10 rules for unincorporated Mono County, California.
Verified from official government sources
In unincorporated Mono County, operating a short-term/transient rental (a stay of 30 days or less) requires both a discretionary Use Permit and a Short-Term Rental Activity Permit, plus a county business license and a Transient Occupancy Tax certificate. The Board of Supervisors adopted new regulations under General Plan Amendment 25-01 and Mono County Code Chapter 5.65 on December 9, 2025.
Mono County's transient rental standards aim to prevent disturbance to the peace and quiet of residential neighborhoods. Required interior postings list emergency contacts (911, property manager, sheriff/fire) and the consequences of violations. A property manager must be available 24 hours a day to respond to disturbance complaints. The transient rental standards do not set a specific decibel limit.
Short-term rental guests in unincorporated Mono County pay a 15% Transient Occupancy Tax, increased from 12% effective December 13, 2024 by voter-approved Measure K. Operators collect the TOT, hold a TOT registration certificate, and remit returns within 30 days of the end of each reporting period. STR permits are also billed at $135.00 per hour of staff time.
Mono County's transient rental standards require all guest parking to be on-site: 'There shall be no off-site or on-street parking allowed.' Parking on neighboring property is treated as trespass. The rental agreement must state the parking limits, and a diagram of the designated parking location must be posted on and in the unit.
Under Mono County's transient rental standards, overnight occupancy of a vacation/transient rental is limited to two persons per bedroom plus two additional persons, with a hard cap of 10 persons unless the Building Official certifies the unit for a higher number. Septic system capacity may impose stricter limits.
Mono County's published transient rental standards do not state a specific minimum liability-insurance dollar amount. The rental agreement must notify renters they may be personally and financially liable for damage or loss caused by their use of the unit. Operators should verify any insurance requirement added under the December 2025 ordinance directly with the County.
Mono County does NOT cap the number of nights an STR may rent per year. A proposed numeric cap of about 95 STR permits in June Lake was rejected, so the adopted ordinance has no permit cap. Instead, the County imposed a two-year waiting period (with exemptions) before a new owner or new unit can apply.
Mono County STR operators must register on multiple tracks: a Short-Term Rental Activity Permit (renewed annually, with renewals due by August 1), a Use Permit, an active Mono County business license, and a Transient Occupancy Tax registration certificate. Permits are tied to the operator and, under the December 2025 rules, no longer automatically transfer to a new owner on sale.
Mono County does not require a host to be physically on-site, but a designated property manager or management company must be available 24 hours a day to handle problems, and the owner must be personally reachable by phone around the clock. Failure to remain reachable can lead to permit revocation. The December 2025 rules also use a 'hosted' model.
Mono County does not require an STR to be your primary residence, but the December 2025 overhaul prioritizes residential use and a 'hosted' sharing model. The County replaced 'owner-occupied' language with 'hosted,' allowing a resident owner or tenant to host. STR approvals are limited to one per natural person and generally do not transfer with the property on sale.
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