10 rules for unincorporated Sierra County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Unincorporated Sierra County requires an administrative use permit for any short-term rental, codified at Sierra County Code Section 15.10.060 (adopted by Ordinance 1131 in 2022 and amended effective December 5, 2024). It is unlawful to advertise, operate, or use a property as an STR without a permit. Permits run up to three years and apply only outside the City of Loyalton.
Sierra County Code Section 15.10.060 imposes quiet hours on short-term rentals from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Noise from inside or outside the unit that is easily detected from adjoining properties is prohibited during those hours. A 24/7 local contact must respond within 30 minutes, and special events creating traffic, parking, noise, or sewer impacts are barred.
Sierra County levies a Transient Occupancy Tax on stays of 30 days or less in unincorporated areas under County Code Chapter 5.20. STR operators must hold a TOT certificate and remit the tax. The County's STR fee schedule lists an initial permit near $345.50 and violation penalties up to $5,000. Note: the Code text states 10% TOT while the County's webpage states 12.5%.
Sierra County Code Section 15.10.060 requires off-street parking for short-term rentals scaled to maximum occupancy: one space for one to four persons, two spaces for five to six, and three spaces for seven to ten persons. Spaces must be off street, clearly delineated, and located on the STR property. An alternate parking plan may be reviewed by the County for an additional fee.
Sierra County Code Section 15.10.060 sets maximum short-term rental occupancy at two persons per bedroom. Only one STR is allowed per legally created parcel, and certain structures - including ADUs, guest houses, caretaker quarters, tiny houses, trailers, RVs, tents, and yurts - cannot be used as STRs. Occupancy is tied to the required off-street parking formula.
The reviewed Sierra County Code Section 15.10.060 and official STR program materials do not state a specific liability-insurance coverage amount required for short-term rental permits. Operators must instead meet permit, Transient Occupancy Tax, property-tax, occupancy, parking, and local-contact requirements. Booking platforms may provide host protection separately, and operators should confirm any insurance condition directly with the Planning Department.
Sierra County's short-term rental ordinance does not impose an annual cap on the number of nights a permitted STR may operate. Instead, Code Section 15.10.060 limits STRs through an administrative use permit, one STR per parcel, eligible zoning districts, occupancy and parking standards, and a permit term of up to three years. No fetched source shows a nightly or yearly rental-day limit.
To register a short-term rental in unincorporated Sierra County an applicant must obtain an administrative use permit under Code Section 15.10.060, provide a valid Transient Occupancy Tax certificate from the County Treasurer-Tax Collector, and be current on property taxes. Permits are non-transferable, carry a two-year hold after a sale, and require ownership of the property to qualify.
Sierra County does not require a host to live on site for whole-home short-term rentals, but Code Section 15.10.060 requires a designated local contact person reachable 24 hours a day who can be on site within 30 minutes. Partial-residence rentals are the exception - the owner or representative must be present during the rental. Special events are prohibited.
Sierra County does not limit short-term rentals to an owner's primary residence. Whole-home, non-owner-occupied STRs are allowed in unincorporated areas, subject to an administrative use permit, ownership tenure, and one STR per parcel under Code Section 15.10.060. A partial-residence rental is also allowed but requires the owner or representative to be present during the rental.
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