Madera County, CA Short-Term Rentals: Permit Requirements (2026)

Madera County's tourism corridor around Bass Lake, Oakhurst, North Fork and the south gate to Yosemite has drawn many vacation rentals, and the County regulates them on two tracks. The first track is already in force: any operator of a short-term rental (a stay of 30 days or less) in the unincorporated county must register with the Treasurer-Tax Collector, obtain a business license and an Annual Transient Occupancy Registration Certificate, and collect the County's lodging taxes. Registration is required within 30 days of starting to do business, and the license and TOT certificate must be displayed in a visible location inside the rental at all times. The second track is a proposed Short-Term Vacation Rental (STVR) Ordinance prepared by the Community and Economic Development Department's Planning Division. As drafted, it would add a separate, non-transferable STVR permit on top of the business license and TOT certificate, plus operational standards for occupancy, parking, noise, trash and fire safety. The Planning Commission held public hearings on the draft (February 4, 2026 and April 29, 2026), and it drew substantial public input from mountain-area owners. As of mid-2026 the Board of Supervisors had not given final approval, so confirm the current status with the Planning Division before relying on the permit rules.