Placer County, CA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Placer County, CA, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- Governing code
- Placer County Code Article 9.42
- Where permit required
- Eastern Placer County (North Lake Tahoe, above ~5,000 ft)
- Western county
- TOT certificate only (no STR permit)
- Also required
- TOT certificate + business license
- Fire inspections
- Interior Fire Life Safety + exterior defensible space
- Interior inspection cost
- $507.02 (North Tahoe/Northstar/Olympic Valley)
Summary
In unincorporated eastern Placer County (North Lake Tahoe, above 5,000 feet), every short-term vacation rental needs a county STR permit under Code Article 9.42, plus a TOT certificate and business license. Western Placer County requires only a TOT certificate.
Any property owner or professional property management company who leases, rents or otherwise makes available for compensation a short-term rental unit for a period of fewer than 30 days must first obtain a short-term rental permit pursuant to this article prior to advertising and/or operating the STR unit. The short-term rental permit is in addition to the transient occupancy tax permit that is required pursuant to Placer County Code Chapter 4, Article 4.16.
Full Breakdown
42. The permit requirement applies to the unincorporated Eastern Placer County Short-Term Rental Area, generally properties above 5,000 feet in elevation in the North Lake Tahoe region (Tahoe City, Kings Beach, Carnelian Bay, Tahoma). In this eastern area, a property owner must obtain a short-term rental permit before renting, in addition to a Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) certificate and a business license. Western Placer County (Auburn, Roseville-area unincorporated land, lower elevations) does NOT require an STR permit, but operators there must still obtain a TOT certificate and comply with the TOT ordinance.
New eastern-county applicants must submit through the county's online portal and provide the rental address and Assessor Parcel Number, local contact information, bedroom count and maximum occupancy, parking spaces, garbage/bear-box service proof, and pass both an interior Fire Life Safety inspection and an exterior defensible space inspection. 02 in the North Tahoe, Northstar, and Olympic Valley fire districts (Truckee Fire District sets its own fees). Permits are issued per the program's standards and may be suspended if valid inspections are not on file.
Violations & Fines
Operating an STR in eastern Placer County without a valid permit subjects the operator to the penalties defined in Code Section 9.42.100(A). Renting without a permit or inspections can lead to suspension or revocation and daily fines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Placer County STR permit if my cabin is in west Placer?
What inspections are required before I can get a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Placer County
How Placer County compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·California rules heatmap·Compare Placer County to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
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