Mono County, CA Short-Term Rentals: Night Caps (2026)

Mono County's STR regulations do not impose an annual nights-rented cap (a limit on how many nights per year a property may be rented). The 'cap' debate in Mono County was about the number of STR permits, not nights. During the 2024-2025 policy process, staff proposed a numeric cap on STR permits in June Lake — set at about 10% above the active permit count, which worked out to a maximum of roughly 95-96 permits — because June Lake holds the large majority of the unincorporated county's STRs. However, the Planning Commission recommended NOT adopting any cap (in June Lake or countywide), and the final ordinance adopted December 9, 2025 removed the proposed cap. Instead of a numeric cap, the County's primary tool to limit growth and commodification is a two-year waiting period: a new property owner generally must wait two years after purchasing an existing unit, or two years after completing new construction, before applying for an STR permit (a two-year wait also applies after a no-fault eviction). The adopted package includes exemptions from the waiting period — for example, properties where a properly permitted STR has operated continuously for the past two years, properties with deed-restricted housing for occupants under 120% of area median income, and properties where the same owner is renting an ADU or another unit long-term. Some neighborhoods separately prohibit STRs entirely (e.g., Mono City, Swall Meadows, parts of June Lake). Because these provisions are newly adopted, confirm current details with the County.