Leave a Reply