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

Alpine County is entirely unincorporated, so the County's own Code Chapter 18.73 (Residential Short-Term Rentals, enacted by Ord. 723 in 2017 and substantially amended by Ord. 740-21 in 2021) governs every vacation rental in the county, including the Markleeville, Bear Valley, and Kirkwood areas. Section 18.73.110 states that no person may rent, offer, or advertise a residential unit for fewer than thirty consecutive days without an approved license, and only owners of the unit may apply. A separate license is required for each property, and Section 18.73.170 makes the license non-transferable. Under Section 18.73.020 short-term rentals are allowed in any zone that permits residential use; owner-occupied rentals qualify, but bed and breakfasts, inns, hotels, and motels do not, and rentals are prohibited in ADUs or junior ADUs built after 2017. Section 18.73.030 exempts rentals used up to five nights per calendar year and one bedroom in an owner-occupied residence hosting no more than three guests, though both exemptions still owe transient occupancy tax. Applicants apply through the County's Iworq online permitting portal and must submit the STR registration, a business license, and a TOT registration form. Section 18.73.130 requires that the property have no revoked license in the prior 24 months and no active citation. The County administers and processes applications through its Community Development Department.