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

Tehama County requires a Short-Term Rental (STR) Permit for anyone operating a vacation rental in the unincorporated county. The Treasurer-Tax Collector states that, effective June 20, 2024, 'Hoteliers and other hosts/operators are required to obtain a Short-Term Rental (STR) Permit to operate in all unincorporated areas of Tehama County.' This requirement is tied to the County's transient occupancy tax (TOT) program, which applies to lodging rented for periods of 30 days or less. Registration and permitting are administered through the County's online portal hosted by Deckard Technologies at portal.deckard.com/ca-tehama-str-portal, where operators can both register for the STR Permit and set up TOT payment. The permit applies to rentals in unincorporated communities such as those near Mineral, Mill Creek, Manton, Los Molinos, Gerber and other rural areas outside the incorporated cities of Red Bluff and Corning and the City of Tehama, which run their own programs. The County's published materials confirm the permit obligation and the registration portal but do not publish a detailed fee schedule or operational standards online; prospective operators should confirm current fees and conditions with the Planning Department or Treasurer-Tax Collector before listing a property. Operating without a permit, or failing to register, exposes a host to enforcement and to liability for unpaid TOT.