How to get a short-term rental permit in San Bernardino County, CA (2026)
San Bernardino County requires Short-Term Residential Rental Permit — the fee is $1,144, renewed annual. Here's how to get and keep it.
Permit at a glance
| Permit required | Yes |
|---|---|
| Permit name | Short-Term Residential Rental Permit |
| Permit fee | $1,144 |
| Renewal | Annual |
Step by step
- 1
Confirm your property is eligible
Confirm the property's zoning allows short-term rentals. STR permits are issued only in the Mountain and Desert regions of unincorporated San Bernardino County (Joshua Tree, Morongo Valley, unincorporated Big Bear area, etc.); STRs are not permitted in the Valley region. Eligible structures: single-family dwellings, duplexes, individual rooms, guest houses, condominiums, and some ADUs; units in multi-family apartment projects, yurts, travel trailers and RVs are not eligible. Max 1 STR permit per parcel under 2 acres, 2 permits per parcel of 2+ acres, and occupancy is capped at 12 overnight guests based on dwelling size. Incorporated cities (Big Bear Lake, Yucca Valley, Twentynine Palms, etc.) have their own separate STR rules.
- 2
Apply for the Short-Term Residential Rental Permit
Submit the Short-Term Residential Rental Permit application to San Bernardino County and pay the $1,144 fee. Fee schedule effective July 1, 2025: NEW application $1,144 total ($600 application fee + $285 permit fee + $259 surrounding property owner notification fee). Renewal with no changes $550; renewal with physical changes (requires inspection) $885; renewal with property management/occupancy changes (requires notification) $859; renewal with both $1,144. A $150 one-time credit is offered for installing an outdoor noise monitoring device.
- 3
Register for occupancy taxes
Register to collect and remit the applicable lodging/occupancy taxes for San Bernardino County. Some are collected automatically by the booking platform and some you may need to remit yourself.
- 4
Renew on schedule
The permit renews annual — set a reminder so it never lapses, since operating on an expired permit typically triggers fines.
STR rules change without warning.
Get an email the moment San Bernardino County changes its short-term rental rules — plus renewal reminders before your permit expires.
Watch San Bernardino County for changes →Free monthly digest · same-day alerts from $5/mo · cancel anytime
Keep going
Verified July 12, 2026. Informational only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Permit requirements and fees change; confirm current requirements with San Bernardino County before applying.